“And in Allah alone, then, let the believers place their trust”—that is, let them rely on Him to secure their interests and ward off harm, and trust Him to grant them what they seek. No one who places his trust in Him will ever be disappointed. As for one who places his trust in another, he will be forsaken and will not attain what he hoped for.

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(52) “Say, ‘Are you awaiting anything for us except one of the two best outcomes? We, in turn, are awaiting for Allah to afflict you with a punishment from Himself or at our hands. So wait; we too are waiting with you.’”

That is: Say to the hypocrites who await reversals of fortune for you: What are you awaiting for us? You await nothing for us except an outcome that brings us the utmost benefit—one of the two best outcomes: either prevailing over the enemy, gaining victory over them, and receiving reward in this world and the Hereafter; or martyrdom, which is among the highest ranks a created being can attain and the loftiest stations with Allah.

As for what we await for you—company of hypocrites—we await Allah afflicting you with a punishment directly from Him, without us being a cause of it, or at our hands, by giving us power over you so that we kill you. “So wait” for good to come to us; “we too are waiting with you” for evil to befall you.