Some Arabs of the desert came with ready excuses, asking for leave to stay behind. But those who had lied to God and His Prophet stayed at home doing nothing. So the punishment for those who disbelieve among them will be painful. 90 No blame will attach to the old and the sick, or those without means to spend on good acts, if they stay behind provided they are sincere to God and His Apostle; There is no way to blame those who are doers of good, for God is forgiving and kind. 91 Nor in those who when they came to you that you might carry them, you said: I cannot find that on which to carry you; they went back while their eyes overflowed with tears on account of grief for not finding that which they should spend. 92 ۞ But the blame is to be laid on those who asked permission of you whilst they are rich. They are content to remain with those who stay behind. Allah has set a seal upon their hearts so they do not know. 93 [And] they will [still] be offering excuses to you when you return to them, [from the campaign]! Say: "Do not offer [empty] excuses, [for] we shall not believe you: God has already enlightened us about you. And God will behold your [future] deeds, and [so will] His Apostle; and in the end you will be brought before Him who knows all that is beyond the reach of a created being's perception as well as all that can be witnessed by a creature's senses or mind, and then He will make you truly understand what you were doing [in life]." 94 When you return to them they will surely swear to you in the name of Allah that you may leave them alone. So do leave them alone; they are unclean. Hell shall be their home, a recompense for what they did. 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 hypocrites among] the bedouin are more tenacious in [their] refusal to acknowledge the truth and in [their] hypocrisy [than are settled people,] and more liable to ignore the ordinances which God has bestowed from on high upon His Apostle - but God is all-knowing, wise. 97 And of the dwellers of the desert is one who taketh that which he expendeth as a fine, and waiteth for evil turns of fortune for you. Upon them shall be the evil turn of fortune. And Allah is Hearing, Knowing. 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