May Allah forgive you*; why did you permit them** until the truthful ones had been manifested to you and the liars been exposed? (* This is an expression of love for the Holy Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him. ** The hypocrites had been permitted to stay back from the holy war.) 43 And those who believe in Allah and the Last Day will not seek exemption from you for not fighting with their wealth and their lives; and Allah well knows the pious. 44 Only those ask for such an exemption from you who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts are in doubt – so they waver in their doubts. 45 ۞ If they had desired to go forth, they would have made some preparation for it; but God was averse that they should be aroused, so He made them pause, and it was said to them, 'Tarry you with the tarriers.' 46 Had they gone forth with you, they would not have increased you except in confusion, and they would have been active among you, seeking [to cause] you fitnah. And among you are avid listeners to them. And Allah is Knowing of the wrongdoers. 47 Surely they sought even earlier to stir up sedition, and turned things upside down to frustrate you until the Truth came and the decree of Allah appeared, however hateful this may have been to them. 48 Of them is he who saith: Grant me leave (to stay at home) and tempt me not. Surely it is into temptation that they (thus) have fallen. Lo! hell verily is all around the disbelievers. 49 If good befalls you, it distresses them; but if disaster strikes you, they say, "We took our matter [in hand] before," and turn away while they are rejoicing. 50 Say, "Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector." And upon Allah let the believers rely. 51 Say: "Are you, perchance, hopefully waiting for something [bad] to happen to us - [the while nothing can happen to us] save one of the two best things? But as far as you are concerned, we are hopefully waiting for God to inflict chastisement upon you, [either] from Himself or by our hands! Wait, then, hopefully; behold, we shall hopefully wait with you!" 52 Say: 'Whether you spend voluntarily or reluctantly it shall not be accepted from you; for you are a wicked nation' 53 What prevents their offerings from being accepted is their disbelief in God and His Messenger, their lack of interest in prayer and spending for the cause of God reluctantly. 54 So let not their riches nor their children please thee (O Muhammad). Allah thereby intendeth but to punish them in the life of the world and that their souls shall pass away while they are disbelievers. 55 They swear by Allah that they are part of you whereas they are certainly not part of you. They are merely a people who dread you. 56 If they could find a shelter, or some caverns, or any place to creep into, they would turn about and bolt away to it. 57 They blame you about the distribution of the welfare funds. They are pleased when you give them something from it, but if they receive nothing, they become angry with you. 58 If only they had been content with what God and His Messenger had given them and had said, "God is sufficient for us. God will give us out of His bounty, and so will His Messenger. To God alone do we turn with hope!" 59