and do you now that a calamity has befallen you after you had inflicted twice as much ask yourselves how has this come about? say it has come from your own selves. verily god has the power to will anything and all that befell you on the day when the two hosts met in battle happened by gods leave so that he might mark out the believers and mark out those who were tainted with hypocrisy and when they were told come fight in gods cause or defend yourselves answered if we but knew fight we would indeed follow you. unto apostasy were they nearer on that day than unto faith uttering with their mouths something which was not in their hearts the while god knew fully well what they were trying to conceal they who having themselves held back said of their brethren had they but paid heed to us they would not have been slain. say avert then death from yourselves if what you say is true!
أولما أصابتكم مصيبة قد أصبتم مثليها قلتم أنى هذا قل هو من عند أنفسكم إن الله على كل شيء قدير وما أصابكم يوم التقى الجمعان فبإذن الله وليعلم المؤمنين وليعلم الذين نافقوا وقيل لهم تعالوا قاتلوا في سبيل الله أو ادفعوا قالوا لو نعلم قتالا لاتبعناكم هم للكفر يومئذ أقرب منهم للإيمان يقولون بأفواههم ما ليس في قلوبهم والله أعلم بما يكتمون الذين قالوا لإخوانهم وقعدوا لو أطاعونا ما قتلوا قل فادرءوا عن أنفسكم الموت إن كنتم صادقين