HOW COULD they who ascribe divinity to aught beside God be granted a covenant by God and His Apostle, unless it be those [of them] with whom you [O believers] have made a covenant in the vicinity of the Inviolable House of Worship? [As for the latter,] so long as they remain true to you, be true to them: for, verily, God loves those who are conscious of Him. 7 How (can they be trusted)? If they prevail against you they will neither observe pacts nor good faith with you. They flatter you with their tongues, but their hearts are averse to you, for most of them are iniquitous. 8 They have sold the signs of God for a small price, and have barred from His way; truly evil is that they have been doing, 9 With regard to a believer, they respect not the ties, either of kinship or of covenant! It is they who are the transgressors. 10 If they repent and establish the prayer and pay the obligatory charity, they shall become your brothers in the religion. So We make plain Our verses for a nation that knows. 11 But if they break faith after pledging it and revile your religion, then fight these leaders of unbelief, so that they may desist, for they have no regard for their pledged word. 12 Will you not fight a people who have violated their oaths (pagans of Makkah) and intended to expel the Messenger, while they did attack you first? Do you fear them? Allah has more right that you should fear Him, if you are believers. 13 Fight them, Allah will punish them with your hands and degrade them. He will grant you victory over them and heal the chests of a believing nation. 14 And still the indignation of their hearts. For Allah will turn (in mercy) to whom He will; and Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. 15 Do you [O believers] think that you will be spared unless God takes cognizance of your having striven hard [in His cause] without seeking help from any but God and His Apostle and those who believe in Him? For, God is aware of all that you do. 16