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 whether you are killed or you die, towards Allah you will be gathered. 158 Only through the Divine Mercy have you (Muhammad) been able to deal with your followers so gently. If you had been stern and hard-hearted, they would all have deserted you a long time ago. Forgive them and ask God to forgive (their sins) and consult with them in certain matters. But, when you reach a decision, trust God. God loves those who trust Him. 159 If Allah succoureth you, there is none that can overcome you; if He abandon you, who is there that can succour you after Him? And in Allah let the believers trust. 160 It is not for a prophet to be false; and whoever is false will indeed bring his falsehood with him on the Day of Reckoning when each will receive his reward without favour or wrong. 161 Is then one who follows (seeks) the good Pleasure of Allah (by not taking illegally a part of the booty) like the one who draws on himself the Wrath of Allah (by taking a part of the booty illegally - Ghulul)? - his abode is Hell, - and worst, indeed is that destination! 162 They are in varying gardens in the sight of Allah, and Allah sees well 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 What! When a single disaster smites you, although ye smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, do ye say?- "Whence is this?" Say (to them): "It is from yourselves: For Allah hath power over all things." 165 What befell you on the day when the two hosts met was by the leave of Allah, and in order that He might mark out those who believe 166 And that he might know those who played the hypocrite. And it was said unto them: come ye, fight in the way of Allah or defend. They said: if we knew it was to be a fair fight we would surely have followed you. Nearer were they on that day to infidelity than to belief. They say with their mouths that which is not in their hearts and Allah knoweth best that which they conceal. 167 Those who stayed behind, said of their brothers, "Had they listened to us, they would not have been killed." Say to them, "Ward off death from yourselves, then, if what you say be true!" 168 And do not ever assume that those who are slain in Allah's cause, are dead; in fact they are alive with their Lord, receiving sustenance. (Death does not mean extinction, it is the passing of the soul from this world to another. In case of virtuous believers, their bodies do not rot after death and they remain “alive”, in the manner Allah has ordained for them.) 169 exulting in that [martyrdom] which God has bestowed upon them out of His bounty. And they rejoice in the glad tiding given to those [of their brethren] who have been left behind and have not yet joined them, that no fear need they have, and neither shall they grieve: 170 ۞ that they will be rewarded with bounties and favors from their Lord and that God will not neglect the reward of the true believers. 171