AND THERE came [unto the Apostle] such of the bedouin as had some excuse to offer, [with the request] that they be granted exemption, whereas those who were bent on giving the lie to God and His Apostle [simply] remained at home. [And] grievous suffering is bound to befall such of them as are bent on denying the truth! 90 [But] no blame shall attach to the weak, nor to the sick, nor to those who have no means [to equip themselves,] provided that they are sincere towards God and His Apostle: there is no cause to reproach the doers of good, for God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace. 91 Those who come to you, (Muhammad), asking to be taken to the battle, but you cannot find the necessary means for them, are exempt from the duty of fighting for the cause of God, even though they leave you with their eyes flooded with tears because of not being able to help the cause of God. 92 ۞ The blameworthy are those who are men of wealth and yet ask for exemption. They are content to be with those [women] who stay behind. God has sealed their hearts: they do not understand. 93 They will make excuse to you (Muslims) when ye return unto them. Say: Make no excuse, for we shall not believe you. Allah hath told us tidings of you. Allah and His messenger will see your conduct, and then ye will be brought back unto Him Who knoweth the Invisible as well as the Visible, and He will tell you what ye used to do. 94 When you will have returned to them, [O believers,] they will swear to you by God, [repeating their excuses,] with a view to your letting them be. Let them be, then: behold, they are loathsome, and hell is their goal in recompense for what they were wont to do. 95 they will swear to you, so that you may be pleased with them. But [even] if you are pleased with them, God is not pleased with rebellious people. 96 The wandering Arabs are more hard in disbelief and hypocrisy, and more likely to be ignorant of the limits which Allah hath revealed unto His messenger. And Allah is Knower, Wise. 97 Some of the desert Arabs look upon their payments as a fine, and watch for disasters for you: on them be the disaster of evil: for Allah is He That heareth and knoweth (all things). 98 And among the bedouin Arabs are those who believe in Allah and the Last Day, and regard their spending (in the Way of Allah) as a means of drawing near to Allah and of deserving the prayers of the Messenger. Indeed, this shall be a means of drawing near to Allah. Allah will surely admit them to His mercy. Allah is All-Forgiving, Ever Merciful. 99