Have you not seen those who were told to stop fighting, to say their prayers, and pay the religious tax? When they were ordered to fight, some of them feared other men as much as or more than they feared God and so they said, "Lord, why have you ordered us to fight? If only you would give us a little time." (Muhammad), tell them, "The pleasures of the worldly life are trivial. The life hereafter is best for the pious ones. You will not be treated the slightest bit unjustly. 77 Death will overtake you wheresoever you be, even in the mightiest of towers. Yet if some good comes their way they say: "It is from God;" and if it is evil that befalls them, they say: "It is indeed from you." Say to them: "Every thing is from God." O, what has come upon the people that even this they fail to understand! 78 What comes to you of good is verily from God; and what comes to you of ill is from your own self (your actions). We have sent you as apostle to all mankind; and God is sufficient as witness. 79 Whoever obeys the Apostle, he indeed obeys Allah, and whoever turns back, so We have not sent you as a keeper over them. 80 And they say: "We do pay heed unto thee'' - but when they leave thy presence, some of them devise, in the dark of night, [beliefs] other than thou art voicing; and all the while God records what they thus devise in the dark of night. Leave them, then, alone, and place thy trust in God: for none is as worthy of trust as God. 81 Will they not ponder on the Quran? Had it not come from someone other than God, they would have certainly found therein many contradictions. 82 And when there comes to them information about [public] security or fear, they spread it around. But if they had referred it back to the Messenger or to those of authority among them, then the ones who [can] draw correct conclusions from it would have known about it. And if not for the favor of Allah upon you and His mercy, you would have followed Satan, except for a few. 83 Thus, (Muhammad), fight for the cause of God. You are only responsible for yourself. Rouse the believers and perhaps God will stop the evil designs of the unbelievers. God's punishment and retribution is the most severe. 84 Whoever intercedes for a good purpose will receive his share of the reward but the intercession for an evil purpose only adds more to one's burden. God has control over all things. 85 When you are greeted with a greeting, greet in return with what is better than it, or (at least) return it equally. Certainly, Allah is Ever a Careful Account Taker of all things. 86 God -- there is no god but He. He will surely gather you to the Resurrection Day, no doubt of it. And who is truer in tidings than God? 87