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 indeed! whereas if they get the better of you they respect not regarding you either kinship or agreement. They please you with their mouths, the while their hearts refuse; and most of them are ungodly. 8 They have bartered the revelations of Allah for a small price, so they keep back from His path. Verily vile is that which they have been working. 9 Where believers are concerned, they respect no tie of kinship or treaty. They are people who overstep the limits. 10 If they repent and establish the prayer and pay the obligatory charity, they shall become your brothers in the religion. So We make plain Our verses for a nation that knows. 11 But if they break faith after pledging it and revile your religion, then fight these leaders of unbelief, so that they may desist, for they have no regard for their pledged word. 12 Will you not fight those who broke their pledge and plotted to banish the Apostle, and who were the first to attack you? Are you afraid of them? If you are believers you should fear God more. 13 Fight against them so that Allah will punish them by your hands and disgrace them and give you victory over them and heal the breasts of a believing people, 14 And still the indignation of their hearts. For Allah will turn (in mercy) to whom He will; and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. 15 Did you suppose that you would be left before Allah has known those of you who fought and did not take a confidant other than Allah, His Messenger, and the believers? Allah is Aware of what you do. 16