Those desert Arabs who remained behind will say to you, "Our belongings and our families kept us occupied, so ask forgiveness for us." They will say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say, "Who then has any power at all [to intervene] on your behalf with God, if His will is to do you harm, or if He intends to do you good? Indeed, God is well aware of all that you do." 11 “Rather you had assumed that the Noble Messenger and the Muslims will never return to their homes, and you thought this as good within your hearts, whereas you had thought evilly; and you were a people about to be ruined.” 12 And whosoever believeth not in Allah and His apostle then verily We have gotten ready for the infidels a Blaze. 13 To God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He forgives or punishes whomever He wants. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful. 14 When you set forth to take the spoils, those Bedouins who lagged behind will say: 'Let us follow you' They hope to change the Words of Allah. Say: 'You shall not follow us. Allah has said so before' They will reply: 'No, you are envious of us' Rather, they have only understood a little! 15 Say unto those bedouin who stayed behind: "In time you will be called upon [to fight] against people of great prowess in war: you will have to fight against them [until you die] or they surrender. And then, if you heed [that call,] God will bestow on you a goodly reward; but if you turn away as you turned away this time, He will chastise you with grievous chastisement." 16 There is no blame for the blind, nor is there blame for the lame, nor is there blame for the sick (that they go not forth to war). And whoso obeyeth Allah and His messenger, He will make him enter Gardens underneath which rivers flow; and whoso turneth back, him will He punish with a painful doom. 17