O you who believe! call to mind the favor of Allah to you when there came down upon you hosts, so We sent against them a strong wind and hosts, that you saw not, and Allah is Seeing what you do. 9 When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes grew wild and the hearts reached to the throats, and you were harbouring doubts about Allah. 10 There the believers were tested and tremendously shaken. 11 It was there that the hypocrites and those whose hearts were sick, said, "The promise of God and His Messenger has proved to be nothing but deceit". 12 And when a party of them said: 'People of Yathrib (Madinah), there is no place for you here, therefore return' And a party of them asked leave of the Prophet, saying: 'Our houses are exposed' whereas they were not, they only wished to flee. 13 And if entrance had been forced against them from those quarters, and then they had been asked to apostatise, they would have done so, and but tarried about it briefly. 14 And they had already promised Allah before not to turn their backs and flee. And ever is the promise to Allah [that about which one will be] questioned. 15 Say: Flight will not avail you if ye flee from death or killing, and then ye dwell in comfort but a little 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 Allah knows indeed those among you who hinder others and those who say to their brethren: Come to us; and they come not to the fight but a little, 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 assume that the armies of the disbelievers have not gone away; and were the armies to come again, their wish would be to go out to the villages seeking information about you; and were they to stay among you even then they would not fight, except a few. 20