And there are people who say: "We do believe in God and the Last Day," the while they do not [really] believe. 8 They desire to deceive Allah and those who believe, and they deceive only themselves and they do not perceive. 9 A sickness exists in their hearts to which God adds more sickness. Besides this, they will suffer a painful punishment as a result of the lie which they speak. 10 When it is said to them: "Make not mischief on the earth," they say: "Why, we only Want to make peace!" 11 But it is they who are the evildoers, though they do not sense it. 12 And when it is said to them: Believe as the people believe, they say: Shall we believe as the fools believe? Now surely they themselves are the fools, but they do not know. 13 When they meet those who believe, they say, "We believe." But when they are alone with their evil leaders, they say, "We are really with you; we were only mocking." 14 God will requite them for their mockery, and will leave them for a while in their overweening arrogance, blindly stumbling to and fro: 15 These are they who have purchased error for guidance, so their commerce was profitless. And they were not guided. 16 (Their case) is like that of one who kindles a fire and when it grows bright God takes away its light leaving him in darkness (wherein) he cannot see (anything). 17 Deaf, dumb, blind; wherefore they will not return. 18 Or [the parable] of a violent cloudburst in the sky, with utter darkness, thunder and lightning: they put their fingers into their ears to keep out the peals of thunder, in terror of death; but God encompasses [with His might] all who deny the truth. 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