The pagans do not have any right to establish (and patronize) the mosque of God while they testify against their souls to its disbelief. Their deeds are devoid of all virtue and they will live forever in hell fire. 17 The mosques of Allah are only to be maintained by those who believe in Allah and the Last Day and establish prayer and give zakah and do not fear except Allah, for it is expected that those will be of the [rightly] guided. 18 ۞ So have they taken the quenching of the pilgrims’ thirst and servicing of the Sacred Mosque as equal (in merit) to him who accepted faith in Allah and the Last Day, and fought in Allah’s way? They are not equal before Allah; and Allah 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 tidings of mercy from Him and approval and of gardens for them wherein is enduring pleasure. 21 There they will abide for ever. Lo! with Allah there is immense reward. 22 Believers, do not take your fathers or your brothers for a guide if they love disbelief rather than belief. Whosoever of you takes them for guides are the harmdoers. 23 Say, "If your fathers and your sons and your brothers and your spouses and your tribe, and the worldly goods which you have acquired, and the commerce which you fear will decline, and the homes you love are dearer to you than God and His Messenger and the struggle for His cause, then wait until God fulfills His decree. God does not guide the disobedient people." 24