O Prophet, struggle with the unbelievers and hypocrites, and be thou harsh with them; their refuge is Gehenna -- an evil homecoming! 73 They swear by God that they did not, yet they uttered the words of denial of truth after they had accepted Islam. They meditated a plot which they were unable to carry out, and being spiteful was their only response to God, who had enriched them out of His bounty, and to His Messenger. If they repent, it will indeed be better for them. If they turn away, God will punish them with grievous suffering in this world and the Hereafter, and there will be no one on earth to protect or help them. 74 ۞ And some of them have made covenant with God: 'If He gives us of His bounty, we will make offerings and be of the righteous.' 75 Nevertheless, when He gave them of His bounty they were niggardly of it, and turned away, swerving aside. 76 So He caused hypocrisy to settle in their hearts until the Day of their meeting with Him, because they broke their word to God, and because they lied. 77 Were they not aware that God knows all that they hide or whisper and that He has absolute knowledge of the unseen? 78 They who taunt those of the faithful who give their alms freely, and those who give to the extent of their earnings and scoff at them; Allah will pay them back their scoffing, and they shall have a painful chastisement. 79 Whether you (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him) ask forgiveness for them* or not ask forgiveness for them; even if you ask forgiveness for them seventy times, Allah will not forgive them; that is because they disbelieved in Allah and His Noble Messenger, and Allah does not guide the sinful. (* for the hypocrites.) 80