the sick, the chronically infirm, the blind, and the lame. They said: Food is among the best of possessions, yet Allah has forbidden us to consume wealth wrongfully. The blind person cannot discern where the good food is placed; the lame person cannot sit properly or compete with others for food; and the sick person is too weak to eat and so does not receive his full share. So Allah revealed this verse. (1)

According to this interpretation, the preposition “upon” carries the meaning of “in”; that is: there is no blame in regard to the blind—meaning, there is no blame upon you in eating with the blind, the lame, and the sick.

Sa‘id ibn Jubayr, al-Dahhak, and others said: The lame, the blind, and the sick would refrain from eating with healthy people, because people regarded them with distaste and disliked sharing meals with them. The blind person would say, “Perhaps I may eat more,” while the lame person would say, “Perhaps I may take up the place of two people.” Thus this verse was revealed. (2)

Mujahid said: The verse was revealed as a concession allowing these people to eat from the homes of those whom Allah has named in this verse. This was because they would come to a man seeking food, and if he had nothing with which to feed them, he would take them to the homes of their fathers, mothers, or some of those whom Allah has named in this verse. Those with disabilities would feel uneasy about that food and say, “He has taken us to another man’s house!” So Allah revealed this verse. (3)

Sa‘id ibn al-Musayyab said: When the Muslims went out on military expeditions, they would leave their disabled behind and give them the keys to their homes, saying, “We have permitted you to eat from whatever is in our homes.” Yet they felt uneasy about this and would say, “We will not enter them