۞ Allah was well pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance unto thee beneath the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, and He sent down peace of reassurance on them, and hath rewarded them with a near victory; 18 And much war booty which they will take. And ever is Allah Exalted in Might and Wise. 19 Allah has promised you abundant spoils which you shall acquire. He has instantly granted you this (victory) and has restrained the hands of people from you that it may be a Sign for the believers and He may guide you to a Straight Way. 20 And there were (other spoils) which you were unable to take. Allah has encompassed it already, Allah is powerful over all things. 21 If the Unbelievers should fight you, they would certainly turn their backs; then would they find neither protector nor helper. 22 The tradition of Allah, ongoing since before; and you will not find the tradition of Allah changing. 23 And it is He Who restrained their hands from you, and your hands from them in the valley of Mecca, after having given you control over them; and Allah sees all what you do. 24 [It was not for your enemies sake that He stayed your hands from them: for] it was they who were bent on denying the truth, and who debarred you from the Inviolable House of Worship and prevented your offering from reaching its destination. And had it not been for the believing men and believing women [in Mecca,] whom you might have unwittingly trampled underfoot, and on whose account you might have become guilty, without knowing it, of a grievous wrong: [had it not been for this, you would have been allowed to fight your way into the city: but you were forbidden to fight] so that [in time] God might admit to His grace whomever He wills. Had they [who deserve Our mercy and they whom We have condemned] been clearly discernible [to you,] We would indeed have imposed grievous suffering [at your hands] on such of them as were bent on denying the truth. 25 And when the unbelievers established in their hearts fierce bigotry, the fierce bigotry of ignorance, Allah sent down His tranquility on His Messenger and the believers and firmly fastened to them the Word of 'taqwa' (there is no god except Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger, as it is the cause of righteousness) to which they have better right and are worthy of it. Allah has knowledge of all things. 26