O ye who believe! Be not as those who disbelieved and said of their brethren who went abroad in the land or were fighting in the field: If they had been (here) with us they would not have died or been killed: that Allah may make it anguish in their hearts. Allah giveth life and causeth death; and Allah is Seer of what ye do. 156 And were you to be slain or to die in the way of Allah, then surely Allah's forgiveness and mercy are better than all the goods they amass. 157 And whether ye die or be slain, assuredly unto Allah shall ye be gathered. 158 Only through the Divine Mercy have you (Muhammad) been able to deal with your followers so gently. If you had been stern and hard-hearted, they would all have deserted you a long time ago. Forgive them and ask God to forgive (their sins) and consult with them in certain matters. But, when you reach a decision, trust God. God loves those who trust Him. 159 If God is there to help you none will overcome you; and if He forsake you, who will help you other than Him? So only in God should the faithful place their trust. 160 No Prophet can ever be treacherous. A treacherous person will be brought before God on the Day of Judgment with his treacherous deeds. Then every soul will be recompensed for its works without being wronged. 161 Is he who follows the pleasure of Allah like he who is laden with the Anger of Allah, Gehenna (Hell) shall be his shelter. Evil shall be his return! 162 There are degrees (of grace and reprobation) with Allah, and Allah is Seer of what they do. 163 Certainly did Allah confer [great] favor upon the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from themselves, reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they had been before in manifest error. 164 What! When a single disaster smites you, although ye smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, do ye say?- "Whence is this?" Say (to them): "It is from yourselves: For Allah hath power over all things." 165 What ye suffered on the day the two armies Met, was with the leave of Allah, in order that He might test the believers,- 166 and who were the hypocrites. When the hypocrites were asked to fight for the cause of God or to defend the city, they replied, "Had we known before that you would fight, we would certainly not have followed you." At that time they were closer to disbelief than to faith. They speak words that do not come from their hearts. God knows well whatever they try to hide. 167 (They are) the ones that say, (of their brethren slain), while they themselves sit (at ease): "If only they had listened to us they would not have been slain." Say: "Avert death from your own selves, if ye speak the truth." 168 Think not of those slain in the way of Allah as dead. Indeed they are living, and with their Lord they have their sustenance, 169 They are pleased with the favor from their Lord and have received the glad news that those who follow them will have no fear nor will they be grieved, 170 ۞ joyful in blessing and bounty from God, and that God leaves not to waste the wage of the believers. 171