Marmaduke Pickthall, The Meaning of The Glorious Koran. An Explanatory Translation (1930)
difficulties for thee till the Truth came and the decree of Allah was made manifest, though they were loth.
49. Of them is he who saith: Grant me leave (to stay at home) and tempt me not.1 Surely it is into temptation that they (thus) have fallen. Lo! hell is all around the disbelievers.
50. If good befalleth thee (O Muhammad) it afHicteth them, and if calamity befalleth thee, they say: We took precaution, and they turn away well pleased.
51. Say: Naught befalleth us save that which Allah hath decreed for us. He is our Protecting Friend. In Allah let believers put their trust!
52. Say: Can ye await for us aught save one of two good things (death or victory in Allah’s way)? while we await for you that Allah will afflict you with a doom from Him or at our hands. Await then! Lo! we are awaiting with you.
53. Say: Pay (your contribution), willingly or unwillingly, it will not be accepted from you. Lo! ye were ever froward folk.
54. And naught preventeth that their contributions should be accepted from them save that they have disbelieved in Allah and in His messenger, and they come not to worship save as idlers, and pay not (their contribution) save reluctantly.
55. So let not their riches nor their children please thee (O Muhammad). Allah thereby intendeth but to punish them in the life of the world and that their souls shall pass away while they are disbelievers.
56. And they swear by Allah that they are in truth of you, when they are not of you, but they are folk who are afraid.
57. Had they but found a refuge, or caverns, or a place to enter, they surely had resorted thither swift as runaways.
1 The temptation here referred to is generally explained as being the beauty of the women of Syria, the country against which the campaign was directed.
