The hypocrite men and hypocrite women are of one another. They enjoin what is wrong and forbid what is right and close their hands. They have forgotten Allah, so He has forgotten them [accordingly]. Indeed, the hypocrites - it is they who are the defiantly disobedient. 67 Allah hath promised the hypocritical men and hypocritical women and unto the open infidels Hell-Fire, wherein they shall be abiders: sufficient is that unto them. And Allah shall accurse them, and theirs shall be a torment lasting. 68 [Say unto them: "You are] like those [hypocrites] who lived before your time. Greater than you were they in power, and richer in wealth and in children; and they enjoyed their share [of happiness]. And you have been enjoying your share - just as those who preceded you enjoyed their share; and you have been indulging in scurrilous talk - just as they indulged in it. It is they whose works have come to nought in this world and in the life to come - and it is they, they who are the lost!" 69 Has not the story reached them of those before them? - The people of Nuh (Noah), 'Ad, and Thamud, the people of Ibrahim (Abraham), the dwellers of Madyan (Midian) and the cities overthrown [i.e. the people to whom Lout (Lot) preached], to them came their Messengers with clear proofs. So it was not Allah Who wronged them, but they used to wrong themselves. 70 The believers, both men and women, are guides to each other. They order what is just and forbid what is evil; they establish their prayers and pay the obligatory charity and obey Allah and His Messenger. On these Allah will have mercy. He is Mighty, Wise. 71 God has promised the believers, both men and women, gardens through which running waters flow, therein to abide, and goodly dwellings in gardens of perpetual bliss: but God's goodly acceptance is the greatest [bliss of all] - for this, this is the triumph supreme! 72