O you who believe! be not like those who disbelieve and say of their brethren when they travel in the earth or engage in fighting: Had they been with us, they would not have died and they would not have been slain; so Allah makes this to be an intense regret in their hearts; and Allah gives life and causes death and Allah sees what you do. 156 If you were to die or to be killed for the cause of God, certainly His forgiveness and mercy is far better than your worldly gains. 157 And if you die or are killed, even so it is to God that you will return. 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 helps you, none can overcome you. If He forsakes you, who then can help you after Him? Therefore, in Allah let the believers put all their trust. 160 It is not for a Prophet to defraud; and whoever defrauds shall bring with him the fruits of his fraud on the Day of Resurrection, when every human being shall be paid in full what he has earned, and shall not be wronged. 161 Is he who follows the pleasure of Allah like he who is laden with the Anger of Allah, Gehenna (Hell) shall be his shelter. Evil shall be his return! 162 They are in ranks with God; and God sees the things they do. 163 Certainly Allah conferred a benefit upon the believers when He raised among them an Apostle from among themselves, reciting to them His communications and purifying them, and teaching them the Book and the wisdom, although before that they were surely in manifest error. 164 Is it that when a reverse hath befallen you, albeit ye had inflicted twice as much, ye say: whence is this? Say thou: it is but from yourselves. Verily Allah is over everything Potent. 165 And what visited you, the day the two hosts encountered, was by God's leave, and that He might know the believers; 166 And that He might test the hypocrites, it was said to them: "Come, fight in the Way of Allah or (at least) defend yourselves." They said: "Had we known that fighting will take place, we would certainly have followed you." They were that day, nearer to disbelief than to Faith, saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts. And Allah has full knowledge of what they conceal. 167 Those who, while they sat at home, said of their brethren (who were fighting for the cause of Allah): If they had been guided by us they would not have been slain. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Then avert death from yourselves if ye are truthful. 168 And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision, 169 They rejoice in what Allah has bestowed upon them of His Bounty, rejoicing for the sake of those who have not yet joined them, but are left behind (not yet martyred) that on them no fear shall come, nor shall they grieve. 170 ۞ They rejoice because of favour from Allah and kindness, and that Allah wasteth not the wage of the believers. 171