O you who believe, do not be like those who deny, and say of their brethren (who died) travelling in the land or fighting: "Had they stayed with us here they would not have died or been killed." This happened so that God may fill their hearts with grief. God is the giver of life and death and sees all that you do. 156 And if you are killed or die in the Way of Allah, forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far better than all that they amass (of worldly wealths, etc.). 157 And if ye die, or are slain, Lo! it is unto Allah that ye are brought together. 158 It is by God's grace that you were gentle with them -- for if you had been harsh and hard-hearted, they would surely have deserted you -- so bear with them and pray for forgiveness for them. Take counsel with them in the conduct of affairs; then, when you have decided upon a course of action, place your trust in God: for God loves those who place their trust in Him. 159 If Allah supports you, no one can overcome you; and if He forsakes you, who is there who can then help you? And in Allah only should the Muslims trust. 160 It is not the part of a prophet to hide anything away: whosoever hideth anything away, he shall bring forth on the Day of Resurrection that which he had hidden away; then shall each one be repaid in full that which he hath earned, and they shall not be wronged. 161 Can one who seeks the pleasure of God, be like one who incurs the wrath of God and whose abode shall be Hell -- an evil destination? 162 People are of various grades in the sight of God. God is Well-Aware of all that they do. 163 Indeed Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses (the Quran), and purifying them (from sins by their following him), and instructing them (in) the Book (the Quran) and Al-Hikmah [the wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet SAW (i.e. his legal ways, statements, acts of worship, etc.)], while before that they had been in manifest error. 164 How is it that when misfortune befell you, you said: "Where has this come from?" -- even though you had inflicted disaster twice as great on (the enemy). Say: "This has come from your own selves." Surely God has power over all things. 165 And what visited you, the day the two hosts encountered, was by God's leave, and that He might know the believers; 166 And that He might know the hypocrites; and it was said to them: Come, fight in Allah's way, or defend yourselves. They said: If we knew fighting, we would certainly have followed you. They were on that day much nearer to unbelief than to belief. They say with their mouths what is not in their hearts, and Allah best knows what they conceal. 167 (They are) the ones who said about their killed brethren while they themselves sat (at home): "If only they had listened to us, they would not have been killed." Say: "Avert death from your ownselves, if you speak the truth." 168 And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision, 169 Jubilant (are they) because of that which Allah hath bestowed upon them of His bounty, rejoicing for the sake of those who have not joined them but are left behind: That there shall no fear come upon them neither shall they grieve. 170 ۞ They rejoice at the favours and bounties of Allah, and at the awareness that Allah will not cause the reward of the believers to be lost. 171