O People who believe! Remember the favour of Allah upon you when some armies came against you, so We sent against them a windstorm and the armies you could not see; and Allah sees your deeds. 9 [Remember] when they came at you from above you and from below you, and when eyes shifted [in fear], and hearts reached the throats and you assumed about Allah [various] assumptions. 10 The faithful were sorely tried there and were shaken completely, 11 And [remember] when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease said, "Allah and His Messenger did not promise us except delusion," 12 And when a group among said, “O people of Medinah! This is no place of stay for you, therefore go back to your homes”; and a group among them sought exemption from the Prophet by saying, “Our homes are unprotected” whereas their homes were not unprotected; they willed nothing except to flee. 13 And if the armies had come upon them from the outskirts of Medinah and demanded disbelief from them, they would certainly have given them their demand and would not have hesitated in it except a little. 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 (Muhammad), tell them, "Running away will never be of any benefit to you even if you run away from death or being killed. Still you would not be able to enjoy yourselves except for a short while." 16 ۞ Say, “Who is he who can avert the command of Allah from you, if He wills harm for you or wills to have mercy upon you?” And other than Allah, they will not find any friend or supporter. 17 Indeed Allah knows those among you who prevent others from the holy war, and those who say to their brothers, “Come towards us”; and they do not come to fight, except a few. 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 the allies are not gone, and if the allies should come (again) they would fain be in the deserts with the desert Arabs asking for news about you, and if they were among you they would not fight save a little. 20