Surely, for men and women who have surrendered [to God] -- believing men and believing women, obedient men and obedient women, truthful men and truthful women, patient men and patient women, humble men and humble women, charitable men and charitable women, fasting men and fasting women, men and women who guard their chastity, men and women who are ever mindful of God -- God is ready with forgiveness and an immense reward. 35 It is not fitting for a Believer, man or woman, when a matter has been decided by Allah and His Messenger to have any option about their decision: if any one disobeys Allah and His Messenger, he is indeed on a clearly wrong Path. 36 AND LO, [O Muhammad,] thou didst say unto the one to whom God had shown favour and to whom thou hadst shown favour, "Hold on to thy wife, and remain conscious of God!" And [thus] wouldst thou hide within thyself something that God was about to bring to light for thou didst stand in awe of [what] people [might think,] whereas it was God alone of whom thou shouldst have stood in awe! [But] then, when Zayd had come to the end of his union with her, We gave her to thee in marriage, so that [in future] no blame should attach to the believers for [marrying] the spouses of their adopted children when the latter have come to the end of their union with them. And [thus] God's will was done. 37 No blame shall be attached to the Prophet for doing what is sanctioned for him by God. This was God's way with those who went before him -- and the command of God is a decree determined. 38 Who delivered the messages of Allah and feared Him, and feared none save Allah. Allah keepeth good account. 39 Muhammad is not the father of any of your males, but the apostle of Allah and the seal of the prophets; and Allah of everything is ever the Knower. 40