May God forgive you! (Muhammad), why did you not let them join the army so that you could discern the liars from the truthful ones? 43 Those who believe in God and the Last Day, do not ask your leave to be excused from fighting wealth and soul (in the cause of God), for God knows the pious and devout. 44 Only those ask thee for exemption who believe not in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts are in doubt, so that they are tossed in their doubts to and fro. 45 ۞ And if they had intended to go forth, they would have prepared for it [some] preparation. But Allah disliked their being sent, so He kept them back, and they were told, "Remain [behind] with those who remain." 46 Had these [hypocrites] set out with you, [O believers,] they would have added nothing to you save the evil of corruption, and would surely have scurried to and fro in your midst, seeking to stir up discord among you, seeing that there are in your midst such as would have lent them ear: but God has full knowledge of the evildoers. 47 Assuredly they besought sedition afore and turned the affairs upside down for thee until the truth arrived and the decree of Allah prevailed, averse though they were. 48 Among them is (many) a man who says: "Grant me exemption and draw me not into trial." Have they not fallen into trial already? and indeed Hell surrounds the Unbelievers (on all sides). 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: "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: "Do you wait for us (anything) except one of the two best things (martyrdom or victory); while we await for you either that Allah will afflict you with a punishment from Himself or at our hands. So wait, we too are waiting with you." 52 Say, "Whether you spend your wealth for the cause of God, willingly or reluctantly, it will never be accepted from you; you are an evil doing 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 their wealth nor their (following in) sons dazzle thee: in reality Allah's plan is to punish them with these things in this life, and that their souls may perish in their (very) denial of Allah. 55 And they swear by God that they do indeed belong to you - the while they do not belong to you, but are [only] people ridden by fear: 56 If they could find a refuge or some caves or any place to enter [and hide], they would turn to it while they run heedlessly. 57 And of them is he who defameth thee in the matter of the alms. If they are given thereof they are content, and if they are not given thereof, behold! they are enraged. 58 (How much more seemly) had they been content with that which Allah and His messenger had given them and had said: Allah sufficeth us. Allah will give us of His bounty, and (also) His messenger. Unto Allah we are suppliants. 59