Believers, recall God's favor to you when the army attacked you. We sent a wind and the armies, which you did not see, to support you. God sees all that you do. 9 Eyes became dull and hearts almost reached the throat when they attacked you from above and below and you started to think of God with suspicion. 10 That proved be the testing ground for the Muslims, and they were subjected to a severe shake. 11 The hypocrites and people with sickness in their hearts said, "God and His Messenger have promised us nothing but delusions." 12 And when a faction of them said, "O people of Yathrib, there is no stability for you [here], so return [home]." And a party of them asked permission of the Prophet, saying, "Indeed, our houses are unprotected," while they were not exposed. They did not intend except to flee. 13 Now if their town had been stormed, and they had been asked [by the enemy] to commit apostasy, [the hypocrites] would have done so without much delay 14 And indeed before this they had agreed with Allah that they would not turn their backs; and the covenant of Allah will be questioned about. 15 Say: "Of no gain will be your running away if you run from death or being killed, even then you will enjoy the good things of life but only for a while." 16 ۞ Say, "Who is there to shield you from God if He wishes to harm you? If God wishes to show you mercy, who can prevent Him." Besides God they shall find none to protect them, and none to bring them succour. 17 God would surely know those of you who hinder, and those who say to their brothers, 'Come to us,' and come to battle but little, 18 Being chary of helping you. But when danger appears you will find them looking at you with eyes turning like a man's in the swoon of death. Yet when the danger is past they lash you with sharp tongues, covetous of the best (of booty). Such as these have not come to belief. So God nullifies whatever they have done. This is how (the innate law of) God works inevitably. 19 They think the confederates have not departed. Indeed, if the confederates should come again they would sooner be in the desert among the Bedouins asking news of you. If they were among you, they would fight but a little. 20