And of mankind are some who say: we believe in Allah and in the Last Day: whereas they are not believers. 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 In their hearts is disease, and so God lets their disease increase; and grievous suffering awaits them because of their persistent lying. 10 And when it is said to them, "Do not cause corruption on the earth," they say, "We are but reformers." 11 Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not. 12 When asked to believe as others do, they say: "Should we believe like fools?" And yet they are the fools, even though they do not know. 13 When they meet those who believe, they say, "We believe." But when they are alone with their evil leaders, they say, "We are really with you; we were only mocking." 14 (Little do they realize that) Allah is mocking at them. He gives them rope enough, and they wander on and on blindly in their mischief and rebellion. 15 They are indeed those who bartered away good guidance for error and gained nothing from the deal, nor found the right way. 16 The likeness of them is as the likeness of a man who kindled a fire, and when it lit all about him God took away their light, and left them in darkness unseeing 17 Deaf, dumb and blind; and they are not to return. 18 Or like abundant rain from the cloud in which is utter darkness and thunder and lightning; they put their fingers into their ears because of the thunder peal, for fear of death, and Allah encompasses the unbelievers. 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