It is not for the associators that they shall tend Allah's mosques, while giving evidence of infidelity against themselves. Those! vain shall be their works, and in the Fire they shall be abiders. 17 Only he shall inhabit God's places of worship who believes in God and the Last Day, and performs the prayer, and pays the alms, and fears none but God alone; it may be that those will be among the guided. 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 accepted faith, and left their homes and fought with their wealth and their lives in Allah’s way have a greater rank before Allah; and it is they who have succeeded. 20 Their Lord gives them good news of mercy from Himself and (His) good pleasure and gardens, wherein lasting blessings shall be theirs; 21 As abiders therein for evermore. Verily Allah: with Him is a hire mighty. 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 Say, [O Muhammad], "If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, wealth which you have obtained, commerce wherein you fear decline, and dwellings with which you are pleased are more beloved to you than Allah and His Messenger and jihad in His cause, then wait until Allah executes His command. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people." 24