And indeed We sent Nooh and Ibrahim, and placed Prophethood and the Book among their descendants, so some among them took to guidance; and many of them are sinners. 26 In their wake, We sent a succession of Our Messengers, and raised Jesus, son of Mary, after all of them, and bestowed upon him the Evangel, and We set tenderness and mercy in the hearts of those that followed him. As for monasticism, it is they who invented it; We did not prescribe it for them. They themselves invented it in pursuit of Allah's good pleasure, and then they did not observe it as it ought to have been observed. So We gave their reward to those of them that believed. But many of them are wicked. 27 O you who have believed, fear Allah and believe in His Messenger; He will [then] give you a double portion of His mercy and make for you a light by which you will walk and forgive you; and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. 28 This He will award that the people of the Book may know that they control naught of the grace of Allah, and that the grace is in Allah's hand; He vouchsafeth it unto whomsoever He wilt. And Allah is Owner of Mighty Grace. 29