Shall he then whose breast Allah hath expanded for Islam, so that he followeth a light from his Lord be as he whose heart is hardened? Then woe unto those whose hearts are hardened against remembrance of Allah. They are in an error manifest. 22 Allah has sent down the best statement, a Book (this Quran), its parts resembling each other in goodness and truth, oft-repeated. The skins of those who fear their Lord shiver from it (when they recite it or hear it). Then their skin and their heart soften to the remembrance of Allah. That is the guidance of Allah. He Guides therewith whom He pleases and whomever Allah sends astray, for him there is no guide. 23 Could, then, one who shall have nothing but is [bare] face to protect him from the awful suffering [that will befall him] on Resurrection Day [be likened to the God-conscious]? [On that Day,] the evildoers will be told: "Taste [now] what you have earned [in life]!" 24 Those before them denied, and so the doom came on them whence they knew not. 25 So Allah made them taste the disgrace in this world's life, and certainly the punishment of the hereafter is greater; did they but know! 26 And certainly We have set forth to men in this Quran similitudes of every sort that they may mind. 27 as a discourse in the Arabic tongue, free of all deviousness, so that they might become conscious of God. 28 [To this end,] God sets forth a parable: A man who has for his masters several partners, [all of them] at variance with one another, and a man depending wholly on one person: can these two be deemed equal as regards their condition? [Nay,] all praise is due to God [alone]: but most of them do not understand this. 29 Verily you will die, and so will they. 30 Then verily on the Day of Resurrection, before your Lord ye shall contend. 31