May God forgive you. Why did you allow them (to stay behind) without ascertaining who spoke the truth and who were 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 had tried to create disorder before and intrigued against you, but truth came out in the end and God's will prevailed, even though they did not like it. 48 And among them is one who requests you that, “Grant me exemption (from fighting) and do not put me to test”; pay heed! They have indeed fallen into trial; and indeed hell surrounds 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 thou: naught shall ever befall us save that which Allah hath ordained for us; He is our patron, and on Allah let the believers rely. 51 Say: Can ye await for us aught save one of two good things (death or victory in Allah's way)? while we await for you that Allah will afflict you with a doom from Him or at our hands. Await then! Lo! We are awaiting with you. 52 Say: Pay (your contribution), willingly or unwillingly, it will not be accepted from you. Lo! ye were ever froward folk. 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 So let not their riches or their children surprise you; Allah only intends to punish them in the life of this world with these things and that they die only as disbelievers. 55 They swear by God they are with you, though in fact they are not. They are only a frightened lot. 56 if they could find a place of refuge, or a cave or any hiding-place, they would run there with frantic haste. 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 They should rather have been pleased with what God and His Prophet had given them, and said: "God is sufficient for us; He will give us of His largesse as will His Apostle. We supplicate no one but God." 59