۞ Have you (O Muhammad SAW) not observed the hypocrites who say to their friends among the people of the Scripture who disbelieve: "(By Allah) If you are expelled, we (too) indeed will go out with you, and we shall never obey any one against you, and if you are attacked (in fight), we shall indeed help you." But Allah is Witness, that they verily, are liars. 11 [for] if those [to whom they have pledged themselves] are indeed driven away, they will not go forth with them; and if war is waged against them, they will not come to their succour; and even if they [try to] succour them, they will most certainly turn their backs [in flight,] and in the end will [themselves] find no succour. 12 Indeed in their hearts is a greater fear of you than that of Allah; this is because they are a people who do not understand. 13 They will not fight you united except with the protection of fortified towns or from behind walls. They are strong among themselves. You think that they are united, but in fact, their hearts are divided. They are a people who have no understanding. 14 [Theirs is] like the example of those shortly before them: they tasted the bad consequence of their affair, and they will have a painful punishment. 15 They are like Satan, who says to man, "Deny the truth!" but when man denied the truth, said, "I disown you; I fear God, the Lord of the Universe." 16 So the fate of them both is that they are both in the fire, to remain in it forever; and this is the proper punishment for the unjust. 17