O you who have attained to faith! Be not like those who are bent on denying the truth and say of their brethren [who die] after having set out on a journey to faraway places or gone forth to war, "Had they but remained with us, they would not have died," or, "they would not have been slain" - for God will cause such thoughts to become a source of bitter regret in their hearts, since it is God who grants life and deals death. And God sees all that you do. 156 And if ye are slain, or die, in the way of Allah, forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far better than all they could amass. 157 for, indeed, if you die or are slain, it will surely be unto God that you shall be gathered. 158 So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him]. 159 If God helps you, none can overcome you, but if He withdraws His help from you, who is there who can help you besides Him? In God, then, let the believers place their trust! 160 It is not for a prophet to be false; and whoever is false will indeed bring his falsehood with him on the Day of Reckoning when each will receive his reward without favour or wrong. 161 Can one who seeks the pleasure of God, be like one who incurs the wrath of God and whose abode shall be Hell -- an evil destination? 162 They are in ranks with Allah. Allah sees what they do. 163 Allah verily hath shown grace to the believers by sending unto them a messenger of their own who reciteth unto them His revelations, and causeth them to grow, and teacheth them the Scripture and wisdom; although before (he came to them) they were in flagrant error. 164 So will you say when disaster strikes you, though you had struck them with twice as much, “Where has this come from?” Say (to them, O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “It has come from yourselves”; indeed Allah is Able to do all things. 165 and all that befell you on the day when the two hosts met in battle happened by God's leave, so that He might mark out the [true] believers, 166 and mark out those who were tainted with hypocrisy and when they were told, "Come, fight in God's cause" - or, "Defend yourselves" - answered, "If we but knew [that it would come to a] fight, we would indeed follow you." Unto apostasy were they nearer on that day than unto faith, uttering with their mouths something which was not in their hearts, the while God knew fully well what they were trying to conceal: 167 they who, having themselves held back [from fighting, later] said of their [slain] brethren, "Had they but paid heed to us, they would not have been slain." Say: "Avert, then, death from yourselves, if what you say is true!" 168 Count not those who were slain in God's way as dead, but rather living with their Lord, by Him provided, 169 Rejoicing in what Allah has given them out of His grace and they rejoice for the sake of those who, (being left) behind them, have not yet joined them, that they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve. 170 ۞ having glad tidings of a Favor and Bounty from Allah. Allah will not waste the wage of the believers. 171