There are some who say, "We believe in God and the Last Day," yet they are not believers. 8 Fain would they deceive Allah and those who believe, but they only deceive themselves, and realise (it) not! 9 In their hearts is a disease which Allah has increased all the more and a painful doom is in store for them for the lie they utter. 10 When they are told not to commit corruption in the land, they reply, "We are only reformers". 11 Verily! They are the ones who make mischief, but they perceive not. 12 And when they are told, "Believe as other people believe," they answer, "Shall we believe as the weak-minded believe?" Oh, verily, it is they, they who are weak-minded - but they know it not! 13 And when they meet those who believe, they say, "We believe"; but when they are alone with their evil ones, they say, "Indeed, we are with you; we were only mockers." 14 (Little do they realize that) Allah is mocking at them. He gives them rope enough, and they wander on and on blindly in their mischief and rebellion. 15 These are they who have purchased error for guidance, so their commerce was profitless. And they were not guided. 16 Their condition may be described in a parable: a man kindled a fire and when it illuminated all around him, Allah took away the light from their eyes and left them in utter darkness, where they could not see anything. 17 They are deaf, dumb and blind, and shall never return; 18 Or (still another parable may be cited to depict their condition): heavy rain is falling from the sky, accompanied by pitch darkness, thunder and lightning. When they hear the thunderclap, they thrust their fingers into their ears for fear of death, but Allah is encircling the disbelievers on all sides. 19 The lightning terrifies them as if it were going to snatch away their eyesight from them. When they see light, they move on a little further and When it becomes dark for them, they stand still. Had Allah so willed, He could have deprived them totally of their hearing and their sight. Most surely Allah has power over everything. 20