Believers, do not behave like those who disbelieved and say to their brothers (who meet some mishap) in the course of their journey for fighting: 'Had they remained with us, they would not have died nor been slain.' Allah makes such thoughts the cause of deep regrets in their hearts. For in truth it is Allah alone who grants life and deals death. Allah sees all that you do. 156 And if you are slain in the way of Allah or you die, certainly forgiveness from Allah and mercy is better than what they amass. 157 What though ye be slain or die, when unto Allah ye are gathered? 158 It was thanks to Allah's mercy that you were gentle to them. Had you been rough, hard-hearted, they would surely have scattered away from you. So pardon them, and pray for their forgiveness, and take counsel from them in matters of importance. And when you are resolved on a course of action place your trust in Allah; surely Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him). 159 If God is your helper, no one can defeat you. However, if He abandons you, who would help you? The true believers trust in God. 160 It is not for a Prophet to be fraudulent; whoso defrauds shall bring the fruits of his fraud on the Day of Resurrection; then every soul shall be paid in full what it has earned, and they shall not be wronged. 161 Is he who follows the good pleasure of Allah like him who is laden with Allah's wrath and whose abode is Hell? How evil that is for a resting-place! 162 They are [varying] degrees in the sight of Allah, and Allah is Seeing of whatever they do. 163 Truly God was gracious to the believers when He raised up among them a Messenger from themselves, to recite to them His signs and to purify them, and to teach them the Book and the Wisdom, though before they were in manifest error. 164 Why, when an affliction visited you, and you had visited twice over the like of it, did you say, 'How is this?' Say: 'This is from your own selves; surely God is powerful over everything.' 165 And the calamity that struck you on the day the two armies met, was by Allah’s command – and in order that He may make known the believers. 166 and that He might also know the hypocrites when it was said of them, 'Come now, fight in the way of God, or repel!' They said, 'If only we knew how to fight, we would follow you.' They that day were nearer to unbelief than to belief, saying with their mouths that which never was in their hearts; and God knows very well the things they hide; 167 They say of their brethren, while they themselves are staid: had they obeyed us they had not been slain. Say thou: then repel death from yourselves if ye say sooth. 168 Think not of those who are killed in the Way of Allah as dead. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision. 169 rejoicing in the Bounty that Allah has given to them and having glad tidings in those who remain behind and have not joined them, for no fear shall be on them neither shall they sorrow, 170 ۞ They receive good tidings of favor from Allah and bounty and [of the fact] that Allah does not allow the reward of believers to be lost - 171