Quran — Page 97

NO GOOD comes, as a rule, out of secret confabulations - saving such as are devoted to en­joining charity, or equitable dealings, or setting things to rights between people: and unto him who does this out of a longing for God's goodly acceptance We shall in time grant a mighty reward.

But as for him who, after guidance has been vouchsafed to him, cuts himself off from the Apostle and follows a path other than that of the believers - him shall We leave unto that which he himself has chosen, and shall cause him to endure hell: and how evil a journey’s end!

VERILY, God does not forgive the ascribing of divinity to aught beside Him, although He forgives any lesser sin unto whomever He wills: for those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God have indeed gone far astray.

In His stead, they invoke only life­less symbols - thus invoking none but a rebellious Satan

whom God has rejected for having said, "Verily, of Thy servants I shall most certainly take my due share,

and shall lead them astray, and fill them with vain desires; and I shall command them - and they will cut off the ears of cattle [in idolatrous sacrifice]; and I shall command them - and they will corrupt God's creation!" But all who take Satan rather than God for their master do indeed, most clearly, lose all:

he holds out promises to them, and fills them with vain desires: yet whatever Satan promises them is but meant to delude the mind.

Such as these have hell for their goal: and they shall find no way to escape therefrom.