Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Who provideth for you from the sky and the earth, or Who owneth hearing and sight; and Who bringeth forth the living from the dead and bringeth forth the dead from the living; and Who directeth the course? They will say: Allah. Then say: Will ye not then keep your duty (unto Him)? 31 Thus is God your true Lord. In the absence of truth there is nothing but falsehood. Then where are you turning? 32 The decree of your Lord that the evil-doers will not have faith has already been issued. 33 Ask them: "Is there among the partners (you ascribe to God) one who first originates then reverts it? Say: "It is God alone who first creates and then reverts it. So where do you stray?" 34 Say thou: is there any of your associate-gods who guideth you to the truth! Say thou: Allah guideth unto the truth. Is He, then, who guideth to the truth more worthy to be followed, or one who findeth not the guidance unless he is guided. What aileth ye then? How ill ye judge! 35 And the most of them follow only surmise, and surmise avails naught against truth. Surely God knows the things they do. 36 And this Quran is not such as could be forged by those besides Allah, but it is a verification of that which is before it and a clear explanation of the book, there is no doubt in it, from the Lord of the worlds. 37 Or say they: He hath invented it? Say: Then bring a surah like unto it, and call (for help) on all ye can besides Allah, if ye are truthful. 38 Nay, but they are bent on giving the lie to everything the wisdom whereof they do not comprehend, and ere its inner meaning has become clear to them Even thus did those who lived before their time give the lie to the truth: and behold what happened in the end to those evildoers! 39 Of those some will believe and others will not. Your Lord knows best the mischief-makers. 40