May Allah pardon you, [O Muhammad]; why did you give them permission [to remain behind]? [You should not have] until it was evident to you who were truthful and you knew [who were] the liars. 43 Those who believe in Allah and the Last Day will never ask your leave to be excused from striving (in the cause of Allah) with their belongings and their lives. Allah fully knows the God-fearing. 44 Only those ask for such an exemption from you who do not believe in Allah and the Last Day, and whose hearts are in doubt – so they waver in their doubts. 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 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 And among them there was [many a one] who said," Grant me permission [to remain at home,] and do not put me to too hard a test!" Oh, verily, [by making such a request] they had [already failed in their test and] succumbed to a temptation to evil: and behold, hell will indeed encompass all who refuse to acknowledge the truth! 49 If good befalls you, it distresses them; but if disaster strikes you, they say, "We took our matter [in hand] before," and turn away while they are rejoicing. 50 Say: Naught befalleth us save that which Allah hath decreed for us. He is our Protecting Friend. In Allah let believers put their trust! 51 Tell them: "What you await to befall upon us is nothing but one of the two good things! And what we await for you is that Allah visit you with chastisement from Him or chastise you at our hands. So continue waiting; we too shall wait with you." 52 Say, "Spend willingly or unwillingly; never will it be accepted from you. Indeed, you have been a defiantly disobedient people." 53 And what prevents their expenditures from being accepted from them but that they have disbelieved in Allah and in His Messenger and that they come not to prayer except while they are lazy and that they do not spend except while they are unwilling. 54 So let not their possessions or their children please thee; God only desires thereby to chastise them in this present life, and that their souls should depart while they are unbelievers. 55 And they (the hypocrites) swear by Allah that they are from among you (Muslims); and they are not from among you – however those people are afraid. 56 Had they but found a refuge, or caverns, or a place to enter, they surely had resorted thither swift as runaways. 57 And of them are some who traduce thee in respect of alms. Then if they are given thereof they are pleased and if they are not given thereof, lo! they are enraged. 58 Would that they had been pleased with what God and His Messenger had given them and had said, "God is All-Sufficient for us. God and His Messenger will soon do us more favors and we have hope in God's mercy." 59