O Herald of the Hidden! Fight against the disbelievers and the hypocrites, and be stern with them; and their destination hell; and what an evil place to return! 73 They swear by God that they did not, yet they uttered the words of denial of truth after they had accepted Islam. They meditated a plot which they were unable to carry out, and being spiteful was their only response to God, who had enriched them out of His bounty, and to His Messenger. If they repent, it will indeed be better for them. If they turn away, God will punish them with grievous suffering in this world and the Hereafter, and there will be no one on earth to protect or help them. 74 ۞ Some of them made a covenant with Allah: "If Allah gives us out of His bounty, we will give alms and act righteously." 75 But when He did bestow of His bounty, they became covetous, and turned back (from their covenant), averse (from its fulfilment). 76 So He hath made the consequence (to be) hypocrisy in their hearts until the day when they shall meet Him, because they broke their word to Allah that they promised Him, and because they lied. 77 Know they not that Allah doth know their secret (thoughts) and their secret counsels, and that Allah knoweth well all things unseen? 78 Those who point at such of the believers as give the alms willingly and such as can find naught to give but their endeavours, and deride them - Allah (Himself) derideth them. Theirs will be a painful doom. 79 Ask forgiveness for them, [O Muhammad], or do not ask forgiveness for them. If you should ask forgiveness for them seventy times - never will Allah forgive them. That is because they disbelieved in Allah and His Messenger, and Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people. 80