HOW COULD they who ascribe divinity to aught beside God be granted a covenant by God and His Apostle, unless it be those [of them] with whom you [O believers] have made a covenant in the vicinity of the Inviolable House of Worship? [As for the latter,] so long as they remain true to you, be true to them: for, verily, God loves those who are conscious of Him. 7 How? If they prevail against you they will respect neither agreements nor ties of kindred. They satisfy you with their tongues, but their hearts are averse; and most of them are wicked. 8 They have purchased with the revelations of Allah a little gain, so they debar (men) from His way. Lo! evil is that which they are wont to do. 9 Where believers are concerned, they respect no tie of kinship or treaty. They are people who overstep the limits. 10 But if they repent and are firm in devotion and pay the zakat, then they are your brothers in faith. We explain Our commands distinctly for those who understand. 11 But if they break their solemn pledges after having concluded a covenant, and revile your religion, then fight against these archetypes of faithlessness who, behold, have no [regard for their own] pledges, so that they might desist [from aggression]. 12 Will ye not fight a folk who broke their solemn pledges, and purposed to drive out the messenger and did attack you first? What! Fear ye them? Now Allah hath more right that ye should fear Him, if ye are believers 13 Fight them. May God punish them by your hands, humiliate them, give you victory over them, delight the hearts of the believers 14 And remove the anger from their breasts; for God turns to whosoever desires. God is all-knowing and all-wise. 15 Or think ye that ye shall be abandoned, as though Allah did not know those among you who strive with might and main, and take none for friends and protectors except Allah, His Messenger, and the (community of) Believers? But Allah is well-acquainted with (all) that ye do. 16