The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger, and who, when gathered with him upon a common matter do not depart till they have asked his permission. Surely, those who ask your permission are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger. When they ask your permission for some of their affairs, grant it to whomever you please and ask Allah for forgiveness for them; Allah is the Forgiver, the Merciful. 62 DO NOT regard the Apostle's summons to you [in the same light] as a summons of one of you to another: God is indeed aware of those of you who would withdraw surreptitiously: so let those who would go against His bidding beware, lest a [bitter] trial befall them [in this world] or grievous suffering befall them [in the life to come]. 63 Now surely Allah's is whatever is in the heavens and the earth; He knows indeed that to which you are conforming yourselves; and on the day on which they are returned to Him He will inform them of what they did; and Allah is Cognizant of all things. 64