IT IS NOT for those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God to visit or tend God's houses of worship, the while [by their beliefs] they bear witness against themselves that they are denying the truth. It is they whose works shall come to nought, and they who in the fire shall 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 migrated, and struggle in the Way of Allah with their wealth and their persons are greater in rank with Allah. It is they who are the winners. 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 There they will abide for ever. Lo! with Allah there is immense reward. 22 O you who believe, do not hold your fathers and brothers as friends if they hold disbelief more dear than faith; and those of you who do so are iniquitous. 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