Shall he who shall have nought but his own face to shelter him with from the torment of the punishment on the day of the resurrection . . .? Aye, to the evil doers it shall be said, "Taste what ye have earned." They who were before them said it was a lie; but a punishment came upon them whence they looked not for it: And God made them taste humiliation in this present life: but greater surely will be the punishment of the life to come. Did they but know it! Now have we set before man in this Koran every kind of parable for their warning: An Arabic Koran, free from tortuous wording, to the intent that they may fear God. God setteth forth the comparison of a man with associates6 at variance among themselves, and of a man devoted wholly to a man. Are these to be held alike? No, praise be to God! But the greater part of them understand not. Thou truly shall die, O Muhammad, and they too shall die: Then, at the day of resurrection, ye shall wrangle with one another in the presence of your Lord. And who acteth more unjustly than he who lieth of God, and treateth the truth when it cometh to him as a lie? Is there not a dwelling-place in Hell for the infidels? But he who bringeth the truth, and he who believeth it to be the truth: these are the God-fearing. Whatever they shall desire, awaiteth them with their Lord! This is the reward of the righteous; That God may do away the guilt of their worst actions, and for their best actions render them their reward. Is not God all-sufficient for his servant? Yet would they scare thee by their idols. But no guide shall there be for him whom God misleadeth: And he whom God guideth shall have none to mislead him. Is not God, all- mighty, able to revenge? And if thou ask them who hath created the Heavens and the Earth, they will surely answer, God. SAY: Think ye, then, that they7 on whom ye call beside God, if God choose to afflict me, could remove his affliction? or if he choose to show me mercy, could they withhold His mercy? SAY: God sufficeth me: in Him let the trusting trust. SAY: O my people, act your part as best ye can, I too will act mine; and in the end ye shall know On whom shall light a punishment that shall shame him, and on whom a lasting punishment shall fall. Assuredly we have sent down the Book to thee for man and for the ends of truth. Whoso shall be guided by it–it will be for his own advantage, and whoso shall err, shall only err to his own loss. But not to thy keeping are they entrusted. God taketh souls unto Himself at death; and during their sleep those who do not die:8 and he retaineth those on which he hath passed a decree of death, but sendeth the others back till a time that is fixed. Herein are signs for the reflecting. Have they taken aught beside God as intercessors? SAY: What! though they have no power over anything, neither do they understand?