And the defaulters from among the dwellers of the desert came that permission may be given to them and they sat (at home) who lied to Allah and His Apostle; a painful chastisement shall afflict those of them who disbelieved. 90 Not on the feeble and the ailing nor on those who find not the where withal to expend there is any blame, when they wish well to Allah and His apostle. No way is there against the well-doers; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. 91 Nor can there be any cause for reproach against those who, when they came to you asking for mounts to go to the battlefront, and when you said that you had no mounts for them, they went back, their eyes overflowing with tears, grieving that they had no resources to enable them to take part in fighting. 92 ۞ The road (of blame) is only against those who ask for leave of thee (to stay at home) when they are rich. They are content to be with the useless. Allah hath sealed their hearts so that they know not. 93 They will make excuses to you when you return to them; say, “Do not make excuses – we shall never believe you – Allah has given us your tidings; and Allah and His Noble Messenger will now see your deeds, and then you will return to Him Who knows everything, the hidden and the visible – He will inform you of all what you used to do.” 94 When you return to them they will surely swear to you in the name of Allah that you may leave them alone. So do leave them alone; they are unclean. Hell shall be their home, a recompense for what they did. 95 They will plead on oath that you accept them. Even if you accept them, remember God does not accept people who are disobedient. 96 The desert dwelling Arabs are far worse than the others in their disbelief and hypocrisy and have more reason to be ignorant of the revelations that God revealed to His Messenger. God is All-knowing and All-wise. 97 Some Arabs (Banu Asad and Ghatfan tribes) regard what they spend as a (compulsory) fine and wait for some misfortune to befall you. Theirs shall be the evil turn! Allah is Hearing, Knowing. 98 Yet some Arabs of the desert believe in God and the Last Day, and consider what they spend to be a means of bringing them nearer to God and the blessings of the Prophet. This is certainly a means of achieving nearness (to God), and God will admit them to His mercy, for God is forgiving and kind. 99