God pardon thee! Why gavest thou them leave, till it was clear to thee which of them spoke the truth, and thou knewest the liars? 43 Those who believe in God and the Last Day will never ask you to exempt them from striving with their wealth and their lives, God best knows the righteous, 44 It is only those who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts are filled with doubt that seek exemption from striving (in the cause of Allah). They keep tossing to and fro in their doubt. 45 ۞ If they had desired to go forth, they would have made some preparation for it; but God was averse that they should be aroused, so He made them pause, and it was said to them, 'Tarry you with the tarriers.' 46 Had they joined you, they would have been of no help to you but would have just caused confusion and trouble among you by sneaking through the ranks where some of you would be ready to listen to them. God knows best the unjust. 47 They had already desired dissension before and had upset matters for you until the truth came and the ordinance of Allah appeared, while they were averse. 48 And among them there was [many a one] who said," Grant me permission [to remain at home,] and do not put me to too hard a test!" Oh, verily, [by making such a request] they had [already failed in their test and] succumbed to a temptation to evil: and behold, hell will indeed encompass all who refuse to acknowledge the truth! 49 If good befalls you, it grieves them, but if a misfortune befalls you, they say, "We took our precautions beforehand!" They turn away rejoicing. 50 Say, "Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector." And upon Allah let the believers rely. 51 Say, "Do you await for us except one of the two best things while we await for you that Allah will afflict you with punishment from Himself or at our hands? So wait; indeed we, along with you, are waiting." 52 Say thou: expend willingly or unwillingly, it will not be accepted of you; verily ye are ever a people ungodly. 53 And naught prevents that their expendings should be accepted from them, but that they believe not in God and His Messenger, and perform not the prayer save lazily, and that they expend not without they are averse. 54 So let not their riches nor their children please thee (O Muhammad). Allah thereby intendeth but to punish them in the life of the world and that their souls shall pass away while they are disbelievers. 55 They swear by Allah that they belong with you, yet they are not of you. They are a nation that are afraid. 56 Could they find a place of refuge or caverns or a retreating hole, they would turn round thereto rushing headlong. 57 (O Prophet), some of them find fault with you in the distribution of alms. If they are given something of it they are pleased, and if they are given nothing they are angry. 58 Would that they were content with what Allah and His Messenger gave them, and were to say: "Allah suffices for us, and Allah will give us out of His bounty and so will His Messenger. It is to Allah alone that we turn with hope." 59