May Allah pardon you, [O Muhammad]; why did you give them permission [to remain behind]? [You should not have] until it was evident to you who were truthful and you knew [who were] the liars. 43 Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day will never ask your leave to be excused from striving (in the cause of Allah) with their belongings and their lives. Allah fully knows the God-fearing. 44 Only those would ask permission of you who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts have doubted, and they, in their doubt, are hesitating. 45 ۞ For, had they been [truly] desirous of setting out [with thee,] they would surely have made some preparation therefor: but God was averse to their taking the field, and so He caused them to hold back when it was said, "[You may] stay at home with all [the others] who stay at home." 46 Had they gone forth with you, they would not have added to you aught save corruption, and they would certainly have hurried about among you seeking (to sow) dissension among you, and among you there are those who hearken for their sake; and Allah knows the unjust. 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 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 If good befalls thee, it grieves them; but if a misfortune befalls thee, they say, "We took indeed our precautions 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 Say thou await ye for us ought save one of the two excellences; while for you we wait that Allah shall afflict you with a torment from Himself or at our hands. Await then, we also are with you awaiting. 52 Say, "Spend willingly or unwillingly; never will it be accepted from you. Indeed, you have been a defiantly disobedient people." 53 And what prevents their expenditures from being accepted from them but that they have disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger and that they come not to prayer except while they are lazy and that they do not spend except while they are unwilling. 54 Let not wherefore their riches and their children amaze thee. Allah intendeth only to torment them therewith in the life of the world and that their souls pass away while they are infidels. 55 They swear by Allah that they are truly of you while they are not of you, but they are a people (hypocrites) who are afraid (that you may kill them). 56 If they could find a shelter, or some caverns, or any place to creep into, they would turn about and bolt away to it. 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 Would that they were wellpleased with what Allah and His Messenger have given them, and would say: 'Allah is sufficient for us. Allah will provide for us from His abundance, and so will His Messenger. To Allah, we hope' 59