O you who believe, do not be like those who deny, and say of their brethren (who died) travelling in the land or fighting: "Had they stayed with us here they would not have died or been killed." This happened so that God may fill their hearts with grief. God is the giver of life and death and sees all that you do. 156 If you are killed or die in God's cause, then surely forgiveness from God and His grace are better than all that one could amass. 157 What though ye be slain or die, when unto Allah ye are gathered? 158 Thus it is due to mercy from Allah that you deal with them gently, and had you been rough, hard hearted, they would certainly have dispersed from around you; pardon them therefore and ask pardon for them, and take counsel with them in the affair; so when you have decided, then place your trust in Allah; surely Allah loves those who trust. 159 If God is there to help you none will overcome you; and if He forsake you, who will help you other than Him? So only in God should the faithful place their trust. 160 No prophet could (ever) be false to his trust. If any person is so false, He shall, on the Day of Judgment, restore what he misappropriated; then shall every soul receive its due,- whatever it earned,- and none shall be dealt with unjustly. 161 Is then one who followeth the pleasure of Allah like unto him who hath settled under the displeasure of Allah? His resort is Hell, and ill is that destination 162 They are in varying gardens in the sight of Allah, and Allah sees well all that they do. 163 Allah did confer a great favour on the believers when He sent among them a messenger from among themselves, rehearsing unto them the Signs of Allah, sanctifying them, and instructing them in Scripture and Wisdom, while, before that, they had been in manifest error. 164 (What is the matter with you?) When a single disaster smites you, although you smote (your enemies) with one twice as great, you say: "From where does this come to us?" Say (to them), "It is from yourselves (because of your evil deeds)." And Allah has power over all things. 165 That which befell you, on the day when the two armies met, was by permission of Allah; that He might know the true believers; 166 And that he might know those who played the hypocrite. And it was said unto them: come ye, fight in the way of Allah or defend. They said: if we knew it was to be a fair fight we would surely have followed you. Nearer were they on that day to infidelity than to belief. They say with their mouths that which is not in their hearts and Allah knoweth best that which they conceal. 167 These are the ones who stayed away, saying about their brothers: 'Had they followed us, they would not have been slain.' Say: 'If you speak the truth then avert death when it comes to you.' 168 Never think that those who are killed in the way of God are dead. They are alive, getting succour from their Lord, 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 the favours from Allah and (His) munificence, and because Allah does not waste the reward of the believers. 171