O YOU who have attained to faith! Seek aid in steadfast patience and prayer: for, behold, God is with those who are patient in adversity. 153 Do not consider those who are slain for the cause of God to be dead. They are alive but you are unaware of them. 154 We will surely put you to trial by involving you in fear and hunger and by causing loss of property, life and earnings. And give good tidings to those who remain steadfast in these trials: 155 and in difficulty say, "We are the servants of God and to Him we shall all return". 156 Their Lord will bestow great blessings and mercy upon them; such are the people who are rightly guided. 157 ۞ Undoubtedly Safa and Marwah* are among the symbols of Allah; so there is no sin on him, for whoever performs the Hajj (pilgrimage) of this House (of Allah) or the Umrah (lesser pilgrimage), to go back and forth between them; and whoever does good of his own accord, then (know that) indeed Allah is Most Appreciative (rewards virtue), the All Knowing. (These are 2 hillocks near the Holy Ka’aba) 158 Verily those who hide that which We have sent down of evidence and the guidance, after We have expounded it unto mankind in the Book, these! curseth them Allah, and shall curse them the cursers 159 Excepted, however, shall be they that repent, and put themselves to rights, and make known the truth: and it is they whose repentance I shall accept - for I alone am the Acceptor of Repentance, the Dispenser of Grace. 160 Behold, as for those who are bent on denying the truth and die as deniers of the truth - their due is rejection by God, and by the angels, and by all [righteous] men. 161 In this state shall they abide; [and] neither will their suffering, be lightened, nor will they be granted respite. 162 Our Lord is the only Lord. There is no God but He, the Beneficent and Merciful. 163