Section 15

Muhammad is no more than an Apostle: many were the Apostles that passed away before him. If he died or were slain will ye then turn back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels not the least harm will he do to God; but God (on the other hand) will swiftly reward those who (serve him) with gratitude.

Nor can a soul die except by God’s leave the term being fixed as by writing. If any do desire a reward in this life We shall give it to him; and if any do desire a reward in the hereafter We shall give it to him. And swiftly shall We reward those that (serve Us with) gratitude.

How many of the Prophets fought (in God’s way) and with them (fought) large bands of godly men? But they never lost heart if they met with disaster in God’s way nor did they weaken (in will) nor give in. And God loves those who are firm and steadfast.

All that they said was: “Our Lord! forgive us our sins and anything we may have done that transgressed our duty; establish our feet firmly and help us against those that resist faith.”

And God gave them a reward in this world and the excellent reward of the Hereafter. For God loveth those who do good.

Section 16

O ye who believe! if ye obey the unbelievers they will drive you back on your heels and ye will turn back (from faith) to your own loss.

Nay, God is your Protector and He is the best of helpers.

Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the unbelievers for that they joined companions with God for which He had sent no authority: their abode will be the fire; and evil is the home of the wrong- doers!.

God did indeed fulfil His promise to you when ye with His permission were about to annihilate your enemy until ye flinched and fell to disputing about the order and disobeyed it after He brought you in sight (of the Booty) which ye covet. Among you are some that hanker after this world and some that desire the Hereafter. Then did He divert you from your foes in order to test you but He forgave you: for God is full of grace to those who believe.

Behold! ye were climbing up the high ground without even casting a side glance at anyone and the Apostle in your rear was calling you back. There did God give you one distress after another by way of requital to teach you not to grieve for (the booty) that had escaped you and for (the ill) that had befallen you. For God is well aware of all that ye do.

After (the excitement) of the distress He sent down calm on a band of you overcome with slumber while another band was stirred to anxiety by their own feelings moved by wrong suspicions of God suspicions due to ignorance. They said: “What affair is this of ours?” say thou: “indeed this affair is wholly God’s.” They hide in their minds what they dare not reveal to thee. They say (to themselves): “If we had anything to do with this affair we should not have been in the slaughter here.” Say: “Even if you had remained in your homes those for whom death was decreed would certainly have gone forth to the place of their death”; but (all this was) that God might test what is in your breasts and purge what is in your hearts: for God knoweth well the secrets of your hearts.

Those of you who turned back on the day the two hosts met it was Satan who caused them to fail because of some (evil) they had done. But God has blotted out (their fault): for God is Oft-Forgiving Most Forbearing.