۞ [But] it may well be that God will bring about [mutual] affection between you [O believers] and some of those whom you [now] face as enemies: for, God is all-powerful - and God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace. 7 Allah does not forbid you from those who did not fight against you because of religion and did not drive you out from your homes, that you should be kind towards them and deal with them fairly; indeed the equitable are the beloved of Allah. 8 Allah forbids you only from those who fought against you because of religion or drove you out from your homes or helped others to drive you out, that you should befriend them; and whoever befriends them – it is they who are the unjust. 9 O YOU who have attained to faith! Whenever believing women come unto you, forsaking the domain of evil, examine them, [although only] God is fully aware of their faith; and if you have thus ascertained that they are believers, do not send them back to the deniers of the truth, [since] they are [no longer] lawful to their erstwhile husbands, and these are [no longer] lawful to them. None the less, you shall return to them whatever they have spent [on their wives by way of dower]; and [then, O believers,] you will be committing no sin if you marry them after giving them their dowers. On the other hand, hold not to the marriage-tie with women who [continue to] deny the truth, and ask but for [the return of] whatever you have spent [by way of dower] - just as they [whose wives have gone over to you] have the right to demand [the return of] whatever they have spent. Such is God's judgment: He judges between you [in equity] - for God is all-knowing, wise. 10 If your wives go away from you to disbelievers who will not give you back the dowry which you spent on them, let the Muslims pay back such dowry from the property of the disbelievers which may come into their hands. Have fear of God in whom you believe. 11 Prophet, when believing women come to you pledging not to consider anything equal to God, not to steal, or to commit fornication, not to kill their children, or to bring false charges against anyone (such as ascribing others children to their husbands), and not to disobey you in lawful matters, accept their pledge, and ask forgiveness for them from God. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful. 12 O you who have believed, do not make allies of a people with whom Allah has become angry. They have despaired of [reward in] the Hereafter just as the disbelievers have despaired of [meeting] the inhabitants of the graves. 13