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 your leave to be exempted from fighting with their properties and their lives, and Allah is the All-Knower of Al-Muttaqun (the pious - see V. 2:2). 44 They alone ask leave of thee who believe not in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts feel doubt, so in their doubt they waver. 45 ۞ If they had intended to go out (to fight) they would surely have made preparations. But God did not like their setting forth, and they were held back and told: "Stay at home with those who stay behind." 46 Had they gone forth with you, they would only have proved a source of evil for you, and would have run back and forth among you, seeking to sow discord among you: and among you there were some who would have willingly listened to them. God knows the evil-doers. 47 Even prior to this, they tried to cause trouble and to turn your affairs upside-down until the truth came and the cause of God triumphed against their desires. 48 Among them is (many) a man who says: "Grant me exemption and draw me not into trial." Have they not fallen into trial already? and indeed Hell surrounds the Unbelievers (on all sides). 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 thou: naught shall ever befall us save that which Allah hath ordained for us; He is our patron, and on Allah let the believers rely. 51 Say: "Do you wait for us (anything) except one of the two best things (martyrdom or victory); while we await for you either that Allah will afflict you with a punishment from Himself or at our hands. So wait, we too are waiting with you." 52 Say: Pay (your contribution), willingly or unwillingly, it will not be accepted from you. Lo! ye were ever froward folk. 53 And naught preventeth their expendings being accepted except that they have disbelieved in Allah and His apostle, and they perform not prayer except as sluggards and expend not except as those averse. 54 So let not their possessions or their children please thee; God only desires thereby to chastise them in this present life, and that their souls should depart while they are unbelievers. 55 And they swear by Allah that they are from among you while they are not from among you; but they are a people who are afraid. 56 Should they find a refuge, or caves, or a place of concealment, they would turn straightway thereto with a swift rush. 57 And of them there are those who blame you with respect to the alms; so if they are given from it they are pleased, and if they are not given from it, lo! they are full of rage. 58 They should rather have been pleased with what God and His Prophet had given them, and said: "God is sufficient for us; He will give us of His largesse as will His Apostle. We supplicate no one but God." 59