۞ Certainly was Allah pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you, [O Muhammad], under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquillity upon them and rewarded them with an imminent conquest 18 and with many future gains -- God is mighty and wise. 19 Allah has promised you abundant spoils which you shall acquire. He has instantly granted you this (victory) and has restrained the hands of people from you that it may be a Sign for the believers and He may guide you to a Straight Way. 20 And [He promises] other [victories] that you were [so far] unable to [realize] which Allah has already encompassed. And ever is Allah, over all things, competent. 21 Had the disbelievers fought against you, they would have run away from the battle and would have found no guardian or helper. 22 Such is the way of Allah in days gone by, and you shall find no change in the ways of Allah. 23 It is He who kept peace between you and the people of the valley of Mecca after having given you a victory over them. God is Well Aware of what you do. 24 They are the ones who disbelieved and obstructed you from al-Masjid al-Haram while the offering was prevented from reaching its place of sacrifice. And if not for believing men and believing women whom you did not know - that you might trample them and there would befall you because of them dishonor without [your] knowledge - [you would have been permitted to enter Makkah]. [This was so] that Allah might admit to His mercy whom He willed. If they had been apart [from them], We would have punished those who disbelieved among them with painful punishment 25 Whereas they who are bent on denying the truth harboured a stubborn disdain in their hearts - the stubborn disdain [born] of ignorance - God bestowed from on high His [gift of] inner peace upon His Apostle and the believers, and bound them to the spirit of God-consciousness: for they were most worthy of this [divine gift,] and deserved it well. And God has full knowledge of all things. 26