And there are people who say: "We do believe in God and the Last Day," the while they do not [really] believe. 8 They deceive God and the believers. However, they have deceived no one but themselves, a fact of which they are not aware. 9 In their hearts is disease, so Allah has increased their disease; and for them is a painful punishment because they [habitually] used to lie. 10 When asked to desist from spreading corruption in the land they say: "Why, we are reformers." 11 Verily! They are the ones who make mischief, but they perceive not. 12 And when it is said to them, "Believe as the people have believed," they say, "Should we believe as the foolish have believed?" Unquestionably, it is they who are the foolish, but they know [it] not. 13 When they meet those who believe, they say, "We, too, are believers", but when they privily meet their evil geniuses, they say, "Indeed we are with you: we are only mocking at these people". 14 God shall mock them, and shall lead them on blindly wandering in their insolence. 15 These are the people who have bartered away Guidance for error, but this is a profitless bargain that they have made, and they are not at all on the right way. 16 Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindleth fire, and when it sheddeth its light around him Allah taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness, where they cannot see, 17 Deaf, dumb, blind - and they cannot turn back. 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 Verily the lightning could snatch away their eyes. When it flashes forth they walk in its flare. When darkness returns they stand still. And if the Lord wills so He could take away their hearing and sight; surely God is all-powerful. 20