And Satan says, when the issue is decided, 'God surely promised you a true promise; and I promised you, then I failed you, for I had no authority over you, but that I called you, and you answered me. So do not blame me, but blame yourselves; I cannot aid you, neither can you aid me. I disbelieved in your associating me with God aforetime.' As for the evildoers, for them awaits a painful chastisement; 22 And those who believe and do good are made to enter gardens, beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them by their Lord's permission; their greeting therein is, Peace. 23 Beholdest thou not how Allah hath propounded the similitude of the clean word? It is like a clean tree, its root firmly fixed, and its branches reaching unto heaven. 24 It produces its fruit all the time, by permission of its Lord. And Allah presents examples for the people that perhaps they will be reminded. 25 And the example of a bad saying is like a filthy tree, which is cut off above the ground, therefore not having stability. 26 [Thus,] God grants firmness unto those who have attained to faith through the word that is unshakably true in the life of this world as well as in the life to come; but the wrongdoers He lets go astray: for God does whatever He wills. 27