O Herald of the Hidden! Fight against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be stern with them; and their destination hell; and what an evil place to return! 73 They swear by Allah that they said nothing. Yet they did utter the word of disbelief and disbelieved after they had submitted. They intended what they never attained to, and took revenge only that Allah enriched them, and His Messenger, of His Bounty. If they repent, it will indeed be better for them; but if they turn away, Allah will sternly punish them both in this world and in the Everlasting Life. They have none on earth to protect or help them. 74 ۞ Some of them made a covenant with Allah: "If Allah gives us out of His bounty, we will give alms and act righteously." 75 But as soon as He has given them [aught] out of His bounty, they cling to it niggardly, and turn away in their obstinacy [from all that they have vowed]: 76 So He hath put as a consequence hypocrisy into their hearts, (to last) till the Day, whereon they shall meet Him: because they broke their covenant with Allah, and because they lied (again and again). 77 Did they not know that God knows their secret and what they conspire together, and that God knows the things unseen? 78 Those who point at such of the believers as give the alms willingly and such as can find naught to give but their endeavours, and deride them - Allah (Himself) derideth them. Theirs will be a painful doom. 79 Whether you (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) ask forgiveness for them* or not ask forgiveness for them; even if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will not forgive them; that is because they disbelieved in Allah and His Noble Messenger, and Allah does not guide the sinful. (* for the hypocrites.) 80