May Allah forgive you*; why did you permit them** until the truthful ones had been manifested to you and the liars been exposed? (* This is an expression of love for the Holy Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him. ** The hypocrites had been permitted to stay back from the holy war.) 43 They do not ask leave of you who believe in Allah and the latter day (to stay away) from striving hard with their property and their persons, and Allah knows those who guard (against evil). 44 They only ask leave of thee who believe not in God and the Last Day, those whose hearts are filled with doubt, so that in their doubt they go this way and that. 45 ۞ And if going forth were acceptable to them, they would have made preparations for it, but Allah Himself disliked their getting up (to fight) so He filled them with laze and it was said “Continue sitting with those who remain seated.” 46 Had they gone forth with you, they would have only added to your trouble, and would have run about in your midst seeking to stir up sedition among you, whereas there are among you some who are prone to lend ears to them. Allah knows well the wrong-doers. 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 Of them is he who saith: Grant me leave (to stay at home) and tempt me not. Surely it is into temptation that they (thus) have fallen. Lo! hell verily is all around the disbelievers. 49 If you gain success, it grieves them but if you suffer hardship, they turn away from you saying, "It's good that we took our affairs into our own hands". 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: "Are you, perchance, hopefully waiting for something [bad] to happen to us - [the while nothing can happen to us] save one of the two best things? But as far as you are concerned, we are hopefully waiting for God to inflict chastisement upon you, [either] from Himself or by our hands! Wait, then, hopefully; behold, we shall hopefully wait with you!" 52 Say: "You may spend [anything,] willingly - or unwillingly, [pretending that you do it for the sake of God:] it shall never be accepted from you - for, verily, you are people bent on iniquity!" 53 Nothing prevents their offerings from being accepted except that they do not believe in Allah and His Messenger. They do not come to the prayer except lazily and spend grudgingly. 54 Let not then their property and their children excite your admiration; Allah only wishes to chastise them with these in this world's life and (that) their souls may depart while they are unbelievers. 55 And they swear by Allah that they are surely of you, whereas they are not of you; but they are a people who dread. 56 If they could find a shelter, or some caverns, or any place to creep into, they would turn about and bolt away to it. 57 And among them is one who slanders you regarding the distribution of charity; so if they receive some of it they would be happy – and if not, thereupon they get displeased! 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