O you who believe! call to mind the favor of Allah to you when there came down upon you hosts, so We sent against them a strong wind and hosts, that you saw not, and Allah is Seeing what you do. 9 Eyes became dull and hearts almost reached the throat when they attacked you from above and below and you started to think of God with suspicion. 10 That proved be the testing ground for the Muslims, and they were subjected to a severe shake. 11 And when the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease, began saying, “Allah and His Noble Messenger have not given us a promise except one of deceit.” 12 Others said, "People of Yathrib, you cannot withstand [the enemy] here: so go back!" Yet others asked leave of the Prophet, saying, "Our houses are exposed and [defenceless]." They were in truth not exposed: they only wished to flee. 13 And if an entry had been effected to them from the sides of the (city), and they had been incited to sedition, they would certainly have brought it to pass, with none but a brief delay! 14 And indeed they had already made a covenant with Allah not to turn their backs, and a covenant with Allah must be answered for. 15 Say: 'Flight will not profit you, if you flee from death or slaying; you will be given enjoyment of days then but 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 God certainly knows those among you who create obstacles (on the way that leads to God) and those who say to their brothers, 'Come quickly to us' and very rarely take part in the fighting. 18 Being chary of helping you. But when danger appears you will find them looking at you with eyes turning like a man's in the swoon of death. Yet when the danger is past they lash you with sharp tongues, covetous of the best (of booty). Such as these have not come to belief. So God nullifies whatever they have done. This is how (the innate law of) God works inevitably. 19 They think that the confederate tribes have not yet gone. If the confederate tribes were to attack them, they would have wished to be left alone among the bedouin Arabs where they would only follow the news about you. Even if they were with you, only a few of them would take part in the fight. 20