May Allah forgive you*; why did you permit them** until the truthful ones had been manifested to you and the liars been exposed? (* This is an expression of love for the Holy Prophet – peace and blessings be upon him. ** The hypocrites had been permitted to stay back from the holy war.) 43 Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day will not ask your permission so that they may struggle with their wealth and their selves. Allah knows best the righteous. 44 Only those who do not believe in God and the Day of Judgment ask you such questions because their hearts are full of doubts and they cannot make any final decisions. 45 ۞ Had they intended to set forth with you, they would have prepared themselves for it. But Allah did not like their going forth and held them back, and it was said: 'Stay back with those who stay back' 46 Had they gone forth with you, they would have only added to your trouble, and would have run about in your midst seeking to stir up sedition among you, whereas there are among you some who are prone to lend ears to them. Allah knows well the wrong-doers. 47 Certainly they sought (to sow) dissension before, and they meditated plots against you until the truth came, and Allah's commandment prevailed although they were averse (from it). 48 Some of them there are that say, 'Give me leave and do not tempt me.' Have not such men fallen into temptation? And surely Gehenna encompasses the unbelievers. 49 If good befalleth thee (O Muhammad) it afflicteth them, and if calamity befalleth thee, they say: We took precaution, and they turn away well pleased. 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: "Do you wait for us (anything) except one of the two best things (martyrdom or victory); while we await for you either that Allah will afflict you with a punishment from Himself or at our hands. So wait, we too are waiting with you." 52 Tell them: "Whether you spend your money willingly or unwillingly, it shall not find acceptance (with Allah) for you are an evil-doing folk." 53 Nothing prevents the acceptance of what they spend except that they do not believe in God and His Apostle, and come to worship but languidly and spend only grudgingly. 54 Do not let their wealth and children impress you. For God seeks to punish them through these things in the life of this world, so that their souls shall depart while they are still denying the truth. 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 Could they find a place of refuge or caverns or a retreating hole, they would turn round thereto rushing headlong. 57 And of them is he who defameth thee in the matter of the alms. If they are given thereof they are content, and if they are not given thereof, behold! they are enraged. 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