Those who lagged behind of the desert Arabs will presently say unto thee: our properties and our households kept us occupied, so ask thou forgiveness for us. They say with their tongues that which is not in their hearts. Say thou: who can avail you in aught against Allah, if He intended you hurt or intended you benefit? Yea! Allah is of that which ye work ever Aware. 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 Those who do not believe in God and His Messenger should know that We have prepared hell for the disbelievers. 13 And for Allah only is the kingship of the heavens and the earth; He may forgive whomever He wills, and punish whomever He wills; and Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. 14 Those who lagged behind (will say), when ye (are free to) march and take booty (in war): "Permit us to follow you." They wish to change Allah's decree: Say: "Not thus will ye follow us: Allah has already declared (this) beforehand": then they will say, "But ye are jealous of us." Nay, but little do they understand (such things). 15 Say to the desert Arabs who stayed behind, "You shall be called against a mighty people; then shall you fight, unless they submit. Then if you prove obedient, God will grant you a good reward, but if You turn back as you did before, He will inflict on you a painful punishment -- 16 It is not binding on the blind, the lame or the sick (to follow this command); but those who obey God and His Apostle will be admitted by God to gardens with running streams; but those who turn back will suffer a painful doom. 17