۞ Permitted are those who are fought against, because they have been oppressed, and verily to succour them Allah is Potent. 39 they are those who have been driven out of their homes unjustly, only because they said, "Our Lord is God." If God did not repel the aggression of some people by means of others, cloisters and churches and synagogues and mosques, wherein the name of God is much invoked, would surely be destroyed. God will surely help him who helps His cause -- God is indeed powerful and mighty. 40 [And they are] those who, if We give them authority in the land, establish prayer and give zakah and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of [all] matters. 41 And if they reject you, then already before you did the people of Nuh and Ad and Samood reject (prophets). 42 and so too did the people of Abraham and the people of Lot; 43 And the people of Midian too. Moses was also accused of lies. So I allowed the infidels respite and then seized them. How was My reprobation then! 44 And many a township did We destroy, for they were oppressors – so they now lie flat on their roofs, and many a well lying useless and many a palace in ruins. 45 Have they not travelled (sufficiently) in the land to have understanding hearts and listening ears? It is their hearts which are blind, not their ears. 46 And they ask you for the punishment – they are impatient – and Allah will not make His promise untrue; and indeed a single day before Allah is like a thousand years in your calculation. 47 And how many a village have I respited in its evil doing! Then I seized it. To Me is the return. 48