There are some people who say: 'We believe in Allah and the Last Day, 'yet they are not believers. 8 They wish to deceive Allah and the believers; and in fact they deceive none except themselves and they do not have any understanding. 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 Unquestionably, it is they who are the corrupters, but they perceive [it] not. 12 When asked to believe as others do, they say: "Should we believe like fools?" And yet they are the fools, even though they do not know. 13 And when they meet those who have attained to faith, they assert, "We believe [as you believe]"; but when they find themselves alone with their evil impulses, they say: "Verily, we are with you; we were only mocking!" 14 God will requite them for their mockery, and draw them on, for a while, to wander blindly in their insolence. 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 likeness is as the likeness of him who kindleth a fire, then when it hath lit up that which is around him, Allah taketh away their light and leaveth them in darknesses where they see not 17 Deaf, dumb and blind; and they are not to return. 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 The lightning almost takes away their sight: whenever it flashes upon them, they walk on, but as soon as darkness falls around them, they stand still. Indeed, if God pleased, He could take away their hearing and their sight: God has power over all things. 20