۞ O You who have attained to faith! Follow not Satan's footsteps: for he who follows Satan's footsteps [will find that,] behold, he enjoins but deeds of abomination and all that runs counter to reason. And were it not for God's favour upon you and His grace, not one of you would ever have remained pure. For [thus it is:] God who causes whomever He wills to grow in purity: for God is all-hearing, all-knowing. 21 Let not those who are possessed of means and plenty among you resolve to withhold their bounty from their kindred and the needy and those who have migrated from their homes in the cause of God. Let them forgive and overlook. Do you not wish God to forgive you? God is forgiving and merciful. 22 Those who slander the unaware but chaste and believing women (of committing unlawful carnal relations) are condemned in this life and in the life hereafter. They will suffer a great punishment 23 on the Day when their own tongues and hands and feet will bear witness against them by [recalling] all that they did! 24 On that day Allah will pay them their just due, and they will know that Allah, He is the Manifest Truth. 25 Vile women are for vile men, and vile men are for vile women, and clean women are for clean men, and clean men are for clean women; these are quit of that which the people say: for them is forgiveness and a provision honoured. 26