Say to the disbelievers that if they desist, what has passed will be forgiven to them; and if they do the same, the tradition of former people has already passed. 38 Fight them until there is no more [religious] persecution, and religion belongs wholly to God: if they desist, then surely God is watchful of what they do, 39 but if they turn away, know that God is your Protector -- an excellent Protector, an excellent Helper! 40 ۞ And know that whatever thing you gain, a fifth of it is for Allah and for the Apostle and for the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer, if you believe in Allah and in that which We revealed to Our servant, on the day of distinction, the day on which the two parties met; and Allah has power over all things. 41 [Remember that day] when you were at the near end of the valley [of Badr,] and they were at its farthest end, while the caravan was below you. And if you had known that a battle was to take place, you would indeed have refused to accept the challenge: but [the battle was brought about none the less,] so that God might accomplish a thing [which He willed] to be done, [and] that he who would perish might perish in clear evidence of the truth, and that he who would remain alive might live in clear evidence of the truth. And behold, God is indeed all-hearing, all-knowing. 42 When Allah showed them to you in your dream as few; and if He had shown them to you as many you would certainly have become weak-hearted and you would have disputed about the matter, but Allah saved (you); surely He is the Knower of what is in the breasts. 43 And when you met them, He showed them in your eyes as being few, and decreased (your number) in their eyes so that Allah might determine what was ordained. To Allah all matters return. 44