۞ INDEED, well-pleased was God with the believers when they pledged their allegiance unto thee [O Muhammad] under that tree, for He knew what was in their hearts; and so He bestowed inner peace upon them from on high, and rewarded them with [the glad tiding of] a victory soon to come 18 and [of] many war-gains which they would achieve: for God is indeed almighty, wise. 19 Allah has promised you much booty that you will take [in the future] and has hastened for you this [victory] and withheld the hands of people from you - that it may be a sign for the believers and [that] He may guide you to a straight path. 20 And one more, not within your capacity, is within Allah’s hold; and Allah is Able to do all things. 21 And if those who disbelieve fight against you, they certainly would have turned their backs, then they would have found neither a Wali (protector) nor a helper. 22 That has been the Way of Allah already with those who passed away before. And you will not find any change in the Way of Allah. 23 It is He who withheld their hands from you, and your hands from them in the valley of Makkah, after giving you victory over them. God sees what you do. 24 It was these who disbelieved and prevented you from the Sacred Mosque, and stopped the sacrificial animals from reaching their place; and were it not for some Muslim men and Muslim women, whom you do not know – lest you may crush them and unintentionally incur some violation due to them – Allah would have permitted you to slay them; this relief for them, is so that Allah may admit into His mercy whomever He wills; and had they been separated, We would have indeed punished the disbelievers among them with a painful punishment. 25 Whereas the disbelievers had set up in their hearts an obstinacy – the same obstinacy of the days of ignorance – so Allah sent down His solace upon His Noble Messenger and upon the believers, and decreed upon them the words of piety, and they were more deserving and suitable for it; and Allah is the All Knowing. 26