Those of the wandering Arabs who were left behind will tell thee: Our possessions and our households occupied us, so ask forgiveness for us! They speak with their tongues that which is not in their hearts. Say: Who can avail you aught against Allah, if He intend you hurt or intend you profit? Nay, but Allah is ever Aware of what ye do. 11 Nay! you rather thought that the Apostle and the believers would not return to their families ever, and that was made fairseeming to your hearts and you thought an evil thought and you were a people doomed to perish. 12 And if any believe not in Allah and His Messenger, We have prepared, for those who reject Allah, a Blazing Fire! 13 And to Allah belongs the sovereignty of the heavens and the earth, He forgives whom He wills, and punishes whom He wills. And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. 14 The laggardly Bedouins will say, "When you leave to collect the spoils, let us follow you." They want to alter the command of God (that only the participating believers are entitled to such benefit). Tell them, "You can never follow us for such a purpose. God has said before and He will say again (what type of people you are). In fact, you are jealous of us." The truth is that they understand very little. 15 Say to the desert Arabs who had stayed behind: "You will be called against a formidable people. You will fight them till they surrender. If you obey, then He will give you a good reward; but if you turn back, as you had done before, He will punish you with a grievous affliction." 16 It is not an offense for the blind, the lame, or the sick not to take part in the battle. Whoever obeys God and His Messenger will be admitted to the gardens wherein streams flow. God will make whoever turns away suffer a painful torment. 17