NOW THOSE who have attained to faith say: "Would that a revelation [allowing us to fight] was bestowed from on high!" But now that a revelation clear in and by itself, mentioning war, has been bestowed from on high, thou canst see those in whose hearts is disease looking at thee, [O Muhammad,] with the look of one who is about to faint for fear of death! And yet, far better for them would be 20 Their obedience and speech are known. Then when the affair is determined, if even then they gave credence unto Allah, it would have been better for them. 21 Would ye then, if ye were given the command, work corruption in the land and sever your ties of kinship? 22 Those [who do so] are the ones that Allah has cursed, so He deafened them and blinded their vision. 23 So do they not ponder the Qur’an deeply, or are there locks on some of their hearts? 24 VERILY, those who turn their backs [on this message] after guidance has been vouchsafed to them, [do it because] Satan has embellished their fancies and filled them with false hopes: 25 This was so because they said to those who disdain what God has revealed: "We shall obey you in some things." But God knows their secret intentions well. 26 But how will they fare when angels will take their souls at death and will carry them, striking their faces and backs? 27 That is because they followed that which angered Allah and detested His good-will; so He made their works of non-effect. 28