Surely, for men and women who have surrendered [to God] -- believing men and believing women, obedient men and obedient women, truthful men and truthful women, patient men and patient women, humble men and humble women, charitable men and charitable women, fasting men and fasting women, men and women who guard their chastity, men and women who are ever mindful of God -- God is ready with forgiveness and an immense reward. 35 And it is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His apostle have decreed an affair, that they should have any choice in their affair. And whosoever disobeyeth Allah and His apostle hath strayed with a manifest straying. 36 AND LO, [O Muhammad,] thou didst say unto the one to whom God had shown favour and to whom thou hadst shown favour, "Hold on to thy wife, and remain conscious of God!" And [thus] wouldst thou hide within thyself something that God was about to bring to light for thou didst stand in awe of [what] people [might think,] whereas it was God alone of whom thou shouldst have stood in awe! [But] then, when Zayd had come to the end of his union with her, We gave her to thee in marriage, so that [in future] no blame should attach to the believers for [marrying] the spouses of their adopted children when the latter have come to the end of their union with them. And [thus] God's will was done. 37 No blame there is upon the Prophet in that which Allah hath decreed for him. That hath been Allah's dispensation with those who have passed away afore - and the ordinance of Allah hath been a destiny destined 38 Those who deliver the messages of Allah and fear Him, and do not fear any one but Allah; and Allah is sufficient to take account. 39 Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Apostle of Allah and the Last of the prophets; and Allah is cognizant of all things. 40