It is not for the idolaters to tend Allah's sanctuaries, bearing witness against themselves of disbelief. As for such, their works are vain and in the Fire they will abide. 17 They only shall tend Allah's mosques who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish prayer and give the poor rate and fear none save Allah. Belike those will be of the guided ones. 18 ۞ Do you (pagans), because you served water to the pilgrims and constructed the Sacred Mosque, consider yourselves equal to those who have believed in God, the Day of Judgment, and have fought for the cause of God? In the sight of God you (pagans) are not equal to the believers. God does not guide the unjust. 19 Those who believe, and suffer exile and strive with might and main, in Allah's cause, with their goods and their persons, have the highest rank in the sight of Allah: they are the people who will achieve (salvation). 20 Their Lord giveth them glad tidings of a mercy from Him and of goodwill and of the Gardens wherein theirs will be a delight lasting: 21 therein to abide beyond the count of time. Verily, with God is a mighty reward! 22 O ye who believe! take not for protectors your fathers and your brothers if they love infidelity above Faith: if any of you do so, they do wrong. 23 You tell them: "If your fathers and sons, your brothers and wives and families and wealth, or the business you fear may fail, and the mansions that you love, are dearer to you than God, His Apostle, and struggling in His cause, then wait until God's command arrives, for God does not show transgressors the way." 24