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 There is no blame on the weak nor on the sick nor on those who have nothing to enable them to join (the struggle in the Way of Allah) if they stay behind provided that they are sincere to Allah and to His Messenger. There is no cause for reproach against those who do good. Allah is All-Forgiving, Ever Merciful. 91 Nor (is there blame) on those who came to you to be provided with mounts, and when you said: "I can find no mounts for you," they turned back, while their eyes overflowing with tears of grief that they could not find anything to spend (for Jihad). 92 ۞ The ground (of complaint) is only against those who are rich, and yet ask exemption. They are content to be with (the women) who sit behind (at home) and Allah has sealed up their hearts (from all kinds of goodness and right guidance) so that they know not (what they are losing). 93 They will apologize to you on your return. Tell them, "Do not ask for pardon. We will never believe you. God has already told us everything about you. God and His Messenger will soon make your deeds public, then you will return to Him who has absolute knowledge of the unseen and the seen and He will inform you of what you have done. 94 They will swear to you by Allah when you return to them so that you may turn aside from them; so do turn aside from them; surely they are unclean and their abode is hell; a recompense for what they earned. 95 They will swear to you in order to please you. But even if you become pleased with them, Allah will not be pleased with such an evil-doing folk. 96 The desert dwelling Arabs are far worse than the others in their disbelief and hypocrisy and have more reason to be ignorant of the revelations that God revealed to His Messenger. God is All-knowing and All-wise. 97 And of the bedouins there are some who look upon what they spend (in Allah's Cause) as a fine and watch for calamities for you, on them be the calamity of evil. And Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower. 98 But some of the desert Arabs believe in Allah and the Last Day, and look on their payments as pious gifts bringing them nearer to Allah and obtaining the prayers of the Messenger. Aye, indeed they bring them nearer (to Him): soon will Allah admit them to His Mercy: for Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful. 99