O you who believe, do not be like those who deny, and say of their brethren (who died) travelling in the land or fighting: "Had they stayed with us here they would not have died or been killed." This happened so that God may fill their hearts with grief. God is the giver of life and death and sees all that you do. 156 And if you are killed or die in the Way of Allah, forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far better than all that they amass (of worldly wealths, etc.). 157 And if you die or are killed, even so it is to God that you will return. 158 It was by the mercy of Allah that thou wast lenient with them (O Muhammad), for if thou hadst been stern and fierce of heart they would have dispersed from round about thee. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult with them upon the conduct of affairs. And when thou art resolved, then put thy trust in Allah. Lo! Allah loveth those who put their trust (in Him). 159 If Allah is your helper none can overcome you, and if He withdraw His help from you, who is there who can help you after Him? In Allah let believers put 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 So is one who follows the will of Allah equal to one who has incurred the wrath from Allah and whose home is the fire? And what a wretched place to return! 162 There are different ranks with God, And God sees everything you do. 163 Allah has surely been gracious to the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from themselves to recite to them His verses, to purify them, and to teach them the Book and the Wisdom (prophetic sayings), though before that they were in clear error. 164 How is it that when misfortune befell you, you said: "Where has this come from?" -- even though you had inflicted disaster twice as great on (the enemy). Say: "This has come from your own selves." Surely God has power over all things. 165 What befell you on the day when the two hosts met was by the leave of Allah, and in order that He might mark out those who believe 166 and that He might also know the hypocrites when it was said of them, 'Come now, fight in the way of God, or repel!' They said, 'If only we knew how to fight, we would follow you.' They that day were nearer to unbelief than to belief, saying with their mouths that which never was in their hearts; and God knows very well the things they hide; 167 These are the ones who stayed away, saying about their brothers: 'Had they followed us, they would not have been slain.' Say: 'If you speak the truth then avert death when it comes to you.' 168 And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision, 169 rejoicing in what Allah has bestowed upon them out of His bounty, jubilant that neither fear nor grief shall come upon the believers left behind in the world who have not yet joined them. 170 ۞ They rejoice at the favours and bounties of Allah, and at the awareness that Allah will not cause the reward of the believers to be lost. 171