۞ AND PROPOUND unto them the parable of two men, upon one of whom We had bestowed two vinyards, and surrounded them with date-palms, and placed a field of grain in-between. 32 Each of the two gardens brought forth its produce and stinted not aught thereof; and We caused to gush forth in the midst of the twain a river. 33 And he had property. Then he said unto his fellow while he spake with him: I am more than thou in substance and am mightier in respect of retinue. 34 And he entered his garden, wronging himself; he said, 'I do not think that this will ever perish; 35 And I do not think the hour will come, and even if I am returned to my Lord I will most certainly find a returning place better than this. 36 His comrade, when he (thus) spake with him, exclaimed: Disbelievest thou in Him Who created thee of dust, then of a drop (of seed), and then fashioned thee a man? 37 But lo, He is God, my Lord, and I will not associate with my Lord any one. 38 Wherefore saidst thou not, when thou enteredest thy garden: whatsoever Allah may will! there is no power save in Allah! If thou beholdest I am inferior to thee in substance and offspring. 39 it may well be that my Lord will give me something better than your vineyard, and send a calamity upon your vineyard from the heavens and it will be reduced to a barren waste, 40 or cause the streams in your garden to disappear under the ground such that you will never be able to find them. 41 So it was, and all his fruit was destroyed. The vines had all fallen down on their trellises, and their owner wrung his hands, bewailing all that he had spent on his garden. He said, "Would that I had not associated anyone with my Lord!" 42 And there was no host, beside Allah, to help him, nor could he be of any help to himself. 43 For thus it is: all protective power belongs to God alone, the True One. He is the best to grant recompense, and the best to determine what is to be. 44