Believers, do not be like the unbelievers, who said of their brothers who travelled in the land or took part in a fight, "Had they stayed with us, they would not have died or been killed." God will only cause regret to enter their hearts. It is God who gives life and causes people to die. God is Well Aware of what you do. 156 And were you to be slain or to die in the way of Allah, then surely Allah's forgiveness and mercy are better than all the goods they amass. 157 If you die or are slain, certainly you will all be brought before God. 158 It is by God's grace that you were gentle with them -- for if you had been harsh and hard-hearted, they would surely have deserted you -- so bear with them and pray for forgiveness for them. Take counsel with them in the conduct of affairs; then, when you have decided upon a course of action, place your trust in God: for God loves those who place their trust in Him. 159 If God is your helper, no one can defeat you. However, if He abandons you, who would help you? The true believers trust in God. 160 It is not for a Prophet to defraud, whosoever defrauds shall bring that fraud on the Day of Resurrection. Then, every soul shall be paid in full what it has earned, and they shall not be 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 They are on [entirely] different levels in the sight of God; for God sees all that they do. 163 Surely Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He raised from among them a Messenger to recite to them His signs, and to purify them, and to teach them the Book and Wisdom. For before that they were in manifest error. 164 (What is the matter with you?) When a single disaster smites you, although you smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, you say: "From where does this come to us?" Say (to them), "It is from yourselves (because of your evil deeds)." And Allah 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 who said of their brothers (and they themselves held back), 'Had they obeyed us, they would not have been slain.' Say: 'Then avert death from yourselves, if you speak truly.' 168 But do not think of those that have been slain in God's cause as dead. Nay, they are alive! With their Sustainer have they their sustenance, 169 rejoicing in the bounty that God has given them, and joyful in those who remain behind and have not joined them, because no fear shall be on them, neither shall they sorrow, 170 ۞ They rejoice in a Grace and a Bounty from Allah, and that Allah will not waste the reward of the believers. 171