The Quran

Preface

۞ يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا لا تَتَّبِعوا خُطُواتِ الشَّيطانِ ۚ وَمَن يَتَّبِع خُطُواتِ الشَّيطانِ فَإِنَّهُ يَأمُرُ بِالفَحشاءِ وَالمُنكَرِ ۚ وَلَولا فَضلُ اللَّهِ عَلَيكُم وَرَحمَتُهُ ما زَكىٰ مِنكُم مِن أَحَدٍ أَبَدًا وَلٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ يُزَكّي مَن يَشاءُ ۗ وَاللَّهُ سَميعٌ عَليمٌ

Yusuf Ali

O ye who believe! follow not Satan?s footsteps: if any will follow the footsteps of Satan, he will (but) command what is shameful and wrong: and were it not for the grace and mercy of God on you, not one of you would¹ ever have been pure: but God doth purify whom He pleases:² and God is One Who hears and knows (all things).

See last note.
Spotless purity in thought, word, and deed, includes the disposition to put the best construction on the motives of others, so that we ascribe no evil motive to the seeming indiscretions of virtuous people. Such a high standard can only come by the grace of God, Who hears all prayers and knows all the temptations to which human nature is subject. His Will and Plan make both for spiritual protection and spiritual peace, and we must place ourselves trustingly in His hands.