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 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 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 ۞ 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 gone forth among you, they would only have increased your burden, and run to and fro in your midst, seeking to stir up sedition between you; and some of you would listen to them; and Allah knows the harmdoers. 47 Indeed they had sought to cause turmoil at the outset, and O dear Prophet the scheme turned otherwise* for you, so much so that the truth came and the command of Allah appeared, and they disliked it. (* In your favour.) 48 Among them are some that say: 'Give us leave and do not expose us to temptation' Surely, they have already succumbed to temptation. Gehenna shall encompass the unbelievers. 49 If good befalls you (O Muhammad SAW), it grieves them, but if a calamity overtakes you, they say: "We took our precaution beforehand," and they turn away rejoicing. 50 Say: "Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us: He is our protector": and on Allah let the Believers put their trust. 51 Tell them: "What you await to befall upon us is nothing but one of the two good things! And what we await for you is that Allah visit you with chastisement from Him or chastise you at our hands. So continue waiting; we too shall wait 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 Nothing prevents that their expendings be accepted except that they disbelieve in Allah and His Messenger, and whenever they come to the Prayer they do so lazily, and whenever they spend they do so grudgingly. 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 And they swear by Allah that they are surely of you, whereas they are not of you; but they are a people who dread. 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 of them is he who defameth thee in the matter of the alms. If they are given thereof they are content, and if they are not given thereof, behold! they are enraged. 58 If only they had been content with what Allah and His Messenger gave them, and had said, "Sufficient unto us is Allah! Allah and His Messenger will soon give us of His bounty: to Allah do we turn our hopes!" (that would have been the right course). 59