14 And when they fall in with those who believe, they say: We believe; but when they go apart to their devils they declare: Lo! we are with you; verily we did but mock.
Trivia:
Surah 2
THE COW (Al-Madinah)
2:14-22
Allah especially dislikes people who pretend to believe when they're around Muslims, and then disbelieve when they hang out with devils.
15 Allah (Himself) doth mock them, leaving them to wander blindly on in their contumacy.
16 These are they who purchase error at the price of guidance, so their commerce doth not prosper, neither are they guided.
17 Their likeness is as the likeness of one who kindleth fire, and when it sheddeth its light around him Allah taketh away their light and leaveth them in darkness, where they cannot see,
Allah mocks and blinds them,
18 Deaf, dumb and blind; and they return not.
19 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).
leaving them deaf, dumb, and blind.
20 The lightning almost snatcheth away their sight from them. As often as it flasheth forth for them they walk therein, and when it darkeneth against them they stand still. If Allah willed, He could destroy their hearing and their sight. Lo! Allah is able to do all things.
21 O mankind! worship your Lord, Who hath created you and those before you, so that ye may ward off (evil).
22 Who hath appointed the earth a resting-place for you, and the sky a canopy; and causeth water to pour down from the sky, thereby producing fruits as food for you. And do not set up rivals to Allah when ye know (better).
If Allah wanted to, he could destroy their sight and hearing. [1]
Allah can do anything.
2:23-24
23 And if ye are in doubt concerning that which We reveal unto Our slave (Muhammad), then produce a surah of the like thereof, and call your witness beside Allah if ye are truthful.
If you doubt that the Quran comes from Allah, then just try to write a surah like it. [2]
24 And if ye do it not - and ye can never do it - then guard yourselves against the Fire prepared for disbelievers, whose fuel is of men and stones.
Go ahead and try, though, if you want to. You will fail and Allah will burn you forever if you in the fire that he has prepared for disbelievers, whose fuel is men and stones.
Notes
- If Allah willed, He could destroy their hearing and their sight. (v.20)
The previous verses say that he has already done that.
- Produce a surah of the like thereof (v.23)
That's right you disbelievers! Just try to write a surah that's as meaningful and cool-sounding as this one:
The power of Abu Lahab will perish, and he will perish.
His wealth and gains will not exempt him.
He will be plunged in flaming Fire,
And his wife, the wood-carrier,
Will have upon her neck a halter of palm-fibre.
That is Surah 111 and there's nothing you can write that would be nearly as good.
Not that people haven't tried. Here's one that someone wrote, for example, trying match the beauty of Surah 111.
In the name of Marvin, most-merciful, all-compassionate:
Damn both hands of my neighbor Sam; damn him!
His money and children will not save him!
He will be burnt in a blazing flame --
Sam and his dame, who is also to blame.
As she was carrying wood to her home,
She put some thorns in the path where I roam.
So she shall suffer a torment most dire,
Dangling in hell from a noose of palm-fibre.
But that is obviously inferior.
Go ahead and try, though, if you want to. You will fail and Allah will burn you forever if you in the fire that he has prepared for disbelievers, whose fuel is men and stones.
There are other places in the Quran that challenge skeptics to a surah writing contest.
And this Qur'an is not such as could ever be invented ... Or say they: He hath invented it? Say: Then bring a surah like unto it. Quran 10:37-38
Or they say: He hath invented it. Say: Then bring ten surahs, the like thereof. Quran 11:13