And Satan says, when the issue is decided, 'God surely promised you a true promise; and I promised you, then I failed you, for I had no authority over you, but that I called you, and you answered me. So do not blame me, but blame yourselves; I cannot aid you, neither can you aid me. I disbelieved in your associating me with God aforetime.' As for the evildoers, for them awaits a painful chastisement; 22 And those who believed and worked righteous works shall be made to enter Gardens whereunder rivers flow as abiders therein by the command of their Lord, their greeting therein will be: peace! 23 Hast thou not seen how God has struck a similitude? A good word is as a good tree -- its roots are firm, and its branches are in heaven; 24 Giving its fruit at all times, by the Leave of its Lord and Allah sets forth parables for mankind in order that they may remember. 25 And the similitude of a bad saying is as a bad tree, uprooted from upon the earth, possessing no stability. 26 God confirms those who believe with the firm word, in the present life and in the world to come; and God leads astray the evildoers; and God does what He will. 27