And of mankind are some who say: we believe in Allah and in the Last Day: whereas they are not believers. 8 They desire to deceive Allah and those who believe, and they deceive only themselves and they do not perceive. 9 In their hearts is a disease, and Allah increaseth their disease. A painful doom is theirs because they lie. 10 And when they are told, "Do not spread corruption on earth," they answer, "We are but improving things!" 11 But it is they who are the evildoers, though they do not sense it. 12 When they are told to believe as everyone else does, they say, "Should we believe as fools do?" In fact, they themselves are fools, but they do not know it. 13 When they meet those who believe, they say, 'We believe'; but when they go privily to their Satans, they say, 'We are with you; we were only mocking.' 14 God mocks them and gives them time to continue blindly in their transgressions. 15 These are they who buy error for the right direction, so their bargain shall bring no gain, nor are they the followers of the right 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, they will not return (to the path). 18 Or their case is like that of heavy rain pouring down from the clouds, accompanied by darkness, thunder and lightning; they thrust their fingers in their ears at the sound of thunderclaps for fear of death. God thus encompasses those who deny the truth. 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