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 thought that the Apostle and the believers would never return to their kith and kin: and this seemed goodly to your hearts. And you entertained [such] evil thoughts because you have always been people devoid of all good!" 12 But whosoever disbelieves in Allah and His Messenger; We have prepared a Blazing Fire for the unbelievers. 13 To God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; He may forgive whosoever He please, and afflict whosoever He will. Yet God is forgiving and kind. 14 The laggardly Bedouins will say, "When you leave to collect the spoils, let us follow you." They want to alter the command of God (that only the participating believers are entitled to such benefit). Tell them, "You can never follow us for such a purpose. God has said before and He will say again (what type of people you are). In fact, you are jealous of us." The truth is that they understand very little. 15 Say to those of the dwellers of the desert who were left behind: You shall soon be invited (to fight) against a people possessing mighty prowess; you will fight against them until they submit; then if you obey, Allah will grant you a good reward; and if you turn back as you turned back before, He will punish you with a painful punishment. 16 It is not an offense for the blind, the lame, or the sick not to take part in the battle. Whoever obeys God and His Messenger will be admitted to the gardens wherein streams flow. God will make whoever turns away suffer a painful torment. 17