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 Those who believed and did the right, will be admitted to gardens with rivers flowing by, where they will abide by the leave of their Lord, with 'Peace' as their salutation. 23 Do you not see how Allah has given the example of a good word? It is like a good tree, whose root is firmly fixed, and whose branches reach the sky, 24 Bearing fruit at all times by the command of its Lord; and Allah illustrates examples for people so that they may understand. 25 An evil word is compared to an evil tree with no firm roots in the land and thus has no 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