The desert Arabs who lagged behind will say to thee: "We were engaged in (looking after) our flocks and herds, and our families: do thou then ask forgiveness for us." They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: "Who then has any power at all (to intervene) on your behalf with Allah, if His Will is to give you some loss or to give you some profit? But Allah is well acquainted with all that ye do. 11 No, you thought that the Messenger and the believers would never return to their families, and this was made to seem fair in your hearts so you harbored evil thoughts, and so you are a destroyed nation. 12 And whosoever believeth not in Allah and His apostle then verily We have gotten ready for the infidels a Blaze. 13 To Allah belongs the Kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He forgives whom He will and punishes whom He will. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful. 14 The Bedouins who were left behind will say, when you set forth after spoils, to take them, 'Let us follow you,' desiring to change God's words. Say: 'You shall not follow us; so God said before.' Then they will say, 'Nay, but you' are jealous of us.' Nay, but they have not understood except a little. 15 Say to the desert Arabs who had stayed behind: "You will be called against a formidable people. You will fight them till they surrender. If you obey, then He will give you a good reward; but if you turn back, as you had done before, He will punish you with a grievous affliction." 16 There is no reproach upon the blind, nor reproach against the lame, nor reproach upon the sick; and whoever obeys Allah and His Noble Messenger – Allah will admit him into Gardens beneath which rivers flow; and whoever turns away – He will mete out a painful punishment to him. 17