O you who believe! Remember Allah's Favour to you, when there came against you hosts, and We sent against them a wind and forces that you saw not [i.e. troops of angels during the battle of AlAhzab (the Confederates)]. And Allah is Ever AllSeer of what you do. 9 When they came upon you from above you and from below you, when your eyes were stupefied with horror and your hearts leapt to your throats, and you began to entertain diverse thoughts about Allah. 10 There the faithful were put to the proof and they were shaken as if by an earthquake. 11 And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts is disease were saying: Allah and His apostle have promised us nought but delusion. 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 an entrance had been forced against them from its quarters, and then they had been asked to incite, they would have done so, and remained in it (the city) but a little (time). 14 And assuredly they had already covenanted with Allah that they would not turn their backs; verily the covenant with Allah must be questioned about. 15 Say, "Flight shall not avail you: if you manage to escape from death or killing, you will enjoy life only for a short while." 16 ۞ Say, "Who is it that can protect you from Allah if He intends for you an ill or intends for you a mercy?" And they will not find for themselves besides Allah any protector or any helper. 17 Allah knows those of you who hinder, and those who say to their brothers: 'Come to us' and they do not come to the battle but a little, 18 Being niggardly toward you. Then when the fighting cometh, thou beholdest them look unto thee, their eyes rolling about, like the eyes of him who fainteth unto death. Then when the fighting is over they inveigh against you with sharp tongues, being niggardly of the good things. These have not believed; wherefore Allah hath made their works of none effect, and that is with Allah ever easy. 19 They thought the confederate tribes would never withdraw. Indeed, if the confederates should come again, they would prefer to be in the desert, among the Bedouins. There they would ask news of you [from a distance]. But if they were with you, they would take very little part in the fighting. 20