O believers, remember God's blessing upon you when hosts came against you, and We loosed against them a wind, and hosts you saw not; and God sees the things you do. 9 When the disbelievers came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes became fixed in stare and the hearts came up to the throats, and you were imagining matters regarding Allah. 10 There the believers were tested and shaken with a severe shaking. 11 And [remember] when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease said, "Allah and His Messenger did not promise us except delusion," 12 And when a faction of them said, "O people of Yathrib, there is no stability for you [here], so return [home]." And a party of them asked permission of the Prophet, saying, "Indeed, our houses are unprotected," while they were not exposed. They did not intend except to flee. 13 And if the enemy had entered from all sides (of the city), and they had been exhorted to AlFitnah (i.e. to renegade from Islam to polytheism) they would surely have committed it and would have hesitated thereupon but little. 14 They had earlier covenanted with Allah that they would not turn their backs in flight. And a covenant made with Allah must needs be answered for. 15 Say, [O Muhammad], "Never will fleeing benefit you if you should flee from death or killing; and then [if you did], you would not be given enjoyment [of life] except for a little." 16 ۞ Say thou: who is there that will protect you from Allah if He intendeth to bring evil on you or intendeth mercy for you? And they shall not find for themselves, besides Allah, a patron or helper. 17 Verily Allah knows those among you who keep back (men) and those who say to their brethren, "Come along to us", but come not to the fight except for just a little while. 18 Being niggardly toward you. Then when the fighting cometh, thou beholdest them look unto thee, their eyes rolling about, like the eyes of him who fainteth unto death. Then when the fighting is over they inveigh against you with sharp tongues, being niggardly of the good things. These have not believed; wherefore Allah hath made their works of none effect, and that is with Allah ever easy. 19 They deem that the confederates have not yet departed; and if the confederates should come, they would fain to be in the desert with the wandering Arabs inquiring for tidings of you. And if they happen to be amongst you, they would fight but little. 20