Those who responded to the call of Allah and His Noble Messenger after they had been grieved; for the virtuous and the pious among them is a great reward. 172 Men said to them: "A great army is gathering against you": And frightened them: But it (only) increased their Faith: They said: "For us Allah sufficeth, and He is the best disposer of affairs." 173 They then returned with a favour from Allah and His grace; no evil touched them! and they followed Allah's pleasure and Allah is Owner of Mighty Grace. 174 It is only the devil who would make (men) fear his partisans. Fear them not; fear Me, if ye are true believers. 175 And let not those grieve you who vie with one another in denying the truth: they cannot harm God in the least; it is God's will that they will have no share in the life to come -- a severe punishment awaits them. 176 Verily, those who purchase disbelief at the price of Faith, not the least harm will they do to Allah. For them, there is a painful torment. 177 Do not let the unbelievers imagine that the respite We give them is good for them. We give them respite so that they may grow in wickedness. A humiliating chastisement lies in store for them. 178 Allah is not one to leave the believers in the state wherein ye are until He hath discriminated the impure from the pure. And Allah is not one to acquaint you with the Unseen, but Allah chooseth him whomsoever He willeth, of His apostles. Believe wherefore in Allah and His apostles; and if ye believe and fear, yours shall be a mighty hire. 179 Let not those who are niggardly of things that God has given them of His largesse think that this is good for them. In fact, it is worse; for what they grudged will be hung around their necks on the Day of Resurrection. To God belong the heavens and the earth, and God is aware of all you do. 180