O believers, remember God's blessing upon you when hosts came against you, and We loosed against them a wind, and hosts you saw not; and God sees the things you do. 9 They came on you from above and from below, and when your eyes swerved and your hearts leapt to your throats, and you thought thoughts about Allah; 10 there it was that the believers were tried, and shaken most mightily. 11 And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was a disease began to say: Allah and His Apostle did not promise us (victory) but only to deceive. 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 they were to be entered upon from the sides thereof and they were asked to sedition, they would surely have committed it, and they would have tarried therein but slightly. 14 Yet they had made covenant with God before that, that they would not turn their backs; and covenants with God shall be questioned of 15 Say, "Flight shall not avail you: if you manage to escape from death or killing, you will enjoy life only for a short while." 16 ۞ Say: 'Who is he that shall defend you from God, if lie desires evil for you, or desires mercy for you?' They shall find for themselves, apart from God, neither protector nor helper. 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 niggardly toward you. Then when the fighting cometh, thou beholdest them look unto thee, their eyes rolling about, like the eyes of him who fainteth unto death. Then when the fighting is over they inveigh against you with sharp tongues, being niggardly of the good things. These have not believed; wherefore Allah hath made their works of none effect, and that is with Allah ever easy. 19 They think that the confederate tribes have not yet gone. If the confederate tribes were to attack them, they would have wished to be left alone among the bedouin Arabs where they would only follow the news about you. Even if they were with you, only a few of them would take part in the fight. 20