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O Muhammad, present a parable36 before them. There were two persons; to one of those We gave two gardens of vine and surrounded them with a fence of date-palm trees and We kept a piece of land between them for cultivation.

Both of the vine-yards yielded abundant fruit and did not fail anywise in bringing forth their produce, and We caused a canal to flow in their midst.

And the owner of the gardens got much benefit. In spite of all this, while conversing with his neighbor, he said, "I have more of wealth than you and have mightier men at my service.”

Then he entered his "Paradise,” while he was unjust to himself, and said, "I don't think that this wealth of mine will ever perish,

and I do not believe that the Hour of Resurrection will ever come. Anyhow if ever I am returned to my Lord, I will get even a grander place than this.”

His neighbor rebuked him during the conversation, saying, "What! Do you disbelieve in the Being Who has created you from clay, then from sperm drop and shaped you as a perfect man?

As for myself; Allah alone is my Lord and I set up no partners with Him.

And when you were entering your garden, why didn't you say, `Only that shall happen what He will: neither I nor any one else has any power. If you find me now less in wealth and offspring than you,

my Lord may bestow on me a better garden than yours and send from heaven on your garden a catastrophe that might turn it into a barren plain,

or its water might sink into the earth and you may not be able to bring it out in any way."

At last (it so happened that) all his fruit produce was destroyed and, seeing his vines overturned on the trellises, he began to wring his hands at the loss of what he had spent on it, saying, "I wish I had not associated a partner with my Lord!

"He was so helpless that neither could he find any host to help him against Allah, nor was himself able to avert that catastrophe-

It was then that he realized that all the power of helping rests with Allah, the True One. That reward is the best Which He bestows and that end is the-best to which He leads.