The Bedouins who lagged behind will say to you: 'We were occupied with our possessions and families, so ask Allah to forgive us' But they say with their tongues what they do not mean in their hearts. Say: 'Who can help you against Allah if it is that He wills harm for you or desires benefit for you? Allah is Aware of what you do' 11 Nay! you rather thought that the Apostle and the believers would not return to their families ever, and that was made fairseeming to your hearts and you thought an evil thought and you were a people doomed to perish. 12 And so for him who believeth not in Allah and His messenger - Lo! We have prepared a flame for disbelievers. 13 And to Allah belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, He forgives whom He wills, and punishes whom He wills. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 14 When you [believers] set off to gather the spoils, those that stayed behind will say, "Let us come with you." They want to change God's word, but tell them, "You shall not follow us. God has declared this beforehand." Then they will say, "You are jealous of us." But how little they understand! 15 Say thou unto those who lagged behind of the desert Arabs: surely ye shall be summoned against a people endued with exceeding violence then ye will fight them or they will submit. Then if ye obey, Allah will give ye a goodly hire; but if ye turn away even as ye turned away aforetime. He will torment you with a torment afflictive. 16 There is not upon the blind any guilt or upon the lame any guilt or upon the ill any guilt [for remaining behind]. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger - He will admit him to gardens beneath which rivers flow; but whoever turns away - He will punish him with a painful punishment. 17