The hypocrites try to deceive God, but He (leads them to) deceive themselves. When they stand up for performing the service of prayer they do so indolently, only for show, and remember God but little, 142 Fluctuating in the middle; neither here (in faith) nor there (in disbelief); and for one whom Allah sends astray, you will not find a way. 143 O ye who believe! Take not for friends unbelievers rather than believers: Do ye wish to offer Allah an open proof against yourselves? 144 Surely the hypocrites will be in the lowest reach of the Fire; thou wilt not find for them any helper; 145 except those who re-pent and mend their ways and hold fast to Allah and make their faith exclusive to Allah. Those people shall be numbered with the believers and Allah will certainly bestow on the believers a great reward. 146 Why should Allah chastise you if you are grateful and believe? And Allah is the Multiplier of rewards, Knowing 147 ۞ Allah does not like disclosure of evil matters except by the oppressed; and Allah is All Hearing, All Knowing. 148 (Even though you have the right to speak evil if you are wronged), if you keep doing good -whether openly or secretly -or at least pardon the evil (then that is the attribute of Allah). Allah is All-Pardoning and He has all the power to chastise. 149 Indeed, those who disbelieve in Allah and His messengers and wish to discriminate between Allah and His messengers and say, "We believe in some and disbelieve in others," and wish to adopt a way in between - 150 it is they, they who are truly denying the truth: and for those who deny the truth We have readied shameful suffering. 151 As for those who believe in God and make no distinction between His Messengers, they will receive His reward. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful. 152