O you who have believed, remember the favor of Allah upon you when armies came to [attack] you and We sent upon them a wind and armies [of angels] you did not see. And ever is Allah, of what you do, Seeing. 9 Eyes became dull and hearts almost reached the throat when they attacked you from above and below and you started to think of God with suspicion. 10 [for] there and then were the believers tried, and shaken with a shock severe. 11 It was there that the hypocrites and those whose hearts were sick, said, "The promise of God and His Messenger has proved to be nothing but deceit". 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 entrance had been forced against them from those quarters, and then they had been asked to apostatise, they would have done so, and but tarried about it briefly. 14 although ere that they had vowed before God that they would never turn their backs [on His message]: and a vow made to God must surely be answered for! 15 Say: Flight shall not do you any good if you fly from death or slaughter, and in that case you will not be allowed to enjoy yourselves but a little. 16 ۞ Say, "Who is it that can protect you from Allah if He intends for you an ill or intends for you a mercy?" And they will not find for themselves besides Allah any protector or any helper. 17 God knows exactly who among you hold the others back, who say to their brethren, "Come over to our side," and they seldom take part in the fighting. 18 They are utterly niggardly (in coming to your aid). Whenever there is danger, you will see them looking at you, their eyes rolling as though they were on the verge of fainting at the approach of death. But when the danger passes away, their greed for wealth prompts them to greet you with their sharp, scissor-like tongues. These are the ones who never truly believed, and so Allah has caused their deeds to be reduced to naught. That is easy enough for Allah. 19 They think the allied tribes have not withdrawn; and if the allied tribes had advanced they would have wished that they were rather with the Arabs of the desert asking news of you; and had they been among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