And there are people who say: "We do believe in God and the Last Day," the while they do not [really] believe. 8 They wish to deceive Allah and the believers; and in fact they deceive none except themselves and they do not have any understanding. 9 A sickness exists in their hearts to which God adds more sickness. Besides this, they will suffer a painful punishment as a result of the lie which they speak. 10 And when it said unto them: act not corruptly on the earth, they say: we are but reconcilers. 11 Now surely they themselves are the mischief makers, but they do not perceive. 12 When it is said to them: 'Believe as (other) people believe,' they reply, 'Are we to believe as fools believe?' It is they who are the fools, if only they knew! 13 And when they meet those who believe, they say, "We believe"; but when they are alone with their evil ones, they say, "Indeed, we are with you; we were only mockers." 14 But God will turn the joke against them and allow them to sink deeper into evil and wander perplexed in their wickedness. 15 Those are they that have bought error at the price of guidance, and their commerce has not profited them, and they are not right-guided. 16 Their parable is like the parable of one who kindled a fire, but when it had illumined all around him, Allah took away their light, and left them in utter darkness-- they do not see. 17 Deaf, dumb, and blind, they shall never return. 18 Or like a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder, and lightning. They thrust their fingers in their ears to keep out the stunning thunderclap for fear of death. But Allah ever encompasses the disbelievers (i.e. Allah will gather them all together). 19 The lightning almost takes away their sight: whenever it flashes upon them, they walk on, but as soon as darkness falls around them, they stand still. Indeed, if God pleased, He could take away their hearing and their sight: God has power over all things. 20