It is not for such as join gods with Allah, to visit or maintain the mosques of Allah while they witness against their own souls to infidelity. The works of such bear no fruit: In Fire shall they dwell. 17 Only he should tend God's houses of worship who believes in God and the Last Day, and is constant in prayer, and spends in charity, and stands in awe of none but God: such people may hope to be among the rightly guided. 18 ۞ Do ye make the giving of drink to pilgrims, or the maintenance of the Sacred Mosque, equal to (the pious service of) those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and strive with might and main in the cause of Allah? They are not comparable in the sight of Allah: and Allah guides not those who do wrong. 19 Those who believe, and suffer exile and strive with might and main, in Allah's cause, with their goods and their persons, have the highest rank in the sight of Allah: they are the people who will achieve (salvation). 20 their Lord gives them good tidings of mercy from Him and good pleasure; for them await gardens wherein is lasting bliss, 21 therein to abide beyond the count of time. Verily, with God is a mighty reward! 22 Believers, do not take your fathers and your brothers for your allies if they choose unbelief in preference to belief. Whosoever of you takes them as allies those are wrong-doers. 23 Say thou: if your fathers and your sons and your brothers and your wives and your family and the riches ye have acquired and the traffic wherein ye fear a slackening and the dwellings which please you are dearer unto you than Allah and His apostle and striving in His cause, then wait until Allah bringeth about His decree, and Allah guideth not the ungodly people. 24