O People who believe! Remember the favour of Allah upon you when some armies came against you, so We sent against them a windstorm and the armies you could not see; and Allah sees your deeds. 9 [Remember] when they came at you from above you and from below you, and when eyes shifted [in fear], and hearts reached the throats and you assumed about Allah [various] assumptions. 10 There were the believers sorely tried, and shaken with a mighty shock. 11 The hypocrites and people with sickness in their hearts said, "God and His Messenger have promised us nothing but delusions." 12 And when a party of them said, 'O people of Yathrib, there is no abiding here for you, therefore return!' And a part of them Were asking leave of the Prophet, saying, 'Our houses are exposed'; yet they were not exposed; they desired only to flee. 13 And if the armies had come upon them from the outskirts of Medinah and demanded disbelief from them, they would certainly have given them their demand and would not have hesitated in it except a little. 14 And verily they had already sworn unto Allah that they would not turn their backs (to the foe). An oath to Allah must be answered for. 15 Say: 'Flight will not avail you, if you flee from death or slaughter, you would enjoy (this world) only for a little (time)' 16 ۞ Say: "Who is it that can screen you from Allah if it be His wish to give you punishment or to give you Mercy?" Nor will they find for themselves, besides Allah, any protector or helper. 17 God knows exactly who among you hold the others back, who say to their brethren, "Come over to our side," and they seldom take part in the fighting. 18 They are niggardly in spending for you. When fear comes, you can see them looking at you, their eyes rolling about like to faint because of the agony of death. When their fear subsides, they start to bite you with their sharp tongues. They are miserly in spending for a virtuous cause and have no faith. God has turned their deeds devoid of all virtue. This was not at all difficult for God. 19 They think the allied tribes have not withdrawn; and if the allied tribes had advanced they would have wished that they were rather with the Arabs of the desert asking news of you; and had they been among you they would have fought but just a little. 20