all be angry with him, and shall curse him,
and shall prepare for him a great punishment. O true believers, when ye
are on a march in defence of the true religion, justly discern such as
ye shall happen to meet, and say not unto him who saluteth you, Thou art
not a true believer; seeking the accidental goods of the present life;
for with God is much spoil. Such have ye formerly been, but God hath
been gracious unto you; therefore make a just discernment, for God is
well acquainted with that which ye do. Those believers who sit still at
home, not having any hurt, and those who employ their fortunes and their
persons for the religion of God, shall not be held equal. God hath
preferred those who employ their fortunes and their persons in that
cause, to a degree of honor above those who sit at home: God hath indeed
promised everyone paradise, but God hath preferred those who fight for
the faith before those who sit still, by adding unto them a great
reward, by degrees of honor conferred on them from him, and by granting
them forgiveness and mercy; for God is indulgent and merciful. Moreover,
unto those whom the angels put to death, having injured their own
souls,[75] the angels said, Of what religion were ye? they answered, We
were weak in the earth. The angels replied, Was not God's earth wide
enough, that ye might fly therein to a place of refuge? Therefore their
habitation shall be hell; and an evil journey shall it be thither:
except the weak among men, and women, and children, who were not able to
find means, and were not directed in the way; these peradventure God
will pardon, for God is ready to forgive and gracious. Whosoever flieth
from his country for the sake of God's true religion, shall find in the
earth many forced to do the same, and plenty of provisions. And whoever
departeth from his house, and flieth unto God and his apostle, if death
overtake him in the way, God will be obliged to reward him, for God is
gracious and merciful. When ye march to war in the earth, it shall be no
crime in you if ye shorten your prayers, in case ye fear the infidels
may attack you; for the infidels are your open enemy. But when thou, O
prophet, shalt be among them, and shalt pray with them, let a party of
them arise to prayer with thee, and let them take their arms; and when
they shall have worshipped, let them stand behind you, and let another
party come that hath not prayed, and let them pray with thee, and let
them be cautious