There are some who say, "We believe in God and the Last Day," yet they are not believers. 8 They deceive God and the believers. However, they have deceived no one but themselves, a fact of which they are not aware. 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 And when they are told, "Do not spread corruption on earth," they answer, "We are but improving things!" 11 Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not. 12 When it is said to them: "Believe as the others believe:" They say: "Shall we believe as the fools believe?" Nay, of a surety they are the fools, but they do not know. 13 When they meet those who believe, they say, "We, too, are believers", but when they privily meet their evil geniuses, they say, "Indeed we are with you: we are only mocking at these people". 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 Those are the ones who have purchased error [in exchange] for guidance, so their transaction has brought no profit, nor were they guided. 16 Their example is like one who kindled a fire, and when it lit all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness. They could not see. 17 Deaf, dumb, and blind, they will not return (to the path). 18 Or like a rainstorm from the sky, in which are darkness, thunder and lightning; they thrust their fingers in their ears due to the thunderclaps, fearing death; and Allah has the disbelievers encompassed. 19 The lightning well-nigh snatcheth away their sight; whensoever it flasheth on them, they walk therein, and when it becometh dark unto them, they stand still. And had Allah willed He would of a surety have taken away their hearing and their sights; verily Allah is over everything potent. 20