Have you not seen the people who were told: "Hold back your hands (from attacking), observe your devotional obligations and pay the zakat?" But when they were commanded to fight, behold, a section among them were filled with fear of men as though it were the fear of God and even more, and said: "O Lord, why did you make war compulsory for us? Why did you not allow us to live a little more?" Say to them: "How short-lived is the commerce of this world; but that of the next is best for those who fear God; and you will not be wronged the breadth of a thread." 77 Wherever you may be, death will overtake you - even though you be in towers raised high. "Yet, when a good thing happens to them, some [people] say: "This is from God," whereas when evil befalls them, they say: "This is from thee [O fellowman]!" Say: "All is from God." What, then, is amiss with these people that they are in no wise near to grasping the truth of what they are told? 78 Whatsoever of good betideth thee is from Allah, and whatsoever of ill betideth thee is because of thy self. And We have sent thee unto the mankind as an apostle; and sufficieth Allah as a Witness. 79 He who obeys the Apostle obeys God; and if some turn away (remember) We have not sent you as warden over them. 80 And they say: "We do pay heed unto thee'' - but when they leave thy presence, some of them devise, in the dark of night, [beliefs] other than thou art voicing; and all the while God records what they thus devise in the dark of night. Leave them, then, alone, and place thy trust in God: for none is as worthy of trust as God. 81 Then do they not reflect upon the Qur'an? If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction. 82 And when any tidings of peace or war come to them they spread the news around. Had they gone to the Prophet or those in authority among them, then those who check and scrutinize would have known it, And but for the favour of God and His mercy you would certainly have followed Satan, except a few. 83 Fight thou therefore in the way of Allah thou are not tasked except for thy own soul, and persuade the believers; belike Allah will withhold the violence of those who disbelieve. And Allah is stronger in violence and stronger in chastising. 84 Whoso intercedes with a good intercession shall receive a share of it; whosoever intercedes with a bad intercession, he shall receive the like of it; God has power over everything. 85 And when you are greeted with a greeting greet with a fairer than it, or return it; surely God keeps a watchful count over everything. 86 God exists. He is the only Lord. He will gather you all together on the Day of Judgment which will certainly come. Who is more truthful than God? 87