May Allah pardon you, [O Muhammad]; why did you give them permission [to remain behind]? [You should not have] until it was evident to you who were truthful and you knew [who were] the liars. 43 Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day would not ask permission of you to be excused from striving with their wealth and their lives. And Allah is Knowing of those who fear Him. 44 They only ask leave of you who do not believe in Allah and the latter day and their hearts are in doubt, so in their doubt do they waver. 45 ۞ If they had wished to go forth, they would surely have made some preparation for it, but God disliked their setting out [and being raised high in God's eyes] and held them back. They were told to stay behind with those who stay behind. 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 have already tried to sow dissension, and hatched plots against you, until the truth became manifest and God's will prevailed, much to their disgust. 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 Should good fortune alight on thee, [O Prophet,] it will grieve them; and should misfortune befall thee, they will say [to themselves,] "We have already taken our precautions beforehand!" - and will turn away, and will rejoice. 50 Say: "Nothing will befall us except what Allah has decreed for us; He is our Protector." Let the believers, then, put all their trust in Allah. 51 Say: "Are you waiting for anything else but one of two good things for us, (victory or martyrdom)? Yet what we are waiting for you is the punishment of God, direct or through us. So keep waiting; we are waiting with you." 52 Say: "Spend (for the cause) willingly or unwillingly: not from you will it be accepted: for ye are indeed a people rebellious and wicked." 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 Do not marvel at their wealth and children. God intends to punish them through these in the world; and their souls will depart in a state of disbelief. 55 They swear by Allah that they are truly of you while they are not of you, but they are a people (hypocrites) who are afraid (that you may kill them). 56 They are so afraid of you that had there been a place for them to seek refuge, a cave or some entrance in which to hide themselves from you, they would have madly rushed therein. 57 And of them there are those who blame you with respect to the alms; so if they are given from it they are pleased, and if they are not given from it, lo! they are full of rage. 58 If only they had been satisfied with what Allah and His Messenger gave them and said, "Sufficient for us is Allah; Allah will give us of His bounty, and [so will] His Messenger; indeed, we are desirous toward Allah," [it would have been better for them]. 59