۞ Believers, do not follow in the steps of satan, for those who follow the steps of satan, he bids to indecency and dishonor. But for the bounty of Allah to you, and His Mercy no one of you would ever have been purified; but Allah purifies whom He will; Allah is the Hearer, the Knower. 21 Hence, [even if they have been wronged by slander,] let not those of you who have been graced with God's favour and ease of life ever become remiss in helping [the erring ones among] their near of kin, and the needy, and those who have forsaken the domain of evil for the sake of God, but let them pardon and forbear. [For,] do you not desire that God should forgive you your sins, seeing that God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace? 22 Surely, those who defame chaste, unsuspecting, believing women, shall be cursed in this world and in the Everlasting Life, and for them there is a mighty punishment. 23 They should not forget the Day when their own tongues and their own hands and test will bear testimony in regard to their misdeeds. 24 God will pay them on that day their just due in full, and they will come to know that God is the tangible Reality. 25 Bad statements are for bad people (or bad women for bad men) and bad people for bad statements (or bad men for bad women). Good statements are for good people (or good women for good men) and good people for good statements (or good men for good women), such (good people) are innocent of (each and every) bad statement which they say, for them is Forgiveness, and Rizqun Karim (generous provision i.e. Paradise). 26