You who have attained to faith, remember God's blessings upon you when mighty armies massed against you. We sent a violent wind against them and hosts that you could not see. God sees all that you do. 9 When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when eyes grew wild and hearts reached to the throats, and ye were imagining vain thoughts concerning Allah. 10 That proved be the testing ground for the Muslims, and they were subjected to a severe shake. 11 And when the hypocrites and those in whose hearts was a disease began to say: Allah and His Apostle did not promise us (victory) but only to deceive. 12 And when a section of them said: “(O people of Yathrib), now there is no place for you to stay, so turn back.” (And call to mind) when a section of them was seeking permission from the Prophet to leave, saying: “Our houses are exposed (to attack),” although they were not exposed (to attack); they only wished to flee (from the battle-front). 13 If the enemy were to enter the town from various directions, and they were summoned to act treacherously, they would have succumbed to it and would have shown little reluctance in doing so. 14 And indeed they had already made a covenant with Allah not to turn their backs, and a covenant with Allah must be answered for. 15 Say: "Whether you flee from [natural] death or from being slain [in battle,] flight will not profit you - for, however you fare, you are not [allowed] to enjoy life for more than a little while!" 16 ۞ Say: "Who will save you from God if He decide to afflict you or show you His mercy?" They will never find a friend or helper apart from God. 17 Allah knows well those of you who create obstructions (in war efforts) and say to their brethren: “Come and join us.” They hardly take any part in battle. 18 They reduce the help towards you; so when a fearful time comes, you will observe them looking at you with eyes rolling like one enveloped by death; then when the time of fear is over, they begin slandering you with sharp tongues in their greed for the war booty; they have not accepted faith, therefore Allah has nullified their deeds; and this is easy for Allah. 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