Two Men with Two Gardens
Present to them the parable of two men: We gave one two gardens of grapevines, surrounded by date palms, with crops growing between them.
18:32Coin for them a similitude: Two men, unto one of whom We had assigned two gardens of grapes, and We had surrounded both with date-palms and had put between them tillage.
Both gardens yielded their produce without fail, and We caused a river to flow between them.
18:33Each of the gardens gave its fruit and withheld naught thereof. And We caused a river to gush forth therein.
He had abundant wealth and said to his companion while conversing, “I am wealthier than you and have a greater following.”
18:34And he had fruit. And he said unto his comrade, when he spake with him: I am more than thee in wealth, and stronger in respect of men.
He entered his garden, wronging himself, and said, “I do not think this will ever perish.”
18:35And he went into his garden, while he (thus) wronged himself. He said: I think not that all this will ever perish.
“Nor do I think the Hour will come. But even if I am returned to my Lord, I will surely find something better than this.”
18:36I think not that the Hour will ever come, and if indeed I am brought back unto my Lord I surely shall find better than this as a resort.
His companion replied, “Do you disbelieve in the One who created you from dust, then from a drop, then fashioned you into a man?”
18:37His comrade, when he (thus) spake with him, exclaimed: Disbelievest thou in Him Who created thee of dust, then of a drop (of seed), and then fashioned thee a man?
“If only, when you entered your garden, you had said, ‘This is what Allah has willed; there is no power except with Allah.’ Though you see me with less wealth and children than you,”
18:39If only, when thou enteredst thy garden, thou hadst said: That which Allah willeth (will come to pass)! There is no strength save in Allah! Though thou seest me as less than thee in wealth and children,
“Perhaps my Lord will grant me something better than your garden, and send upon yours a calamity from the sky, leaving it barren.”
18:40Yet it may be that my Lord will give me better than thy garden, and will send on it a bolt from heaven, and some morning it will be a smooth hillside,
“Or its water may sink deep into the earth, and you will never be able to retrieve it.”
18:41Or some morning the water thereof will be lost in the earth so that thou canst not make search for it.
His wealth was destroyed, and he wrung his hands over what he had spent on it, as it lay in ruins. He said, “If only I had not associated anyone with my Lord!”
18:42And his fruit was beset (with destruction). Then began he to wring his hands for all that he had spent upon it, when (now) it was all ruined on its trellises, and to say: Would that I had ascribed no partner to my Lord!
He had no supporters to help him against Allah, nor could he save himself.
18:43And he had no troop of men to help him as against Allah, nor could he save himself.
There, authority belongs only to Allah, the True. He is best in reward and best in outcome.
18:44In this case is protection only from Allah, the True, He is Best for reward, and best for consequence.