The idolaters say: "If God had willed we would not have worshipped anything apart from Him, nor would our fathers have done, nor would we have forbidden any thing without His (leave)." So had the people done before them. Therefore it is binding on the prophets to convey the message in clearest terms. 35 And verily We have raised in every nation a messenger, (proclaiming): Serve Allah and shun false gods. Then some of them (there were) whom Allah guided, and some of them (there were) upon whom error had just hold. Do but travel in the land and see the nature of the consequence for the deniers! 36 Though you [Prophet] may be eager to guide them, God does not guide those whom He lets go astray, [because of their refusal to give a positive response to the truth]. They will have no supporters. 37 They solemnly swear by Allah that Allah will never raise the dead to life. No, surely the promise of Allah is binding upon Him, though most people do not know. 38 For (they fear) He might make what they differed about plain to them, and that the infidels may realise that they were liars. 39 And Our command for anything to occur, when We will it, is that We only say to it, “Be” – and it thereupon happens. 40