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 eyes grew wild and hearts reached to the throats, and ye were imagining vain thoughts concerning Allah. 10 There were the believers proven and shaken with a mighty shaking 11 And behold! The Hypocrites and those in whose hearts is a disease (even) say: "Allah and His Messenger promised us nothing but delusion!" 12 Others said, "People of Yathrib, you cannot withstand [the enemy] here: so go back!" Yet others asked leave of the Prophet, saying, "Our houses are exposed and [defenceless]." They were in truth not exposed: they only wished 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 although ere that they had vowed before God that they would never turn their backs [on His message]: and a vow made to God must surely be answered for! 15 Say: "Of no gain will be your running away if you run from death or being killed, even then you will enjoy the good things of life but only for a while." 16 ۞ Say: 'Who is he that shall defend you from God, if lie desires evil for you, or desires mercy for you?' They shall find for themselves, apart from God, neither protector nor helper. 17 God certainly knows those among you who create obstacles (on the way that leads to God) and those who say to their brothers, 'Come quickly to us' and very rarely take part in the fighting. 18 begrudging you all help. But then, when danger threatens, thou canst see them looking to thee [for help, O Prophet,] their eyes rolling [in terror] like [the eyes of] one who is overshadowed by death: yet as soon as the danger has passed, they will assail you [believers] with sharp tongues, begrudging you all that is good! [People like] these have never known faith - and therefore God will cause all their works to come to nought: for this is indeed easy for God. 19 They think that the invading confederates have not yet gone. But if the confederates were to mount another assault, they would wish to be in the desert among the bedouins and keep themselves informed about you from there. But even if they remained in your midst, hardly would they fight. 20