Believers! If you follow those who deny the Truth, they will drive you back on your heels, and you will turn about, losers. 149 God is your Guardian and the best Helper. 150 Into the hearts of those who are bent on denying the truth We shall cast dread in return for their ascribing divinity, side by side with God, to other beings - [something] for which He has never bestowed any warrant from on high; and their goal is the fire - and how evil that abode of evildoers! 151 AND, INDEED, God made good His promise unto you when, by His leave, you were about to destroy your foes - until the moment when you lost heart and acted contrary to the [Prophet's] command, and disobeyed after He had brought you within view of that [victory] for which you were longing. There were among you such as cared for this world [alone,] just as there were among you such as cared for the life to come: whereupon, in order that He might put you to a test, He prevented you from defeating your foes. But now He has effaced your sin: for God is limitless in His bounty unto the believers. 152 ۞ When you were leaving, unconcerned without turning to look back at anyone, and from another group Our Noble Messenger was calling you (to fight); so He gave you sorrow in lieu of sorrow, and then forgave you so that you do not grieve over what has been lost or over the calamity that befell you; and Allah is Well Aware of what you do. 153 Then after grief, He sent down a peaceful slumber (calm), which engulfed a group among you – and another party kept fearing for their own lives, thinking wrongfully of Allah – like the thoughts of ignorance; they say, “Do we have any authority in this matter?” Say (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “All authority lies only with Allah”; they hide in their hearts what they do not reveal to you; they say, “Had we any control, we would not have been slain here”; say, “Even if you had been in your houses, those destined to be slain would have come forth to their places of slaying; and in order that Allah may test what is in your breasts and reveal whatever is in your hearts”; and Allah knows well what lies within the hearts. 154 Those of you who turned away on the day when the two armies met must have been seduced by satan on account of some of what they had earned. But Allah has pardoned them. He is Forgiving and Clement. 155