Those who responded to the call of Allah and His Noble Messenger after they had been grieved; for the virtuous and the pious among them is a great reward. 172 Those to whom the people said: Surely men have gathered against you, therefore fear them, but this increased their faith, and they said: Allah is sufficient for us and most excellent is the Protector. 173 and returned [from the battle] with God's blessings and bounty, without having been touched by evil: for they had been striving after God's goodly acceptance - and God is limitless in His great bounty. 174 It is the devil who threatens with his friends; so do not fear them and fear Me, if you have faith. 175 And be not grieved by those who vie with one another in denying the truth: verily, they can in no wise harm God. It is God's will that they shall have no share in the [blessings of the] life to come; and tremendous suffering awaits them. 176 Those who have traded faith in exchange for disbelief can never do any harm to God. There will be a painful torment for them. 177 The unbelievers must not think that the respite We give them augurs well. We do so that they sink deeper into sin, and suffer an ignominious doom. 178 Allah will not leave the believers in that which you are till He shall distinguish the evil from the good. Allah will not let you see the unseen. But Allah chooses from His Messengers whom He will. Therefore, believe in Allah and His Messengers, for if you believe and are cautious there shall be for you a great wage. 179 And let not those deem, who are niggardly in giving away that which Allah has granted them out of His grace, that it is good for them; nay, it is worse for them; they shall have that whereof they were niggardly made to cleave to their necks on the resurrection day; and Allah's is the heritage of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is aware of what you do. 180