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 a sickness, and God has increased their sickness, and there awaits them a painful chastisement for that they have cried lies. 10 And when it is said unto them: Make not mischief in the earth, they say: We are peacemakers only. 11 Pay heed! It is they who are mischievous, but they do not have sense. 12 And when it is said unto them: believe as the people believe, they say: shall we believe as the foolish believe? are not they indeed the foolish? But they know not. 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 shall mock them, and shall lead them on blindly wandering in their insolence. 15 These are they who have bartered Guidance for error: But their traffic is profitless, and they have lost true direction, 16 The likeness of them is as the likeness of a man who kindled a fire, and when it lit all about him God took away their light, and left them in darkness unseeing 17 Deaf, dumb and blind; and they are not to 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