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 ask not leave of thee, that they may struggle with their possessions and their selves; and God knows the godfearing. 44 It is only those who believe not in Allah and the Last Day and whose hearts doubt who ask thy leave, so in their doubt they are tossed to and fro. 45 ۞ Had they truly intended to march forth to fight, they would have certainly made some preparation for it. But Allah was averse to their going forth, so He made them lag behind, and they were told: "Stay behind with those that are staying behind." 46 If they had gone forth among you, you would then not gain any increase from them except trouble, and seeking to cause turmoil they would run rumours among you; and their spies are among you; and Allah well knows the unjust. 47 Even prior to this, they tried to cause trouble and to turn your affairs upside-down until the truth came and the cause of God triumphed against their desires. 48 Among them are some that say: 'Give us leave and do not expose us to temptation' Surely, they have already succumbed to temptation. Gehenna shall encompass the unbelievers. 49 If good befalleth thee, it annoyeth them, and if an affliction befalleth thee, they say; surely we took good hold of our affair before. And they turn away while they are exulting. 50 Say, "Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector." And upon Allah let the believers rely. 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, "Whether you give willingly or unwillingly, your offerings shall not be accepted by God, for you are indeed a disobedient people." 53 Nothing prevents the acceptance of what they spend except that they do not believe in God and His Apostle, and come to worship but languidly and spend only 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 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 Should they find a refuge, or caves, or a place of concealment, they would turn straightway thereto with a swift rush. 57 (O Prophet), some of them find fault with you in the distribution of alms. If they are given something of it they are pleased, and if they are given nothing they are angry. 58 If only they had been content with what Allah and His Messenger gave them, and had said, "Sufficient unto us is Allah! Allah and His Messenger will soon give us of His bounty: to Allah do we turn our hopes!" (that would have been the right course). 59