O mankind! worship your Lord, Who hath created you and those before you, so that ye may ward off (evil). 21 Who made the earth a resting place for you and the heaven a canopy and (Who) sends down rain from the cloud, then brings forth with it subsistence for you of the fruits; therefore do not set up rivals to Allah while you know. 22 And if you are in doubt about what We have sent down upon Our Servant [Muhammad], then produce a surah the like thereof and call upon your witnesses other than Allah, if you should be truthful. 23 But if you cannot do it, and you can never do it, then guard yourselves against the Fire whose fuel is men and stones, prepared for those who deny the truth. 24 And bear thou the glad tidings unto those who believe and do righteous works that verily for them shall be Gardens whereunder rivers flow. So oft as they shall be provided with a fruit therefrom they will say: this is that wherewith we were provided afore; and they shall be vouchsafed that which is consimilar; and for them shall be therein spouses purified, and therein they shall be abiders. 25 ۞ God is not ashamed to strike a similitude even of a gnat, or aught above it. As for the believers, they know it is the truth from their Lord; but as for unbelievers, they say, 'What did God desire by this for a similitude?' Thereby He leads many astray, and thereby He guides many; and thereby He leads none astray save the ungodly 26 who break their bond with God after it has been established [in their nature,] and cut asunder what God has bidden to be joined, and spread corruption on earth: these it is that shall be the losers. 27 How is it that you adopt the attitude of disbelief towards Allah when the fact is that you were lifeless and He gave you life, and He will take away life from you and will again restore you to life: then you shall ultimately return to Him. 28 It is He Who hath created for you all things that are on earth; Moreover His design comprehended the heavens, for He gave order and perfection to the seven firmaments; and of all things He hath perfect knowledge. 29