O Ye who believe! be not like unto those who disbelieve and say of their brethren when they journey in the land or go to religious war: had they been with us, they had not died nor had they been slain; this is in order that Allah may cause an anguish in their hearts. And it is Allah who maketh alive and causeth to die, and Allah is of that which ye work Beholder. 156 And if ye are slain, or die, in the way of Allah, forgiveness and mercy from Allah are far better than all they could amass. 157 And if ye die, or are slain, Lo! it is unto Allah that ye are brought together. 158 It was by that Mercy of Allah that you (Prophet Muhammad) dealt so leniently with them. Had you been harsh and hardhearted, they would have surely deserted you. Therefore, pardon them and ask forgiveness for them. Take counsel with them in the matter and when you are resolved, put your trust in Allah. Allah loves those who trust. 159 If God succours you, none can ever overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who could succour you thereafter? In God, then, let the believers place their trust! 160 It is not for any Prophet to hold back anything; he who hides anything away shall bring it forth 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 People are of various grades in the sight of God. God is Well-Aware of all that they do. 163 Indeed, God bestowed a favour upon the believers when he raised up in their midst an apostle from among themselves, to convey His messages unto them, and to cause them to grow in purity, and to impart unto them the divine writ as well as wisdom - whereas before that they were indeed, most obviously, lost in 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 befell you on the day when the two armies met (at Ohud) was with Allah's knowledge, and that He might know the believers. 166 And that He might make evident those who are hypocrites. For it was said to them, "Come, fight in the way of Allah or [at least] defend." They said, "If we had known [there would be] fighting, we would have followed you." They were nearer to disbelief that day than to faith, saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts. And Allah is most Knowing of what they conceal - 167 (They are) the ones who said about their killed brethren while they themselves sat (at home): "If only they had listened to us, they would not have been killed." Say: "Avert death from your ownselves, if you speak the truth." 168 But do not think of those that have been slain in God's cause as dead. Nay, they are alive! With their Sustainer have they their sustenance, 169 Rejoicing in what Allah has given them out of His grace and they rejoice for the sake of those who, (being left) behind them, have not yet joined them, that they shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve. 170 ۞ They rejoice because of favour from Allah and kindness, and that Allah wasteth not the wage of the believers. 171