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 Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day will never ask your leave to be excused from striving (in the cause of Allah) with their belongings and their lives. Allah fully knows the God-fearing. 44 Only those ask thee for exemption who believe not in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts are in doubt, so that they are tossed in their doubts to and fro. 45 ۞ And had they intended the going forth, they would have made some preparation therefor; but Allah was averse to their wending, wherefore He withheld them, and the word was passed: stay at home with the stay-at-homes. 46 Had they gone forth among you, they would only have increased your burden, and run to and fro in your midst, seeking to stir up sedition between you; and some of you would listen to them; and Allah knows the harmdoers. 47 Aforetime they sought to cause sedition and raised difficulties for thee till the Truth came and the decree of Allah was made manifest, though they were loth. 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 good comes your way they are vexed, but if calamity befalls you, they say: "We had taken precautions in advance;" and pleased, turn away. 50 Say: 'Naught shall visit us but what God has prescribed for us; He is our Protector; in God let the believers put all their trust.' 51 Say: "Do you wait for us (anything) except one of the two best things (martyrdom or victory); while we await for you either that Allah will afflict you with a punishment from Himself or at our hands. So wait, we too are waiting 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 their wealth nor their (following in) sons dazzle thee: in reality Allah's plan is to punish them with these things in this life, and that their souls may perish in their (very) denial of Allah. 55 They swear by God they are with you, though in fact they are not. They are only a frightened lot. 56 Could they find a place of refuge or caverns or a retreating hole, they would turn round thereto rushing headlong. 57 Some of them find fault with thee touching the freewill offerings; if they are given a share of them they are well-pleased, but if they are given none then they are angry. 58 (How much more seemly) had they been content with that which Allah and His messenger had given them and had said: Allah sufficeth us. Allah will give us of His bounty, and (also) His messenger. Unto Allah we are suppliants. 59