And when Moosa said to his people, “O my people! Remember Allah’s favour upon you, that He created Prophets among you, and made you kings, and has now given you what He has not given to any one else in this world.” 20 O my people! Enter the holy land which God has promised you; but do not turn back [on your faith,] for then you will be lost!" 21 They said: "O Moses, in that land live a people who are formidable; we shall never go there until they leave. We shall enter when they go away." 22 So two men who were among those who feared Allah and whom Allah had favoured said, “Enter upon them by force, through the gate; if you enter the gate, victory will be yours; and depend only upon Allah, if you have faith.” 23 They said, "(Moses), as long as they are in the land, we shall never go there. Go with your Lord to fight them but we shall stay where we are". 24 Thereupon Moses said: 'My Lord! I have control over none but my own self and my brother; so distinguish between us and the transgressing people.' 25 God said, "The land is forbidden to them for forty years, while they wander around the earth, bewildered; do not grieve over these wicked people." 26