O believers, remember God's blessing upon you when hosts came against you, and We loosed against them a wind, and hosts you saw not; and God sees the things you do. 9 Eyes became dull and hearts almost reached the throat when they attacked you from above and below and you started to think of God with suspicion. 10 there it was that the believers were tried, and shaken most mightily. 11 And [remember how it was] when the hypocrites and those with hearts diseased said [to one another,] "God and His Apostle have promised us nothing but delusions!" 12 And when a party of them said, 'O people of Yathrib, there is no abiding here for you, therefore return!' And a part of them Were asking leave of the Prophet, saying, 'Our houses are exposed'; yet they were not exposed; they desired only to flee. 13 If their town had been stormed, and they had been incited to sedition, they would have rebelled with little hesitation. 14 And verily they had already sworn unto Allah that they would not turn their backs (to the foe). An oath to Allah must be answered for. 15 Say: "Running away will not profit you if ye are running away from death or slaughter; and even if (ye do escape), no more than a brief (respite) will ye be allowed to enjoy!" 16 ۞ Say: Who is it that can withhold you from Allah if He intends to do you evil, rather He intends to show you mercy? And they will not find for themselves besides Allah any guardian or a helper. 17 Allah already knows those among you who keep back (men) from fighting in Allah's Cause, and those who say to their brethren "Come here towards us," while they (themselves) come not to the battle except a little. 18 They are niggardly in spending for you. When fear comes, you can see them looking at you, their eyes rolling about like to faint because of the agony of death. When their fear subsides, they start to bite you with their sharp tongues. They are miserly in spending for a virtuous cause and have no faith. God has turned their deeds devoid of all virtue. This was not at all difficult for God. 19 They hold that the clans have not retired (for good); and if the clans should advance (again), they would fain be in the desert with the wandering Arabs, asking for the news of you; and if they were among you, they would not give battle, save a little. 20