The hypocrites seek to outwit God -- but it is He who outwits them. And when they stand up for prayer, they do so reluctantly and to be seen by others, and they hardly remember God at all. 142 They vacillate between the two, belonging neither to one side nor the other. But for him whom God allows to go astray you can never find the way for him. 143 O Ye who believe! take not infidels for friends, instead of believers. Would ye give Allah against you a manifest warranty! 144 Surely the hypocrites are in the lowest stage of the fire and you shall not find a helper for them. 145 But excepted shall be they who repent, and live righteously, and hold fast unto God, and grow sincere in their faith in God alone: for these shall be one with the believers - and in time God will grant to all believers a mighty reward. 146 Why should Allah chastise you if you are grateful and believe? And Allah is the Multiplier of rewards, Knowing 147 ۞ Allah does not love the shouting of evil words, except by he who has been wronged. He is the Hearer, the Knower. 148 whether you do good openly or in secret, or pardon others for evil [done unto you]: for, behold, God is indeed an absolver of sins, infinite in His power. 149 Lo! those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers, and seek to make distinction between Allah and His messengers, and say: We believe in some and disbelieve in others, and seek to choose a way in between; 150 Such are disbelievers in truth; and for disbelievers We prepare a shameful doom. 151 But those who believe in God and His apostles and make no distinction among any of them, will be given by Him their recompense; for God is forgiving and kind. 152