Have you not considered that God knows all that is in the heavens and the earth? There is not a single place wherein any secret counsel can take place between any three people without God being the fourth, nor five people without His being the sixth nor any gathering of more or less people, wherever it may be, without His being with them. On the Day of Judgment, He will tell them about their deeds. God has the knowledge of all things. 7 Art thou not aware of such as have been forbidden [to intrigue through] secret confabulations, and yet [always] revert to that which they have been forbidden, and conspire with one another with a view to sinful doings, and aggressive conduct, and disobedience to the Apostle? Now whenever such [people] approach thee, [O Muhammad,] they salute thee with a greeting which God has never countenanced; and they say to themselves, "Why does not God chastise us for what we are saying?" Hell shall be their allotted portion: they shall [indeed] enter it - and how vile a journey's end! 8 Believers, when you converse in secrecy, let that not be concerning sin and transgression and disobedience to the Messenger; rather, converse concerning virtue and piety. And fear Allah to Whom all of you shall be mustered. 9 [All other kinds of] secret confabulations are but of Satan's doing, so that he might cause grief to those who have attained to faith; yet he cannot harm them in the least, unless it be by God's leave: in God, then, let the believers place their trust! 10 O YOU who have attained to faith! When you are told, "Make room for one another in your collective life", do make room: [and in return,] God will make room for you [in His grace]. And whenever you are told, "Rise up [for a good deed]", do rise up; [and] God will exalt by [many] degrees those of you who have attained to faith and [above all,] such as have been vouchsafed [true] knowledge: for God is fully aware of all that you do. 11 O you who have believed, when you [wish to] privately consult the Messenger, present before your consultation a charity. That is better for you and purer. But if you find not [the means] - then indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. 12 Shrink ye at your offering the alms before your whispering! Then, when ye could do it not, and Allah relented toward you, establish prayer and pay the poor-rate and obey Allah and His apostle. And Allah is Aware of that which ye work. 13