And there are people who say: "We do believe in God and the Last Day," the while they do not [really] believe. 8 They seek to deceive God and the believers, but they only deceive themselves, though they do not realize it. 9 In their hearts is a disease, which God has increased. They will have a painful punishment, because they have been lying. 10 When they are told not to commit corruption in the land, they reply, "We are only reformers". 11 Are not they indeed the mischief-makers? But they perceive 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 And when they meet those who believe, they say: We believe; and when they are alone with their Shaitans, they say: Surely we are with you, we were only mocking. 14 God mocks them and gives them time to continue blindly in their transgressions. 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 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 never return [to the right path]. 18 Or, like (those who, under) a cloudburst from the sky with darkness, thunder and lightning, they thrust their fingers in their ears at the sound of every thunderclap for fear of death, and Allah encompasses the unbelievers. 19 The lightning almost snatches away their sight, whenever it flashes for them, they walk therein, and when darkness covers them, they stand still. And if Allah willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. Certainly, Allah has power over all things. 20