Behold, the hypocrites seek to deceive Allah, but it is they who are being deluded by Him. When they rise to Prayer, they rise reluctantly, and only to be seen by men. They remember Allah but little. 142 wavering all the time -- not to these, not to those; and whom God leads astray, thou wilt not find for him a way. 143 O ye who believe! Choose not disbelievers for (your) friends in place of believers. Would ye give Allah a clear warrant against you? 144 Surely the hypocrites are in the lowest stage of the fire and you shall not find a helper for them. 145 Except those who repented and reformed themselves and held fast to Allah’s rope and made their religion sincerely only for Allah – so they are with the Muslims; and Allah will soon bestow upon the believers a great reward. 146 Why should God punish you if you give thanks and believe in Him? God is All-rewarding and All-forgiving. 147 ۞ Allah does not like speaking evil publicly unless one has been wronged. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing. 148 If you do any good openly or in secret, or pardon someone’s evil – then indeed Allah is Oft Forgiving, Able. 149 Lo! those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers, and seek to make distinction between Allah and His messengers, and say: We believe in some and disbelieve in others, and seek to choose a way in between; 150 It is they, indeed they, who are, beyond all doubt, unbelievers; and for the unbelievers We have prepared a humiliating chastisement. 151 As for those who believe in God and make no distinction between His Messengers, they will receive His reward. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful. 152