Be they men or women, the hypocrites are all alike. They order what is evil, forbid what is just, and tighten their purse strings. They forsook Allah, so Allah forsook them. Surely, the hypocrites are evildoers. 67 For the hypocrites and the unbelievers, God has prepared hell wherein they will live forever. Hell is their proper punishment. God has condemned them and they will suffer a permanent torment 68 like that of those who lived before you, whose power, wealth, and children were much greater than yours. They enjoyed their share of the worldly gains and you, also, like them, have enjoyed yours. You have been sneaking among the people to cause trouble, just as they had been doing before you. Such people's deeds are devoid of all virtue both in this life and in the life hereafter. They indeed are 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 friends to each other; they enjoin what is good and forbid evil, they attend to their prayers and pay the alms and obey God and His Messenger. On these God will have mercy, for God is almighty and wise. 71 Allah has promised to the believing men and the believing women gardens, beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them, and goodly dwellings in gardens of perpetual abode; and best of all is Allah's goodly pleasure; that is the grand achievement. 72