And of mankind, there are some (hypocrites) who say: "We believe in Allah and the Last Day" while in fact they believe not. 8 They seek to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive none except themselves, though they do not sense it. 9 In their hearts is disease, and so God lets their disease increase; and grievous suffering awaits them because of their persistent lying. 10 When it is said to them, 'Do not corruption in the land', they say, 'We are only ones that put things right.' 11 Now surely they themselves are the mischief makers, but they do not perceive. 12 And when they are told, "Believe as other people have believed," they say, "Are we to believe just as fools believe?" Surely they are the fools, even though they do not realize it. 13 When they meet those who believe, they say, "We, too, are believers", but when they privily meet their evil geniuses, they say, "Indeed we are with you: we are only mocking at these people". 14 Allah mocks at them and gives them increase in their wrong-doings to wander blindly. 15 These are they who buy error for the right direction, so their bargain shall bring no gain, nor are they the followers of the right direction. 16 Their condition may be described in a parable: a man kindled a fire and when it illuminated all around him, Allah took away the light from their eyes and left them in utter darkness, where they could not see anything. 17 deaf, dumb, blind -- so they shall not return; 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 almost snatcheth away their sight from them. As often as it flasheth forth for them they walk therein, and when it darkeneth against them they stand still. If Allah willed, He could destroy their hearing and their sight. Lo! Allah is able to do all things. 20