There are some people who say: 'We believe in Allah and the Last Day, 'yet they are not believers. 8 They seek to deceive Allah and those who believe, but they deceive none except themselves, though they do not sense it. 9 A sickness exists in their hearts to which God adds more sickness. Besides this, they will suffer a painful punishment as a result of the lie which they speak. 10 And when it is said to them, "Do not cause corruption on the earth," they say, "We are but reformers." 11 Now surely they themselves are the mischief makers, but they do not perceive. 12 When it is said to them: "Believe as the others believe:" They say: "Shall we believe as the fools believe?" Nay, of a surety they are the fools, but they do not know. 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 (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 Those are they that have bought error at the price of guidance, and their commerce has not profited them, and they are not right-guided. 16 Their example is like that of one who kindled a fire; and when it lit up all that was around it, Allah took away their light and left them in darkness, unable to see anything. 17 deaf, dumb, and blind: they will never return [to the right path]. 18 Or like a rainstorm from the sky, wherein is darkness, thunder and the flash of lightning. They thrust their fingers in their ears by reason of the thunder-claps, for fear of death, Allah encompasseth the disbelievers (in His guidance, His omniscience and His omnipotence). 19 Verily the lightning could snatch away their eyes. When it flashes forth they walk in its flare. When darkness returns they stand still. And if the Lord wills so He could take away their hearing and sight; surely God is all-powerful. 20