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 When they came upon you from above you and from below you, and when the eyes turned dull, and the hearts rose up to the throats, and you began to think diverse thoughts of Allah. 10 There were the believers sorely tried, and shaken with a mighty shock. 11 And when the hypocrites, and those in whose hearts is a disease, began saying, “Allah and His Noble Messenger have not given us a promise except one of deceit.” 12 And when a party of them said: O folk of Yathrib! There is no stand (possible) for you, therefor turn back. And certain of them (even) sought permission of the Prophet, saying: Our homes lie open (to the enemy). And they lay not open. They but wished to flee. 13 And if an entry had been effected to them from the sides of the (city), and they had been incited to sedition, they would certainly have brought it to pass, with none but a brief delay! 14 Yet before that, they made a covenant with Allah never to turn their backs. And covenants with Allah shall be questioned. 15 Say: "Of no gain will be your running away if you run from death or being killed, even then you will enjoy the good things of life but only for a while." 16 ۞ Say: 'Who is he that shall defend you from God, if lie desires evil for you, or desires mercy for you?' They shall find for themselves, apart from God, neither protector nor helper. 17 Indeed Allah knows those among you who prevent others from the holy war, and those who say to their brothers, “Come towards us”; and they do not come to fight, except a few. 18 Being niggardly with respect to you; but when fear comes, you will see them looking to you, their eyes rolling like one swooning because of death; but when the fear is gone they smite you with sharp tongues, being niggardly of the good things. These have not believed, therefore Allah has made their doing naught; and this is easy to Allah. 19 They think the confederates have not departed. Indeed, if the confederates should come again they would sooner be in the desert among the Bedouins asking news of you. If they were among you, they would fight but a little. 20