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 if you be in strongly built towers." If some good befalls them, they say, "This is from God," and if ill befalls them, they say, "This is from you." Tell them, "All is from God." But what is wrong with these people that they fail to understand anything? 78 What comes to you of good is from Allah, but what comes to you of evil, [O man], is from yourself. And We have sent you, [O Muhammad], to the people as a messenger, and sufficient is Allah as Witness. 79 Whoever obeys the Apostle, he indeed obeys Allah, and whoever turns back, so We have not sent you as a keeper over them. 80 They have "Obedience" on their lips; but when they leave thee, a section of them Meditate all night on things very different from what thou tellest them. But Allah records their nightly (plots): So keep clear of them, and put thy trust in Allah, and enough is Allah as a disposer of affairs. 81 Ponder then they not on the Qur'an? Were it from other than Allah they would surely find therein many a contradiction. 82 And when there comes to them news of security or fear they spread it abroad; and if they had referred it to the Apostle and to those in authority among them, those among them who can search out the knowledge of it would have known it, and were it not for the grace of Allah upon you and His mercy, you would have certainly followed the Shaitan save a few 83 So fight, [O Muhammad], in the cause of Allah; you are not held responsible except for yourself. And encourage the believers [to join you] that perhaps Allah will restrain the [military] might of those who disbelieve. And Allah is greater in might and stronger in [exemplary] punishment. 84 Whoever makes a noble intercession will have a share of it, and whoever makes an evil intercession will have a share of it; and Allah is Able to do all things. 85 And when you are greeted with a greeting greet with a fairer than it, or return it; surely God keeps a watchful count over everything. 86 God -- there is no god but He. He will surely gather you to the Resurrection Day, no doubt of it. And who is truer in tidings than God? 87