Shall he who hath followed the good pleasure of God be as he who hath brought on himself wrath from God, and whose abode shall be Hell? and wretched the journey thither! There are varying grades with God: and God beholdeth what ye do. Now hath God been gracious to the faithful, when he raised up among them an apostle out of their own people, to rehearse unto them his signs, and to cleanse them, and to give them knowledge of the Book and of Wisdom: for before they were in manifest error. When a reverse hath befallen you,50 the like of which ye had before inflicted, say ye, "Whence is this?" SAY: It is from yourselves. For God hath power over all things. And that which befel you on the day when the armies met, was certainly by the will of God, and that he might know the faithful, and that he might know the hypocrites! And when the word was "Advance, fight on the path of God, or drive back the foe,"-they said, "Had we known how to fight, we would have followed you." Nearer were some of them on that day to unbelief, than to faith: They said with their lips what was not in their hearts! But God knew what they concealed, Who said of their brethren while themselves sat at home, "Had they obeyed us, they had not been slain." SAY: Keep back death from yourselves if ye speak truth. And repute not those slain on God's path to be dead.51 Nay, alive with their Lord, are they richly sustained; Rejoicing in what God of his bounty hath vouchsafed them, filled with joy for those who follow after them, but have not yet overtaken them, that on them nor fear shall come, nor grief; Filled with joy at the favours of God, and at his bounty: and that God suffereth not the reward of the faithful to perish. As to those who after the reverse52 which befel them, respond to God and the Apostle-such of them as do good works and fear God, shall have a great reward: Who, when men said to them, "Now are the Meccans mustering against you; therefore fear them!" it only increased their faith, and they said, "Our sufficiency is God, and He is an excellent protector." They returned, therefore, with the favour of God, enriched by Him, and untouched by harm; and they followed what was well pleasing to God. And God is of great Munificence. Only would that Satan53 instil the fear of his adherents: Fear them not, but fear me if ye are believers. Let not those who vie in haste after infidelity grieve thee: Verily not one whit shall they injure God! God will refuse them all part in the life to come: a severe chastisement shall be their lot. They truly who purchase infidelity at the price of their faith, shall not injure God one whit! and a grievous chastisement shall be their lot. Let not the infidels deem that the length of days we give them is good for them! We only give them length of days that they may increase their sins! and a shameful chastisement shall be their lot.