May God pardon thee [O Prophet]! Why didst thou grant them permission [to stay at home] ere it had become obvious to thee as to who was speaking the truth, and [ere] thou camest to know [who were] the liars? 43 And those who believe in Allah and the Last Day will not seek exemption from you for not fighting with their wealth and their lives; and Allah well knows the pious. 44 They alone ask leave of thee who believe not in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts feel doubt, so in their doubt they waver. 45 ۞ Had they (the hypocrites) wanted to join your army, they would have prepared themselves, but God did not wish to motivate them, so He caused them to linger behind with those whose joining you in battle would be of no use. 46 Had these [hypocrites] set out with you, [O believers,] they would have added nothing to you save the evil of corruption, and would surely have scurried to and fro in your midst, seeking to stir up discord among you, seeing that there are in your midst such as would have lent them ear: but God has full knowledge of the evildoers. 47 They sought to stir up sedition already before, and turned things upside down for thee, until the truth came, and God's command appeared, though they were averse. 48 Among them is (many) a man who says: "Grant me exemption and draw me not into trial." Have they not fallen into trial already? and indeed Hell surrounds the Unbelievers (on all sides). 49 If good befalls thee, it grieves them; but if a misfortune befalls thee, they say, "We took indeed our precautions beforehand," and they turn away rejoicing. 50 Say: Nothing will afflict us save what Allah has ordained for us; He is our Patron; and on Allah let the believers rely. 51 For us, you can anticipate nothing other than Paradise if we are killed or success if we triumph. However, what we can anticipate for you is either punishment by the hands of God or by ours. Wait and we, too, are waiting with you. 52 Tell them: "You may spend (in the way of God), whether willingly or with reluctance, it will not be accepted from you, for you are reprobates." 53 And naught prevents that their expendings should be accepted from them, but that they believe not in God and His Messenger, and perform not the prayer save lazily, and that they expend not without they are averse. 54 Let neither their riches nor their children excite your admiration. Allah only wants to chastise them through these things in the present life, and to cause them to die while they are unbelievers. 55 They swear by Allah that they are indeed of you; but they are not of you: yet they are afraid (to appear in their true colours). 56 If they could find any shelter or any cavern, or any retreat, they would turn around and rush headlong into it. 57 And among them are men who slander thee in the matter of (the distribution of) the alms: if they are given part thereof, they are pleased, but if not, behold! they are indignant! 58 If only they had been content with what God and His Messenger had given them and had said, "God is sufficient for us. God will give us out of His bounty, and so will His Messenger. To God alone do we turn with hope!" 59