The Bedouins who were left behind will say to thee, 'We were occupied by our possessions and our families; so ask forgiveness for us!' They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: 'Who can avail you aught against God, if He desires hurt for you, or desires profit for you? Nay, but God is ever aware of the things you do. 11 Nay, you thought that the Apostle and the believers would never return to their kith and kin: and this seemed goodly to your hearts. And you entertained [such] evil thoughts because you have always been people devoid of all good!" 12 And if any believe not in Allah and His Messenger, We have prepared, for those who reject Allah, a Blazing Fire! 13 And for Allah only is the kingship of the heavens and the earth; He may forgive whomever He wills, and punish whomever He wills; and Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. 14 Those who lagged behind will presently say when ye march forth to take spoils, leave us, we shall follow you. They intend to change the word of Allah. Say thou: ye shall by no means follow us; thus hath Allah said afore. Then they will say: Aye! ye envy us. Aye! little it is they are wont to understand. 15 Say to the desert Arabs who stayed behind, "You shall be called against a mighty people; then shall you fight, unless they submit. Then if you prove obedient, God will grant you a good reward, but if You turn back as you did before, He will inflict on you a painful punishment -- 16 There is no harm in the blind, nor is there any harm in the lame, nor is there any harm in the sick (if they do not go forth); and whoever obeys Allah and His Apostle, He will cause him to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, and whoever turns back, He will punish him with a painful punishment. 17