Have you not seen those who were told to stop fighting, to say their prayers, and pay the religious tax? When they were ordered to fight, some of them feared other men as much as or more than they feared God and so they said, "Lord, why have you ordered us to fight? If only you would give us a little time." (Muhammad), tell them, "The pleasures of the worldly life are trivial. The life hereafter is best for the pious ones. You will not be treated the slightest bit unjustly. 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 Messenger, obeys Allah: But if any turn away, We have not sent thee to watch over their (evil deeds). 80 They proclaim obedience to you but as soon as they leave at night, a group of them make secret plans to do the contrary of what you have told them to do. God keeps the record of their nocturnal plans. Therefore, leave them alone and put your trust in God; He is Sufficient for you as your Guardian. 81 Will they not contemplate upon the Koran? If it had been from other than Allah, they would surely have found in it many contradictions. 82 And if any tidings, whether of safety or fear, come unto them, they noise it abroad, whereas if they had referred it to the messenger and to such of them as are in authority, those among them who are able to think out the matter would have known it. If it had not been for the grace of Allah upon you and His mercy ye would have followed Satan, save a few (of you). 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 Whoever intercedes for a good purpose will receive his share of the reward but the intercession for an evil purpose only adds more to one's burden. God has control over all things. 85 Answer a greeting in kinder words than those said to you in the greeting or at least as kind. God keeps account of all things. 86 He is God: there is no deity other than Him. He will gather you all together on the Day of Resurrection, there is no doubt about it. Whose word can be truer than God's? 87