And came the ignorant* who make excuses seeking exemption, and those who lied to Allah and His Noble Messenger remained seated; a painful punishment will soon reach the disbelievers among them. (* of faith) 90 There is no reproach upon the old nor upon the sick nor upon those who do not have the means to spend, provided they remain faithful to Allah and His Noble Messenger; and there is no way of reproach against the virtuous; and Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. 91 Nor can there be any cause for reproach against those who, when they came to you asking for mounts to go to the battlefront, and when you said that you had no mounts for them, they went back, their eyes overflowing with tears, grieving that they had no resources to enable them to take part in fighting. 92 ۞ But the blame is to be laid on those who asked permission of you whilst they are rich. They are content to remain with those who stay behind. Allah has set a seal upon their hearts so they do not know. 93 They will make excuses to you when you return to them; say, “Do not make excuses – we shall never believe you – Allah has given us your tidings; and Allah and His Noble Messenger will now see your deeds, and then you will return to Him Who knows everything, the hidden and the visible – He will inform you of all what you used to do.” 94 They will swear by Allah unto you, when ye return unto them, that ye may let them be. Let them be, for lo! they are unclean, and their abode is hell as the reward for what they used to earn. 95 They swear to you so that you might be satisfied with them. But if you should be satisfied with them - indeed, Allah is not satisfied with a defiantly disobedient people. 96 The bedouin Arabs surpass all in unbelief and hypocrisy and are most likely to be unaware of the limits prescribed by Allah in what He has revealed to His Messenger. Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise. 97 And of the dwellers of the desert are those who take what they spend to be a fine, and they wait (the befalling of) calamities to you; on them (will be) the evil calamity; and Allah is Hearing, Knowing. 98 And some villagers are those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and consider the spending as the means of obtaining proximity to Allah and obtaining the prayers of the Noble Messenger; pay heed! Yes indeed it is the means of proximity for them; Allah will soon admit them into His mercy; indeed Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful. 99