The believers used to say: “Why is a surah (that would ordain fighting) not revealed?” But when a definitive surah was revealed wherein fighting was mentioned, you saw that those in whose hearts there was a sickness looked at you as though they were about to faint at the approach of death. Pity on them! 20 (They keep affirming their) obedience and saying good words. But when a course of action was clearly determined, it would have been better for them if they had proved true to Allah. 21 Then, is it to be expected of you, if ye were put in authority, that ye will do mischief in the land, and break your ties of kith and kin? 22 Such are those whom God has rejected, making their ears deaf and their eyes blind. 23 Do they not then earnestly seek to understand the Qur'an, or are their hearts locked up by them? 24 Certainly those who have turned their backs on the True Guidance after it became manifest to them, Satan has embellished their ways for them and has buoyed them up with false hopes. 25 That is because they said unto those who detest that which Allah hath revealed: we shall obey you in part of the affair; and Allah knoweth their talking in secret. 26 So how (dreadful) will it be when the angels remove their souls, striking at their faces and their backs! 27 This because they followed that which called forth the Wrath of Allah, and they hated Allah's good pleasure; so He made their deeds of no effect. 28