When you return from the expedition they will carry on coming to you [believers] with excuses. Say, ‘Do not make excuses. We do not believe you: God has told us about you. God and His Messenger will watch your actions now, and in the end you will be returned to the One who knows the seen and the unseen. He will confront you with what you have done.’

When you return to them, they will swear to you by God in order to make you leave them alone- so leave them alone: they are loathsome, and Hell will be their home as a reward for their actions-

they will swear to you in order to make you accept them, but even if you do accept them, God will not accept people who rebel against Him.

The desert Arabs are the most stubborn of all peoples in their disbelief and hypocrisy. They are the least likely to recognize the limits that God has sent down to His Messenger. God is all knowing and all wise.

Some of the desert Arabs consider what they give to be an imposition; they are waiting for fortune to turn against you, but fortune will turn against them. God is all hearing and all knowing.

But there are also some desert Arabs who believe in God and the Last Day and consider their contributions as bringing them nearer to God and the prayers of the Messenger: they will indeed bring them nearer and God will admit them to His mercy. God is most forgiving and merciful.

يَعْتَذِرُونَ إِلَيْكُمْ إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْۚ قُل لَّا تَعْتَذِرُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكُمْ قَدْ نَبَّأَنَا ٱللَّهُ مِنْ أَخْبَارِكُمْۚ وَسَيَرَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُۥ ثُمَّ تُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

سَيَحْلِفُونَ بِٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ إِذَا ٱنقَلَبْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ لِتُعْرِضُوا۟ عَنْهُمْۖ فَأَعْرِضُوا۟ عَنْهُمْۖ إِنَّهُمْ رِجْسࣱۖ وَمَأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ جَزَآءَۢ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْسِبُونَ

يَحْلِفُونَ لَكُمْ لِتَرْضَوْا۟ عَنْهُمْۖ فَإِن تَرْضَوْا۟ عَنْهُمْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَرْضَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْفَٰسِقِينَ

ٱلْأَعْرَابُ أَشَدُّ كُفْرࣰا وَنِفَاقࣰا وَأَجْدَرُ أَلَّا يَعْلَمُوا۟ حُدُودَ مَآ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَسُولِهِۦۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمࣱ

وَمِنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ مَن يَتَّخِذُ مَا يُنفِقُ مَغْرَمࣰا وَيَتَرَبَّصُ بِكُمُ ٱلدَّوَآئِرَۚ عَلَيْهِمْ دَآئِرَةُ ٱلسَّوْءِۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمࣱ

وَمِنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ مَن يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَيَتَّخِذُ مَا يُنفِقُ قُرُبَٰتٍ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَصَلَوَٰتِ ٱلرَّسُولِۚ أَلَآ إِنَّهَا قُرْبَةࣱ لَّهُمْۚ سَيُدْخِلُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ فِي رَحْمَتِهِۦٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِيمࣱ

God will be well pleased with the first emigrants and helpersand those who followed them in good deeds, and they will be well pleased with Him: He has prepared Gardens graced with flowing streams for them, there to remain for ever. That is the supreme triumph.

Some of the desert Arabs around you are hypocrites, as are some of the people of Medina- they are obstinate in their hypocrisy. You [Prophet] do not know them, but We know them well: We shall punish them twice and then they will be returned to [face] a painful punishment [in the Hereafter].

And there are others who have confessed their wrongdoing, who have done some righteous deeds and some bad ones: God may well accept their repentance, for God is most forgiving and merciful.

In order to cleanse and purify them [Prophet], accept a gift out of their property [to make amends] and pray for them- your prayer will be a comfort to them. God is all hearing, all knowing.

Do they not know that it is God Himself who accepts repentance from His servants and receives what is given freely for His sake? He is always ready to accept repentance, most merciful.

Say [Prophet], ‘Take action! God will see your actions- as will His Messenger and the believers- and then you will be returned to Him who knows what is seen and unseen, and He will tell you what you have been doing.

And there are others who are waiting for God’s decree, either to punish them or to show them mercy. God is all knowing and wise.

Then there are those who built a mosque––in an attempt to cause harm, disbelief, and disunity among the believers––as an outpost for those who fought God and His Messenger before: they swear, ‘Our intentions were nothing but good,’ but God bears witness that they are liars.

[Prophet], never pray in that mosque. You should rather pray in a mosque founded from its first day on consciousness of God: in this mosque there are men who desire to grow in purity- God loves those who seek to purify themselves.

Which is better, the person who founds his building on consciousness of God and desire for His good pleasure, or the person who founds his building on the brink of a crumbling precipice that will tumble down into the Fire of Hell, taking him with it? God does not guide the evildoers:

the building they have founded will always be a source of doubt within their hearts, until their hearts are cut to pieces. God is all knowing and wise.

وَٱلسَّٰبِقُونَ ٱلْأَوَّلُونَ مِنَ ٱلْمُهَٰجِرِينَ وَٱلْأَنصَارِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُم بِإِحْسَٰنࣲ رَّضِيَ ٱللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا۟ عَنْهُ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّٰتࣲ تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَآ أَبَدࣰاۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ

وَمِمَّنْ حَوْلَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ مُنَٰفِقُونَۖ وَمِنْ أَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ مَرَدُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنِّفَاقِ لَا تَعْلَمُهُمْۖ نَحْنُ نَعْلَمُهُمْۚ سَنُعَذِّبُهُم مَّرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَذَابٍ عَظِيمࣲ

وَءَاخَرُونَ ٱعْتَرَفُوا۟ بِذُنُوبِهِمْ خَلَطُوا۟ عَمَلࣰا صَٰلِحࣰا وَءَاخَرَ سَيِّئًا عَسَى ٱللَّهُ أَن يَتُوبَ عَلَيْهِمْۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورࣱ رَّحِيمٌ

خُذْ مِنْ أَمْوَٰلِهِمْ صَدَقَةࣰ تُطَهِّرُهُمْ وَتُزَكِّيهِم بِهَا وَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْۖ إِنَّ صَلَوٰتَكَ سَكَنࣱ لَّهُمْۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ يَقْبَلُ ٱلتَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِۦ وَيَأْخُذُ ٱلصَّدَقَٰتِ وَأَنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

وَقُلِ ٱعْمَلُوا۟ فَسَيَرَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُۥ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَۖ وَسَتُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

وَءَاخَرُونَ مُرْجَوْنَ لِأَمْرِ ٱللَّهِ إِمَّا يُعَذِّبُهُمْ وَإِمَّا يَتُوبُ عَلَيْهِمْۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمࣱ

وَٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّخَذُوا۟ مَسْجِدࣰا ضِرَارࣰا وَكُفْرࣰا وَتَفْرِيقَۢا بَيْنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَإِرْصَادࣰا لِّمَنْ حَارَبَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ مِن قَبْلُۚ وَلَيَحْلِفُنَّ إِنْ أَرَدْنَآ إِلَّا ٱلْحُسْنَىٰۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَشْهَدُ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَٰذِبُونَ

لَا تَقُمْ فِيهِ أَبَدࣰاۚ لَّمَسْجِدٌ أُسِّسَ عَلَى ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ مِنْ أَوَّلِ يَوْمٍ أَحَقُّ أَن تَقُومَ فِيهِۚ فِيهِ رِجَالࣱ يُحِبُّونَ أَن يَتَطَهَّرُوا۟ۚ وَٱللَّهُ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُطَّهِّرِينَ

أَفَمَنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَٰنَهُۥ عَلَىٰ تَقْوَىٰ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٍ خَيْرٌ أَم مَّنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَٰنَهُۥ عَلَىٰ شَفَا جُرُفٍ هَارࣲ فَٱنْهَارَ بِهِۦ فِي نَارِ جَهَنَّمَۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِي ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

لَا يَزَالُ بُنْيَٰنُهُمُ ٱلَّذِي بَنَوْا۟ رِيبَةࣰ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ إِلَّآ أَن تَقَطَّعَ قُلُوبُهُمْۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمٌ

God has purchased the persons and possessions of the believers in return for the Garden- they fight in God’s way: they kill and are killed- this is a true promise given by Him in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Quran. Who could be more faithful to his promise than God? So be happy with the bargain you have made: that is the supreme triumph.

[The believers are] those who turn to God in repentance; who worship and praise Him; who bow down and pros-trate themselves; who order what is good and forbid what is wrong and who observe God’s limits. Give glad news to such believers.

۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱشْتَرَىٰ مِنَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَنفُسَهُمْ وَأَمْوَٰلَهُم بِأَنَّ لَهُمُ ٱلْجَنَّةَۚ يُقَٰتِلُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ فَيَقْتُلُونَ وَيُقْتَلُونَۖ وَعْدًا عَلَيْهِ حَقࣰّا فِي ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَٱلْإِنجِيلِ وَٱلْقُرْءَانِۚ وَمَنْ أَوْفَىٰ بِعَهْدِهِۦ مِنَ ٱللَّهِۚ فَٱسْتَبْشِرُوا۟ بِبَيْعِكُمُ ٱلَّذِي بَايَعْتُم بِهِۦۚ وَذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ

ٱلتَّٰٓئِبُونَ ٱلْعَٰبِدُونَ ٱلْحَٰمِدُونَ ٱلسَّٰٓئِحُونَ ٱلرَّٰكِعُونَ ٱلسَّٰجِدُونَ ٱلْـَٔامِرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَٱلنَّاهُونَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَٱلْحَٰفِظُونَ لِحُدُودِ ٱللَّهِۗ وَبَشِّرِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

It is not fitting for the Prophet and the believers to ask forgiveness for the idolaters- even if they are related to them- after having been shown that they are the inhabitants of the Blaze:

Abraham asked forgiveness for his father because he had made a promise to him, but once he realized that his father was an enemy of God, he washed his hands of him. Abraham was tender-hearted and forbearing.

God would not condemn for going astray those He has already guided [to the faith] before making entirely clear to them what they should avoid. God has knowledge of everything;

control of the heavens and earth belongs to God; He alone gives life and death; you have no ally or helper other than Him.

مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِيِّ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَن يَسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ وَلَوْ كَانُوٓا۟ أُو۟لِي قُرْبَىٰ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُمْ أَنَّهُمْ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْجَحِيمِ

وَمَا كَانَ ٱسْتِغْفَارُ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ لِأَبِيهِ إِلَّا عَن مَّوْعِدَةࣲ وَعَدَهَآ إِيَّاهُ فَلَمَّا تَبَيَّنَ لَهُۥٓ أَنَّهُۥ عَدُوࣱّ لِّلَّهِ تَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُۚ إِنَّ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ لَأَوَّٰهٌ حَلِيمࣱ

وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِلَّ قَوْمَۢا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَىٰهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يُبَيِّنَ لَهُم مَّا يَتَّقُونَۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ

إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِۖ يُحْيِۦ وَيُمِيتُۚ وَمَا لَكُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مِن وَلِيࣲّ وَلَا نَصِيرࣲ

In His mercy God has turned to the Prophet, and the emigrants and helpers who followed him in the hour of adversity when some hearts almost wavered: He has turned to them; He is most kind and merciful to them.

And to the three men who stayed behind: when the earth, for all its spaciousness, closed in around them, when their very souls closed in around them, when they realized that the only refuge from God was with Him, He turned to them in mercy in order for them to return [to Him]. God is the Ever Relenting, the Most Merciful.

لَّقَد تَّابَ ٱللَّهُ عَلَى ٱلنَّبِيِّ وَٱلْمُهَٰجِرِينَ وَٱلْأَنصَارِ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوهُ فِي سَاعَةِ ٱلْعُسْرَةِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا كَادَ يَزِيغُ قُلُوبُ فَرِيقࣲ مِّنْهُمْ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِهِمْ رَءُوفࣱ رَّحِيمࣱ

وَعَلَى ٱلثَّلَٰثَةِ ٱلَّذِينَ خُلِّفُوا۟ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا ضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْأَرْضُ بِمَا رَحُبَتْ وَضَاقَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ وَظَنُّوٓا۟ أَن لَّا مَلْجَأَ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ إِلَّآ إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ تَابَ عَلَيْهِمْ لِيَتُوبُوٓا۟ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ هُوَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ

You who believe, be mindful of God: stand with those who are true.

The people of Medina and their neighbouring desert Arabs should not have held back from following God’s Messenger, nor should they have cared about themselves more than him: if ever they suffer any thirst, weariness, or hunger in God’s cause, take any step that angers the disbelievers, or cause any harm to an enemy, a good deed is recorded in their favour on account of it- God never wastes the reward of those who do good-

if they spend a little or a lot for God’s cause, if they traverse a mountain pass, all this is recorded to their credit so that God can reward them in accordance with the best of their deeds.

Yet it is not right for all the believers to go out [to battle] together: out of each community, a group should go out to gain understanding of the religion, so that they can teach their people when they return and so that they can guard themselves against evil.

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَكُونُوا۟ مَعَ ٱلصَّٰدِقِينَ

مَا كَانَ لِأَهْلِ ٱلْمَدِينَةِ وَمَنْ حَوْلَهُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَعْرَابِ أَن يَتَخَلَّفُوا۟ عَن رَّسُولِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَرْغَبُوا۟ بِأَنفُسِهِمْ عَن نَّفْسِهِۦۚ ذَٰلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ لَا يُصِيبُهُمْ ظَمَأࣱ وَلَا نَصَبࣱ وَلَا مَخْمَصَةࣱ فِي سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَطَـُٔونَ مَوْطِئࣰا يَغِيظُ ٱلْكُفَّارَ وَلَا يَنَالُونَ مِنْ عَدُوࣲّ نَّيْلًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُم بِهِۦ عَمَلࣱ صَٰلِحٌۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ ٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

وَلَا يُنفِقُونَ نَفَقَةࣰ صَغِيرَةࣰ وَلَا كَبِيرَةࣰ وَلَا يَقْطَعُونَ وَادِيًا إِلَّا كُتِبَ لَهُمْ لِيَجْزِيَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ أَحْسَنَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ

۞ وَمَا كَانَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ لِيَنفِرُوا۟ كَآفَّةࣰۚ فَلَوْلَا نَفَرَ مِن كُلِّ فِرْقَةࣲ مِّنْهُمْ طَآئِفَةࣱ لِّيَتَفَقَّهُوا۟ فِي ٱلدِّينِ وَلِيُنذِرُوا۟ قَوْمَهُمْ إِذَا رَجَعُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهِمْ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَحْذَرُونَ