(O Prophet), the bedouins who were left behind say to you: “We were occupied with our goods and families. So ask forgiveness for us.” They say with their tongues what is not in their hearts. Say to them: “Who can be of any avail to you against Allah if He should intend to cause you any harm or confer upon you any benefit?” Allah is well aware of all that you do. 11 No. You thought that the Messenger and the believers would never return to their families; this prospect seemed pleasing to your hearts, and you conceived evil thoughts, and thus were 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 To God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth; whomsoever He will He forgives, and whomsoever He will He chastises; God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate. 14 Those who lagged behind will say, when you set forth to take the spoils, "Allow us to follow you," They want to change Allah's Words. Say: "You shall not follow us; thus Allah has said beforehand." Then they will say: "Nay, you envy us." Nay, but they understand not except a little. 15 Say to the desert Arabs who stayed behind, "You shall be called against a mighty people; then shall you fight, unless they submit. Then if you prove obedient, God will grant you a good reward, but if You turn back as you did before, He will inflict on you a painful punishment -- 16 There is not upon the blind any guilt or upon the lame any guilt or upon the ill any guilt [for remaining behind]. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger - He will admit him to gardens beneath which rivers flow; but whoever turns away - He will punish him with a painful punishment. 17