Tell the unbelievers that if they abandon their ways He will forgive them what is past; but, if they return, that was indeed the way of their forefathers who have passed away. 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 are obstinate, know that God is your helper and protector: How excellent a helper, and how excellent a protector is He! 40 ۞ Know that whatever property you may gain, one fifth belongs to God, the Messenger, the kindred, orphans, the needy and those who need money while on a journey. (This is the law) if you believe in God and what We revealed to Our Servant on the Day of Distinction (Badr) when the armies confronted each other. God has power over all things. 41 Recall when your army was positioned at the less defensible brink of the valley, (the pagans') army had the more defensible higher side of the valley and the caravan was led (out of your reach) below. This situation did not take place according to your previous plans, otherwise, everything would have been different. (It was God's plan) to place you in a vulnerable position, exposed to the enemy and it was His plan to lead the caravan out of your reach) so that His decree that you would be granted a victory by a miracle would become a doubtless fact and so that those who were to be destroyed would face destruction with a clear knowledge of the Truth and those who were to survive would also survive with a clear knowledge of the Truth. God is All-hearing and All-knowing. 42 In your dream, God showed (the pagans' army) as being only a few in number, for if He had showed them as a great number, you would have lost courage and would have started to quarrel among yourselves concerning this matter. But God saved you from that condition; He knows what is in your hearts. 43 When God showed you them in your eyes as few, when you encountered, and made you few in their eyes, that God might determine a matter that was done; and unto God all matters are returned. 44