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 Verily if ye be slain in the way of Allah or die, forgiveness from Allah and mercy are surely better than that which they amass. 157 And if ye die, or are slain, Lo! it is unto Allah that ye are brought together. 158 It was by that Mercy of Allah that you (Prophet Muhammad) dealt so leniently with them. Had you been harsh and hardhearted, they would have surely deserted you. Therefore, pardon them and ask forgiveness for them. Take counsel with them in the matter and when you are resolved, put your trust in Allah. Allah loves those who trust. 159 If God succours you, none can ever overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who could succour you thereafter? In God, then, let the believers place their 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 he who follows the pleasure of Allah like him who has made himself deserving of displeasure from Allah, and his abode is hell; and it is an evil destination. 162 They are in varying gardens in the sight of Allah, and Allah sees well all that they do. 163 Certainly did Allah confer [great] favor upon the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from themselves, reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they had been before 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 That which befell you, on the day when the two armies met, was by permission of Allah; that He might know the true believers; 166 And that He might know the hypocrites; and it was said to them: Come, fight in Allah's way, or defend yourselves. They said: If we knew fighting, we would certainly have followed you. They were on that day much nearer to unbelief than to belief. They say with their mouths what is not in their hearts, and Allah best knows what they conceal. 167 There are those who themselves did not join the others in fighting for the cause of God and said about their brothers, "Had they listened to us and stayed at home, they would not have been killed." (Muhammad), tell them to save themselves from death if they are true in their claim. 168 Think not of those slain in the way of Allah as dead. Indeed they are living, and with their Lord they have their sustenance, 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