And some men there are who say, 'We believe in God and the Last Day'; but they are not believers. 8 They desire to deceive Allah and those who believe, and they deceive only themselves and they do not perceive. 9 In their hearts is a disease, and Allah increaseth their disease. A painful doom is theirs because they lie. 10 When asked to desist from spreading corruption in the land they say: "Why, we are reformers." 11 Of a surety, they are the ones who make mischief, but they realise (it) not. 12 And when it is said to them: Believe as the people believe, they say: Shall we believe as the fools believe? Now surely they themselves are the fools, but they do not know. 13 When they meet those who believe, they say, "We believe." But when they are alone with their evil leaders, they say, "We are really with you; we were only mocking." 14 (Little do they realize that) Allah is mocking at them. He gives them rope enough, and they wander on and on blindly in their mischief and rebellion. 15 These are they who have bartered Guidance for error: But their traffic is profitless, and they have lost true direction, 16 Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindled a fire; then, when it lighted all around him, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness. (So) they could not see. 17 They are deaf; they are dumb; they are blind so they will not return (to the right way). 18 Or, like (those who, under) a cloudburst from the sky with darkness, thunder and lightning, they thrust their fingers in their ears at the sound of every thunderclap for fear of death, and Allah encompasses the unbelievers. 19 The lightning well-nigh snatcheth away their sight; whensoever it flasheth on them, they walk therein, and when it becometh dark unto them, they stand still. And had Allah willed He would of a surety have taken away their hearing and their sights; verily Allah is over everything potent. 20