And Satan will say when the matter is decided: "It was Allah Who gave you a promise of Truth: I too promised, but I failed in my promise to you. I had no authority over you except to call you but ye listened to me: then reproach not me, but reproach your own souls. I cannot listen to your cries, nor can ye listen to mine. I reject your former act in associating me with Allah. For wrong-doers there must be a grievous penalty." 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 Hast thou not seen how God has struck a similitude? A good word is as a good tree -- its roots are firm, and its branches are in heaven; 24 yielding its fruit every season by the permission of Allah? Allah gives parables to mankind so that they might remember. 25 And the parable of an evil word is as an evil tree pulled up from the earth's surface; it has no stability. 26 God will strengthen the believers with His steadfast word, both in the present life and in the Hereafter. God lets the wrongdoers go astray. He does what He wills. 27