The Arabs of the desert who had stayed behind will now say to you: "We were occupied with our flocks and herds and families, so ask forgiveness for us. They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Tell them: "Who can prevail with God for you if He wish you harm or benefit? Surely God is well aware of what you do. 11 No, you thought that the Messenger and the believers would never return to their families, and this was made to seem fair in your hearts so you harbored evil thoughts, and so you are a destroyed nation. 12 For those who deny the truth, who do not believe in God and His Messenger, We have prepared a blazing Fire. 13 To God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He forgives whom He pleases, and punishes whom He pleases. And God is most forgiving and merciful. 14 Those who lagged behind will say, when you set forth to take the spoils, "Allow us to follow you," They want to change Allah's Words. Say: "You shall not follow us; thus Allah has said beforehand." Then they will say: "Nay, you envy us." Nay, but they understand not except 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 on the blind, nor on the lame, nor on the sick (if they do not go forth to fight). Allah will admit those who obey Allah and His Messenger to the Gardens beneath which rivers flow and will inflict a grievous chastisement on those who turn away. 17