And We have already sent Noah and Abraham and placed in their descendants prophethood and scripture; and among them is he who is guided, but many of them are defiantly disobedient. 26 Thereafter in their footsteps We caused Our apostles to follow, and We caused Isa, son of Maryam, to follow them, and We vouchsafed unto him the Injil, and We placed in the hearts of those who followed him tenderness and mercy. And asceticism! they innovated it - We prescribed it not for them, only seeking Allah's pleasure, yet they tended it not with tendence due thereto. So We vouchsafed unto such of them as believed their hire, and many of them are transgressors. 27 O ye that believe! Fear Allah, and believe in His Messenger, and He will bestow on you a double portion of His Mercy: He will provide for you a Light by which ye shall walk (straight in your path), and He will forgive you (your past): for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 28 So that the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) may know that they have no power whatsoever over the Grace of Allah, and that (His) Grace is (entirely) in His Hand to bestow it on whomsoever He wills. And Allah is the Owner of Great Bounty. 29