Those of the dwellers of the desert who were left behind will say to you: Our property and our families kept us busy, so ask forgiveness for us. They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say: Then who can control anything for you from Allah if He intends to do you harm or if He intends to do you good; nay, Allah is Aware of what 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 Those who do not believe in God and His Messenger should know that We have prepared hell for the disbelievers. 13 To Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth: He forgives whom He wills, and He punishes whom He wills: but Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 14 The laggardly Bedouins will say, "When you leave to collect the spoils, let us follow you." They want to alter the command of God (that only the participating believers are entitled to such benefit). Tell them, "You can never follow us for such a purpose. God has said before and He will say again (what type of people you are). In fact, you are jealous of us." The truth is that they understand very 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 No blame attaches to the blind, nor does blame attach to the lame, nor does blame attach to the sick [for staying away from a war in God's cause]; but whoever heeds [the call of] God and His Apostle [in deed or in heart,] him will He admit into gardens through which running waters flow; whereas him who turns away will He chastise with grievous chastisement. 17