O believers, remember God's blessing upon you when hosts came against you, and We loosed against them a wind, and hosts you saw not; and God sees the things you do. 9 When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes turned dull, and the hearts rose up to the throats, and you began to think diverse thoughts of Allah. 10 There the faithful were put to the proof and they were shaken as if by an earthquake. 11 When the hypocrites and those who were filled with doubt, said: "The promise of God and His Apostle was nothing but deceit." 12 And when a party of them said, 'O people of Yathrib, there is no abiding here for you, therefore return!' And a part of them Were asking leave of the Prophet, saying, 'Our houses are exposed'; yet they were not exposed; they desired only to flee. 13 Now if their town had been stormed, and they had been asked [by the enemy] to commit apostasy, [the hypocrites] would have done so without much delay 14 And indeed before this they had agreed with Allah that they would not turn their backs; and the covenant of Allah will be questioned about. 15 Proclaim, “Fleeing will never benefit you if you flee from death or killing, and even then you will not be given the usage of this world except a little.” 16 ۞ Say: Who is he who can preserve you from Allah if He intendeth harm for you, or intendeth mercy for you. They will not find that they have any friend or helper other than Allah. 17 Allah knows indeed those among you who hinder others and those who say to their brethren: Come to us; and they come not to the fight but a little, 18 Covetous over you. Then when fear comes, thou wilt see them looking to thee, their eyes revolving, like (those of) one over whom hovers death: but when the fear is past, they will smite you with sharp tongues, covetous of goods. Such men have no faith, and so Allah has made their deeds of none effect: and that is easy for Allah. 19 They thought the confederate tribes would never withdraw. Indeed, if the confederates should come again, they would prefer to be in the desert, among the Bedouins. There they would ask news of you [from a distance]. But if they were with you, they would take very little part in the fighting. 20