Behold, the hypocrites seek to deceive God - the while it is He who causes them to be deceived [by themselves] And when they rise to pray, they rise reluctantly, only to be seen and praised by men, remembering God but seldom, 142 They vacillate between the two, belonging neither to one side nor the other. But for him whom God allows to go astray you can never find the way for him. 143 O you who believe! Take not for Auliya' (protectors or helpers or friends) disbelievers instead of believers. Do you wish to offer Allah a manifest proof against yourselves? 144 Surely the hypocrites are in the lowest stage of the fire and you shall not find a helper for them. 145 Except those who repent and amend and hold fast to Allah and are sincere in their religion to Allah, these are with the believers, and Allah will grant the believers a mighty reward. 146 Why should God punish you if you acknowledge the truth and believe? God is responsive to gratitude and is cognisant. 147 ۞ Allah approveth not the publishment of evil speech, unless by one who hath been wronged; and Allah is ever Hearing, Knowing. 148 whether you do good openly or in secret, or pardon others for evil [done unto you]: for, behold, God is indeed an absolver of sins, infinite in His power. 149 Lo! those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers, and seek to make distinction between Allah and His messengers, and say: We believe in some and disbelieve in others, and seek to choose a way in between; 150 Such are disbelievers in truth; and for disbelievers We prepare a shameful doom. 151 To those who believe in Allah and His messengers and make no distinction between any of the messengers, we shall soon give their (due) rewards: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. 152