And of the people are some who say, "We believe in Allah and the Last Day," but they are not believers. 8 They think to beguile Allah and those who believe, and they beguile none save themselves; but they perceive not. 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 asked to desist from spreading corruption in the land they say: "Why, we are reformers." 11 Are not they indeed the mischief-makers? But they perceive not. 12 And when it is said to them, "Believe sincerely as the other people have believed", they reply, "Should we believe as fools have believed?" Beware! they themselves are the fools, but they know it not. 13 To the believers they declare belief and, in secret to their own devils, they say, "We were only mocking". 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 similitude is that of a man who kindled a fire; when it lighted all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in utter darkness. So they could not see. 17 Deaf, dumb, blind; wherefore they will not 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