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 They do not ask leave of you who believe in Allah and the latter day (to stay away) from striving hard with their property and their persons, and Allah knows those who guard (against evil). 44 Only those who ask your permission do not believe in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts are filled with doubt. And in their doubt, they waiver. 45 ۞ And if they had wished to go forth they would assuredly have made ready some equipment, but Allah was averse to their being sent forth and held them back and it was said (unto them): Sit ye with the sedentary! 46 Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder, and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you, and there are some among you who would have listened to them. And Allah is the All-Knower of the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.). 47 Indeed they had plotted sedition before, and upset matters for thee, until,- the Truth arrived, and the Decree of Allah became manifest much to their disgust. 48 And among them is he who says: "Grant me leave to stay behind, and do not expose me to temptation." Lo! They have already fallen into temptation. Surely Hell encompasses the unbelievers. 49 If good comes to you, it grieves them; but if hardship befalls you, they say: 'We have taken our precautions' and they turn away, rejoicing. 50 Tell them: "Nothing can befall us except what God decrees. Our protector is He, and in God should the faithful place their trust." 51 Say, "Are you waiting for anything to befall us except one of the two best things [Victory in this world or Paradise in the next]? But we expect that God will send His punishment to you either directly from Himself, or by our hands. So wait, if you will; we too, are waiting with you." 52 Say, "Whether you spend your wealth for the cause of God, willingly or reluctantly, it will never be accepted from you; you are an evil doing people." 53 The only reason their contributions are not accepted is that they have denied God and His Messenger, they come to the prayer half heartedly, and they offer contributions unwillingly. 54 Let not their wealth nor their (following in) sons dazzle thee: in reality Allah's plan is to punish them with these things in this life, and that their souls may perish in their (very) denial of Allah. 55 They swear by God that they are believers like you; but they are not. They are afraid [to appear in their true colours]: 56 if they could but find a place of refuge, or any cavern, or a crevice [in the earth,] they would turn towards it in headlong haste. 57 And among them are such as find fault with thee [O Prophet] concerning [the distribution of] the offerings given for the sake of God: if they are given something thereof, they are well-pleased; but if they are not given anything thereof, lo! they are consumed with anger. 58 Would that they had been pleased with what God and His Messenger had given them and had said, "God is All-Sufficient for us. God and His Messenger will soon do us more favors and we have hope in God's mercy." 59