O believers, do not stray from the path of God, and be with those who are truthful. 119 It was not proper for the people of Madinah and those desert Arabs around them to hold back from following God's Messenger, and to prefer their own lives to his life. This is because whenever they suffer from thirst or weariness or hunger for God's cause, and whenever they take any step which provokes those who deny the truth, or inflicts any loss upon the enemy, it shall be counted as a good deed in the sight of God, God will not deny the righteous their reward, 120 Nor could they spend anything (for the cause) - small or great- nor cut across a valley, but the deed is inscribed to their credit: that Allah may requite their deed with the best (possible reward). 121 ۞ And it is not possible for the Muslims that all of them go out; so it should be that a party from each group goes forth in order to gain knowledge in religion, and upon returning they warn their people in the hope that they may avoid. 122