The hypocrites seek to outwit God -- but it is He who outwits them. And when they stand up for prayer, they do so reluctantly and to be seen by others, and they hardly remember God at all. 142 (They are) distracted in mind even in the midst of it,- being (sincerely) for neither one group nor for another whom Allah leaves straying,- never wilt thou find for him the way. 143 Believers! Do not take the unbelievers as your allies in preference to the believers. Do you wish to offer Allah a clear proof of guilt against yourselves? 144 The hypocrites will be placed in the lowest bottom of the fire and none of you will ever find a helper for them, except 145 But those who repent and mend their ways, who hold fast to God and are sincere in their worship of God will be joined with the believers; and God will bestow a great reward upon the believers. 146 Why should God punish you if you give thanks and believe in Him? God is All-rewarding and All-forgiving. 147 ۞ God likes not the shouting of evil words unless a man has been wronged; God is All-hearing, All-knowing. 148 (Even though you have the right to speak evil if you are wronged), if you keep doing good -whether openly or secretly -or at least pardon the evil (then that is the attribute of Allah). Allah is All-Pardoning and He has all the power to chastise. 149 Those who disbelieve in Allah and His Noble Messengers, and seek to cause division between Allah and His Noble Messengers, and say, “We believe in some and disbelieve in others,” and wish to choose a way between faith and disbelief; – 150 These: they are the infidels in very truth, and We have gotten ready for the infidels a torment ignominious. 151 But they who believe in Allah and His messengers and do not discriminate between any of them - to those He is going to give their rewards. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful. 152