O ye who believe! Remember Allah's favour unto you when there came against you hosts, and We sent against them a great wind and hosts ye could not see. And Allah is ever Seer of what ye do. 9 Behold! they came on you from above you and from below you, and behold, the eyes became dim and the hearts gaped up to the throats, and ye imagined various (vain) thoughts about Allah! 10 There were the believers sorely tried, and shaken with a mighty shock. 11 And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease were saying: Allah and His apostle have promised us nought but delusion. 12 and when some of them said, "O you people of Yathrib! You cannot withstand [the enemy] here: hence, go back [to your homes]!" — Whereupon a party from among them asked leave of the Prophet, saying, "Behold, our houses are exposed [to attack]!" — The while they were not [really] exposed: they wanted nothing but to flee. 13 Had the army of the enemies invaded their homes and asked them to give-up their religion, they would have yielded to them without delay. 14 And yet they had already covenanted with Allah not to turn their backs, and a covenant with Allah must (surely) be answered for. 15 Say: "Whether you flee from [natural] death or from being slain [in battle,] flight will not profit you - for, however you fare, you are not [allowed] to enjoy life for more than a little while!" 16 ۞ Say: Who is he who can preserve you from Allah if He intendeth harm for you, or intendeth mercy for you. They will not find that they have any friend or helper other than Allah. 17 Surely God knows who among you obstruct, and those who say to their brethren: "Come to us," and go to battle but seldom, 18 being mean towards you. When fear comes to them, you see them looking at you, their eyes rolling as though they were on the point of death. But once the fear departs they assail you with their sharp tongues, being greedy to possess good things. Those have never believed; Allah has annulled their deeds. That is easy for Allah. 19 They think that the invading confederates have not yet gone. But if the confederates were to mount another assault, they would wish to be in the desert among the bedouins and keep themselves informed about you from there. But even if they remained in your midst, hardly would they fight. 20