Believers, do not be like the unbelievers, who said of their brothers who travelled in the land or took part in a fight, "Had they stayed with us, they would not have died or been killed." God will only cause regret to enter their hearts. It is God who gives life and causes people to die. God is Well Aware of what 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 And were you to die or be slain, it is to Allah that you will all be mustered. 158 Only through the Divine Mercy have you (Muhammad) been able to deal with your followers so gently. If you had been stern and hard-hearted, they would all have deserted you a long time ago. Forgive them and ask God to forgive (their sins) and consult with them in certain matters. But, when you reach a decision, trust God. God loves those who trust Him. 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 a Prophet to defraud, whosoever defrauds shall bring that fraud on the Day of Resurrection. Then, every soul shall be paid in full what it has earned, and they shall not be wronged. 161 Is he who follows the good pleasure of Allah like him who is laden with Allah's wrath and whose abode is Hell? How evil that is for a resting-place! 162 They are [varying] degrees in the sight of Allah, and Allah is Seeing of whatever they do. 163 Allah has indeed bestowed a great favour upon the Muslims, in that He sent to them a Noble Messenger (Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) from among them, who recites to them His verses, and purifies them, and teaches them the Book and wisdom; and before it, they were definitely in open error. (The Holy Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him – is one of Allah’s greatest favours to mankind.) 164 AND DO YOU, now that a calamity has befallen you after you had inflicted twice as much [on your foes,] ask yourselves, "How has this come about?" Say: "It has come from your own selves." Verily, God has the power to will anything: 165 the misfortune which befell you on the day when the two armies met happened by God's leave, so that He might mark out the [true] believers 166 and who were the hypocrites. When the hypocrites were asked to fight for the cause of God or to defend the city, they replied, "Had we known before that you would fight, we would certainly not have followed you." At that time they were closer to disbelief than to faith. They speak words that do not come from their hearts. God knows well whatever they try to hide. 167 Those who said of their brethren whilst they (themselves) held back: Had they obeyed us, they would not have been killed. Say: Then avert death from yourselves if you speak the truth. 168 And never think of those who have been killed in the cause of Allah as dead. Rather, they are alive with their Lord, receiving provision, 169 Rejoicing at what God has given them of His grace, and happy for those who are trying to overtake them but have not joined them yet, and who will have no fear or regret. 170 ۞ They glory in the Grace and the bounty from Allah, and in the fact that Allah suffereth not the reward of the Faithful to be lost (in the least). 171