O you who believe! be not like those who disbelieve and say of their brethren when they travel in the earth or engage in fighting: Had they been with us, they would not have died and they would not have been slain; so Allah makes this to be an intense regret in their hearts; and Allah gives life and causes death and Allah sees what you do. 156 Verily if ye be slain in the way of Allah or die, forgiveness from Allah and mercy are surely better than that which 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 Allah helps you, none can overcome you. If He forsakes you, who then can help you after Him? Therefore, in Allah let the believers put all their trust. 160 It is not for a Prophet to be fraudulent; whoso defrauds shall bring the fruits of his 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 Is he who follows the pleasure of Allah like he who is laden with the Anger of Allah, Gehenna (Hell) shall be his shelter. Evil shall be his return! 162 They are in different ranks before Allah; and Allah sees their deeds. 163 Indeed Allah conferred a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a Messenger (Muhammad SAW) from among themselves, reciting unto them His Verses (the Quran), and purifying them (from sins by their following him), and instructing them (in) the Book (the Quran) and Al-Hikmah [the wisdom and the Sunnah of the Prophet SAW (i.e. his legal ways, statements, acts of worship, etc.)], while before that they had been in manifest error. 164 If misfortune befell you (the believers) your enemies had suffered twice as much (in the battle of Badr) but you asked, "Where did the misfortune come from?" (Muhammad), tell them, "It came from yourselves. God 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 who were the hypocrites. When the hypocrites were asked to fight for the cause of God or to defend the city, they replied, "Had we known before that you would fight, we would certainly not have followed you." At that time they were closer to disbelief than to faith. They speak words that do not come from their hearts. God knows well whatever they try to hide. 167 Those who spoke regarding their brothers while they themselves stayed back at home, “Had they listened to us, they would not have been slain”; say (to them, O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “Then avert your own death, if you are truthful!” 168 Never think that those who are killed in the way of God are dead. They are alive, getting succour from their Lord, 169 they are joyful because of what God has bestowed on them of His grace and they rejoice that those they left behind, who have not yet joined them, that they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve; 170 ۞ They rejoice on account of favor from Allah and (His) grace, and that Allah will not waste the reward of the believers. 171