Those who believe say, "Why has a surah not been sent down? But when a precise surah is revealed and fighting is mentioned therein, you see those in whose hearts is hypocrisy looking at you with a look of one overcome by death. And more appropriate for them [would have been] 20 obedience, and words honourable. Then, when the matter is resolved, if they were true to God, it would be better for them. 21 But if you held command, you were sure to make mischief in the land and cut off the ties of kinship! 22 It is such as these whom God rejects, and whom He makes deaf [to the voice of truth,] and whose eyes He blinds [to its sight]! 23 Do they not then earnestly seek to understand the Qur'an, or are their hearts locked up by them? 24 Indeed those who turn back after the guidance had become clear to them – Satan has deceived them; and made them optimistic of living for ages. 25 That is because they said unto those who detest that which Allah hath revealed: we shall obey you in part of the affair; and Allah knoweth their talking in secret. 26 Then how [will it be] when the angels take them in death, striking their faces and their backs? 27 This, because they were wont to pursue what God condemns and to hate [whatever would meet with] His goodly acceptance: and so He has caused all their [good] deeds to come to nought. 28