Believers, remember the Favor of Allah to you when there came against you hosts (armies). We unleashed against them a wind and hosts (angels) you could not see. Allah sees the things you do. 9 When they came against you from above you and from below you, and when your eyes swerved and your hearts reached your throats, while you thought thoughts about God; 10 There the believers were tested and tremendously shaken. 11 And [remember how it was] when the hypocrites and those with hearts diseased said [to one another,] "God and His Apostle have promised us nothing but delusions!" 12 It was there that a group of them said, "People of Yathrib, turn back for there is no place for you to stay." Another group, asking for the Prophet's permission, said, "Our homes are defenseless." In fact, they were not defenseless. They only wanted to run away. 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 And yet they had already covenanted with Allah not to turn their backs, and a covenant with Allah must (surely) be answered for. 15 Say thou: flight shall not profit you if ye flee from death or slaughter, and lo! ye will not enjoy life except for a little. 16 ۞ Say thou: who is there that will protect you from Allah if He intendeth to bring evil on you or intendeth mercy for you? And they shall not find for themselves, besides Allah, a patron or helper. 17 Surely Allah knoweth those among you who hinder and those who say unto their brethren: come hither unto us; and they themselves come not to the battle save a little, 18 Being chary of helping you. But when danger appears you will find them looking at you with eyes turning like a man's in the swoon of death. Yet when the danger is past they lash you with sharp tongues, covetous of the best (of booty). Such as these have not come to belief. So God nullifies whatever they have done. This is how (the innate law of) God works inevitably. 19 They think the allied tribes have not withdrawn; and if the allied tribes had advanced they would have wished that they were rather with the Arabs of the desert asking news of you; and had they been among you they would have fought but just a little. 20