HOW COULD they who ascribe divinity to aught beside God be granted a covenant by God and His Apostle, unless it be those [of them] with whom you [O believers] have made a covenant in the vicinity of the Inviolable House of Worship? [As for the latter,] so long as they remain true to you, be true to them: for, verily, God loves those who are conscious of Him. 7 How? If they prevail against you they will respect neither agreements nor ties of kindred. They satisfy you with their tongues, but their hearts are averse; and most of them are wicked. 8 God's messages have they bartered away for a trifling gain, and have thus turned away from His path: evil, behold, is all that they are wont to do, 9 They do not observe toward a believer any pact of kinship or covenant of protection. And it is they who are the transgressors. 10 Yet if they repent, and perform the prayer, and pay the alms, then they are your brothers in religion; and We distinguish the signs for a people who know. 11 But if they break faith after pledging it and revile your religion, then fight these leaders of unbelief, so that they may desist, for they have no regard for their pledged word. 12 Will you not fight the people who broke their promises, and intended to expel the Noble Messenger whereas they had started it? Do you fear them? So Allah has more right that you should fear Him, if you have faith. 13 Fight them so that God may punish them at your hands, and put them to shame, and help you against them, and heal the wounds of the hearts of believers, 14 And remove the fury in the believers' hearts. And Allah turns in forgiveness to whom He wills; and Allah is Knowing and Wise. 15 Do you think you will get away before God knows who among you fought and did not take anyone but God, His Apostle and the faithful, as their friends? God is cognisant of all that you do. 16