There are some people who say: 'We believe in Allah and the Last Day, 'yet 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 Sick are their hearts, and God adds to their malady. For them is suffering for they lie. 10 When asked to desist from spreading corruption in the land they say: "Why, we are reformers." 11 But it is they who are the evildoers, though they do not sense it. 12 And when it is said to them, “Believe as the others believe”, they say, “Shall we believe as the foolish believe?” It is they who are the fools, but they do not know. 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 will requite them for their mockery, and draw them on, for a while, to wander blindly in their insolence. 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 Their likeness is as the likeness of him who kindleth a fire, then when it hath lit up that which is around him, Allah taketh away their light and leaveth them in darknesses where they see not 17 Deaf, dumb and blind; and they are not to return. 18 Or (still another parable may be cited to depict their condition): heavy rain is falling from the sky, accompanied by pitch darkness, thunder and lightning. When they hear the thunderclap, they thrust their fingers into their ears for fear of death, but Allah is encircling the disbelievers on all sides. 19 The lightning almost snatches away their sight. Every time it lights [the way] for them, they walk therein; but when darkness comes over them, they stand [still]. And if Allah had willed, He could have taken away their hearing and their sight. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent. 20