And when He forbade them from the words of the hypocrites, which revolve around the desire for the impossible of everlasting life and the dislike of death, He clarified to them the consequence of losing their souls in jihad, through death or killing. This was to distance them from what the hypocrites said, necessitating the submission of the matter to the Creator, and indeed making it beloved to them and calling them to it. So He said: "And if you are killed"; this is another state from "Do not be"; "killed"; meaning: by any killer; "in the way of Allah"; meaning: the Greatest King; in killing; "or you die"; meaning: in it, death in any state it may be. And since the souls have a strong aversion to death, He increased in emphasis, saying: "There is forgiveness"; meaning: for your sins; it will reach you. This is an act of worship through fear of punishment; "from Allah"; meaning: the One who has the ultimate perfection; based on what you were upon of obedience; "and mercy"; meaning: for that; and it is an act of worship in seeking reward; "better than what they gather"; meaning: than what is the consequence of remaining in this world among the people of misery; although nothing of your lifetimes has been lost.