O you who have attained to faith! Be not like those who are bent on denying the truth and say of their brethren [who die] after having set out on a journey to faraway places or gone forth to war, "Had they but remained with us, they would not have died," or, "they would not have been slain" - for God will cause such thoughts to become a source of bitter regret in their hearts, since it is God who grants life and deals death. And God sees all that you do. 156 If you should be killed in the way of Allah or die, the Forgiveness and Mercy from Allah would surely be better than all you amass. 157 For, indeed, if you die or are killed, it is to God that you shall be gathered. 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 assists you, then there is none that can overcome you, and if He forsakes you, who is there then that can assist you after Him? And on Allah should the believers rely. 160 AND IT IS not conceivable that a prophet should deceive - since he who deceives shall be faced with his deceit on the Day of Resurrection, when every human being shall be repaid in full for whatever he has done, and none shall be wronged. 161 Is then he who strives after God's goodly acceptance like unto him who has earned the burden of God's condemnation and whose goal is hell? - and how vile a journey's end! 162 They are in different ranks before Allah; and Allah sees their deeds. 163 Certainly did Allah confer [great] favor upon the believers when He sent among them a Messenger from themselves, reciting to them His verses and purifying them and teaching them the Book and wisdom, although they had been before in manifest error. 164 How is it that when misfortune befell you, you said: "Where has this come from?" -- even though you had inflicted disaster twice as great on (the enemy). Say: "This has come from your own selves." Surely God has power over all things. 165 And what visited you, the day the two hosts encountered, was by God's leave, and that He might know the believers; 166 and that He might know the hypocrites' When it was said to them: 'Come, fight or repel in the way of Allah' They replied: 'If only we knew how to fight, we would follow you' On that day, they were nearer to disbelief than belief. They said with their mouths what was not in their hearts. And Allah knows what they hide. 167 Who said to their brothers and they themselves had stayed behind 'Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed' Say to them: 'Avert death from yourselves then, if what you say is true' 168 And reckon not thou those slain in the way of Allah to be dead. Nay, they are alive, and with their Lord, and provided for. 169 rejoicing in the bounty that God has given them, and joyful in those who remain behind and have not joined them, because no fear shall be on them, neither shall they sorrow, 170 ۞ They receive good tidings of favor from Allah and bounty and [of the fact] that Allah does not allow the reward of believers to be lost - 171