وَلا تَهِنوا وَلا تَحزَنوا وَأَنتُمُ الأَعلَونَ إِن كُنتُم مُؤمِنينَ

Don’t lose heart or be sad; you are the superior ones—if you are believers.

إِن يَمسَسكُم قَرحٌ فَقَد مَسَّ القَومَ قَرحٌ مِثلُهُ ۚ وَتِلكَ الأَيّامُ نُداوِلُها بَينَ النّاسِ وَلِيَعلَمَ اللَّهُ الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَيَتَّخِذَ مِنكُم شُهَداءَ ۗ وَاللَّهُ لا يُحِبُّ الظّالِمينَ

If a wound has touched you, similar wounds have touched the others. Such days We give to people by turns, so that God may identify those who believe, and take witnesses from among you. God doesn’t love the wrongdoers.

وَلِيُمَحِّصَ اللَّهُ الَّذينَ آمَنوا وَيَمحَقَ الكافِرينَ

And thus, God purifies the believers and destroys the unbelievers.

أَم حَسِبتُم أَن تَدخُلُوا الجَنَّةَ وَلَمّا يَعلَمِ اللَّهُ الَّذينَ جاهَدوا مِنكُم وَيَعلَمَ الصّابِرينَ

Did you think you would enter Paradise without God distinguishing those among you who strive for His cause and those who are steadfast?

وَلَقَد كُنتُم تَمَنَّونَ المَوتَ مِن قَبلِ أَن تَلقَوهُ فَقَد رَأَيتُموهُ وَأَنتُم تَنظُرونَ

You were desiring death before you met it. Now, you’ve seen it while looking.

وَما كانَ لِنَفسٍ أَن تَموتَ إِلّا بِإِذنِ اللَّهِ كِتابًا مُؤَجَّلًا ۗ وَمَن يُرِد ثَوابَ الدُّنيا نُؤتِهِ مِنها وَمَن يُرِد ثَوابَ الآخِرَةِ نُؤتِهِ مِنها ۚ وَسَنَجزِي الشّاكِرينَ

No soul can die except by God’s leave, at a time ordained. Whoever wants the rewards of this world, We will give him thereof. And whoever wants the rewards of the Hereafter, We will give him thereof. We will reward the thankful.

وَكَأَيِّن مِن نَبِيٍّ قاتَلَ مَعَهُ رِبِّيّونَ كَثيرٌ فَما وَهَنوا لِما أَصابَهُم في سَبيلِ اللَّهِ وَما ضَعُفوا وَمَا استَكانوا ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الصّابِرينَ

How many a prophet fought alongside him, many godly men? They didn’t waver in the face of what afflicted them in God’s path, nor did they weaken or give in. God loves the steadfast.

وَما كانَ قَولَهُم إِلّا أَن قالوا رَبَّنَا اغفِر لَنا ذُنوبَنا وَإِسرافَنا في أَمرِنا وَثَبِّت أَقدامَنا وَانصُرنا عَلَى القَومِ الكافِرينَ

Their only plea was, “Our Lord, forgive us our sins and our excesses in our affairs, strengthen our foothold, and give us victory over the disbelieving people.”

فَآتاهُمُ اللَّهُ ثَوابَ الدُّنيا وَحُسنَ ثَوابِ الآخِرَةِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ المُحسِنينَ

So, God granted them this world’s reward and the Hereafter’s excellent reward. And God loves the doers of good.

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذينَ آمَنوا إِن تُطيعُوا الَّذينَ كَفَروا يَرُدّوكُم عَلىٰ أَعقابِكُم فَتَنقَلِبوا خاسِرينَ

O you who believe, if you listen to the non-believers, they will turn you back on your heels, and you will become losers.