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 but as for those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, they shall be admitted to gardens underneath which rivers flow, therein dwelling forever, by the leave of their Lord, their greeting therein: 'Peace!' 23 Have you not seen how Allah sets forth a parable that a good deed is like a good tree, its roots are firm and its branches are in the heaven, 24 Yielding its fruit in every season by the permission of its Lord? And Allah sets forth parables for men that they may be mindful. 25 And the parable of an evil word is as an evil tree pulled up from the earth's surface; it has 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