O People who Believe! Do not be like the disbelievers who said regarding their brothers who went on a journey or on holy war, “If they had been here with us they would not have died or been killed” – so that Allah may make it as despair in their hearts; and Allah gives life and causes death; and Allah is seeing your deeds. 156 And if indeed you are slain or die in God's cause, then surely forgiveness from God and His grace are better than all that one could amass [in this world]: 157 And if indeed you die or you are slain, certainly to Allah shall you be gathered together. 158 And by the Mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about you; so pass over (their faults), and ask (Allah's) Forgiveness for them; and consult them in the affairs. Then when you have taken a decision, put your trust in Allah, certainly, Allah loves those who put their trust (in Him). 159 If Allah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him? And upon Allah let the believers rely. 160 It is not the part of a prophet to hide anything away: whosoever hideth anything away, he shall bring forth on the Day of Resurrection that which he had hidden away; then shall each one be repaid in full that which he hath earned, and they shall not be wronged. 161 Is one who followeth the pleasure of Allah as one who hath earned condemnation from Allah, whose habitation is the Fire, a hapless journey's end? 162 There are degrees (of grace and reprobation) with Allah, and Allah is Seer of what they do. 163 Truly God was gracious to the believers when He raised up among them a Messenger from themselves, to recite to them His signs and to purify them, and to teach them the Book and the Wisdom, though before they were in manifest error. 164 So will you say when disaster strikes you, though you had struck them with twice as much, “Where has this come from?” Say (to them, O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “It has come from yourselves”; indeed Allah is Able to do all things. 165 and all that befell you on the day when the two hosts met in battle happened by God's leave, so that He might mark out the [true] believers, 166 and those who are hypocrites. And when these hypocrites were asked: 'Come and fight in the wayof Allah', or (at least) 'defend yourselves', they answered: 'If we but knew that there would be fighting, we would certainly have followed'. They were nearer then to infidelity than to faith. They utter from their mouths what is not in their hearts. Allah knows well what they conceal. 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 Think not of those, who are slain in the way of Allah, as dead. Nay, they are living. With their Lord they have provision. 169 Rejoicing at what God has given them of His grace, and happy for those who are trying to overtake them but have not joined them yet, and who will have no fear or regret. 170 ۞ They rejoice at the favours and bounties of Allah, and at the awareness that Allah will not cause the reward of the believers to be lost. 171