May God pardon you! Why did you permit them to do so before it had become clear to you which ones were truthful, so that you might recognize the liars? 43 Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day would not ask thy leave to be excused from striving hard with their riches and their lives; and Allah is Knower of the God-fearing. 44 It is only those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts are filled with doubt that seek exemption from striving (in the cause of Allah). They keep tossing to and fro in their doubt. 45 ۞ And if they had intended to go forth, they would certainly have provided equipment for it, but Allah did not like their going forth, so He withheld them, and it was said (to them): Hold back with those who hold back. 46 If they had come out with you, they would not have added to your (strength) but only (made for) disorder, hurrying to and fro in your midst and sowing sedition among you, and there would have been some among you who would have listened to them. But Allah knoweth well those who do wrong. 47 Indeed, even before this time have they tried to stir up discord and devised all manner of plots against thee, [O Prophet,] until the truth was revealed and God's will became manifest, however hateful this may have been to them. 48 Some of them there are that say, 'Give me leave and do not tempt me.' Have not such men fallen into temptation? And surely Gehenna encompasses the unbelievers. 49 Should good fortune alight on thee, [O Prophet,] it will grieve them; and should misfortune befall thee, they will say [to themselves,] "We have already taken our precautions beforehand!" - and will turn away, and will rejoice. 50 (Muhammad), say, "Nothing will happen to us besides what God has decreed for us. He is our Guardian. In God alone do the believers trust." 51 For us, you can anticipate nothing other than Paradise if we are killed or success if we triumph. However, what we can anticipate for you is either punishment by the hands of God or by ours. Wait and we, too, are waiting with you. 52 Say: "You may spend [anything,] willingly - or unwillingly, [pretending that you do it for the sake of God:] it shall never be accepted from you - for, verily, you are people bent on iniquity!" 53 The only reasons why their contributions are not accepted are: that they reject Allah and His Messenger; that they come to prayer without earnestness; and that they offer contributions unwillingly. 54 Let neither their riches nor their children excite your admiration. Allah only wants to chastise them through these things in the present life, and to cause them to die while they are unbelievers. 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 Had they but found a refuge, or caverns, or a place to enter, they surely had resorted thither swift as runaways. 57 And among them is one who slanders you regarding the distribution of charity; so if they receive some of it they would be happy – and if not, thereupon they get displeased! 58 O were they well-pleased with what God and His Messenger have brought them, saying, 'Enough for us is God; God will bring us of His bounty, and His Messenger; to God we humbly turn.' 59