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 Nay, but you thought that the Messenger and the believers would never return to their families, and that was decked out fair in your hearts, and you thought evil thoughts, and you were a people corrupt.' 12 And so for him who believeth not in Allah and His messenger - Lo! We have prepared a flame for disbelievers. 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 Those who lagged behind will presently say when ye march forth to take spoils, leave us, we shall follow you. They intend to change the word of Allah. Say thou: ye shall by no means follow us; thus hath Allah said afore. Then they will say: Aye! ye envy us. Aye! little it is they are wont to understand. 15 Say to the Bedouins who were left behind: 'You shall be called against a people possessed of great might' to fight them, or they surrender. If you obey, God will give you a goodly wage; but if you turn your backs, as you turned your backs before, He will chastise you with a painful chastisement.' 16 There is no blame for the blind, nor is there blame for the lame, nor is there blame for the sick (that they go not forth to war). And whoso obeyeth Allah and His messenger, He will make him enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow; and whoso turneth back, him will He punish with a painful doom. 17