Who give alms, alike in prosperity and in success, and who master their anger, and forgive others! God loveth the doers of good. They who, after they have done a base deed or committed a wrong against their own selves, remember God and implore forgiveness of their sins-and who will forgive sins but God only?-and persevere not in what they have wittingly done amiss. As for these! Pardon from their Lord shall be their recompense, and gardens 'neath which the rivers flow; for ever shall they abide therein: And goodly the reward of those who labour! Already, before your time, have examples been made! Traverse the earth, then, and see what hath been the end of those who treat prophets as liars. This Koran is a manifest to man, and a guidance, and a warning to the God- fearing! And be not fainthearted, and be not sorrowful: For ye shall gain the upper hand if ye be believers.39 If a wound hath befallen you, a wound like it hath already befallen others: we alternate these days of successes and reverses among men, that God may know those who have believed, and that He may take martyrs from among you,- but God loveth not the wrongful doers- And that God may test those who believe, and destroy the infidels. Thought ye that ye should enter Paradise ere God had taken knowledge of those among you who did valiantly, and of those who steadfastly endure? Ye had desired death ere ye met it. But ye have now seen it-and ye have beheld it-and fled from it! Muhammad is no more than an apostle; other apostles have already passed away before him: if he die, therefore,40 or be slain, will ye turn upon your heels?41 But he who turneth on his heels shall not injure God at all: And God will certainly reward the thankful! No one can die except by God's permission, according to the Book that fixeth the term of life.42 He who desireth the recompense of this world, we will give him thereof; And he who desireth the recompense of the next life, we will give him thereof! And we will certainly reward the thankful. How many a prophet hath combated those who had with them many myriads! Yet were they not daunted at what befel them on the path of God, nor were they weakened, nor did they basely submit! God loveth those who endure with steadfastness, Nor said they more than this:43 "O our Lord! forgive us our sins and our mistakes in this our work; and set our feet firm; and help us against the unbelieving people." And God gave them the recompense of this world, and the excellence of the recompense of the next. For God loveth the doers of what is excellent. O ye who have believed! if ye obey the infidels, they will cause you to turn upon your heels,44 and ye will fall back into perdition: But God is your liege lord, and He is the best of helpers. We will cast a dread into hearts of the infidels because they have joined gods with God without warranty sent down; their abode shall be the fire; and wretched shall be the mansion of the evil doers.