There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern for anyone whose hope is in Allah and the Last Day and [who] remembers Allah often. 21 When the faithful saw (the armies of) the allied tribes, they said: "This is what God and His Apostle had promised us; and God and His Apostle say the truth;" and this enhanced their faith and obedience. 22 Among the believers are men who have been true to their covenant with Allah [i.e. they have gone out for Jihad (holy fighting), and showed not their backs to the disbelievers], of them some have fulfilled their obligations (i.e. have been martyred), and some of them are still waiting, but they have never changed [i.e. they never proved treacherous to their covenant which they concluded with Allah] in the least. 23 In order that Allah may reward the truthful for their truthfulness, and punish the hypocrites if He wills, or give them repentance; indeed Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. 24 And God sent back those that were unbelievers in their rage, and they attained no good; God spared the believers of fighting. Surely God is All-strong, All-mighty. 25 He made those of the people of the Book who had helped (the tribes) descend from their forts, and filled their hearts with dread, so that you killed some and made many captive; 26 And He caused you to inherit their land and their houses and their wealth, and land ye have not trodden. Allah is ever Able to do all things. 27