62–64. “The believers are only those who believe in Allah and His Messenger and who, when they are with him for a matter requiring collective action, do not leave until they have sought his permission. Indeed, those who seek your permission are the ones who truly believe in Allah and His Messenger. So when they seek your permission to attend to some affair of theirs, grant permission to whomever you will among them, and seek Allah’s forgiveness for them. Allah is indeed Most Forgiving, Most Merciful. Do not make your calling of the Messenger among yourselves like your calling of one another. Allah certainly knows those of you who slip away, taking cover behind others. Let those who go against his command beware lest a trial afflict them or a painful punishment befall them. Behold, to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth. He certainly knows the state you are in, and on the Day they are returned to Him, He will inform them of what they did. Allah has full knowledge of all things.”
This is guidance from Allah to His believing servants: when they are with the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) for a matter requiring collective action—that is, a matter whose nature or best interests require them all to be present, such as jihad, consultation, and other affairs in which the believers participate—the common good requires them to remain assembled and not disperse. A true believer in Allah and His Messenger does not leave for any purpose, return to his family, or depart to attend to a need that separates him from the others except with the permission of the Messenger or his deputy after him. Allah thus made not leaving without permission a requirement of faith, and He praised them for acting in this manner and observing proper conduct toward His Messenger and those in authority among them, saying, “Indeed, those who seek your permission are the ones who truly believe in Allah and His Messenger.” But should they be granted permission or not? He mentioned two conditions for granting it.
The first is that they have some personal affair or task to attend to. As for one who seeks permission without an excuse, he is not to be granted it.
The second is that granting permission be deemed appropriate, that the best interests at stake require it, and that it cause no harm to the one granting permission. He said, “So when they seek your permission to attend to some affair of theirs, grant permission to whomever you will among them.” Thus, if someone has an excuse and seeks permission, but his remaining and not departing would be beneficial because of his counsel, courage, or something similar, he is not to be granted permission. Even so, when someone seeks permission and is granted it under these two conditions, Allah commands His Messenger to seek forgiveness for him because he may have fallen short by asking permission. Hence He said, “And seek Allah’s forgiveness for them. Allah is indeed Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.” He forgives their sins and shows them mercy by allowing them to seek permission when they have an excuse.
“Do not make your calling of the Messenger among yourselves like your calling of one another.” That is, do not treat the Messenger’s call to you, or your calling of the Messenger, as you treat the calls you make to one another. When he calls you, it is obligatory to answer him. Indeed, it is obligatory to answer the Messenger (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) even while performing prayer. No one’s words must be accepted and acted upon by the entire Ummah except those of the Messenger, for he is protected from error and we have been commanded to follow him. Allah Most High said, “O you who believe, respond to Allah and the Messenger when he calls you to that which gives you life.” Likewise, do not address the Messenger as you address one another. When calling him, do not say, “O Muhammad,” or, “O Muhammad son of Abdullah,” as you do when addressing one another. Rather, owing to his honor, excellence, and distinction from others (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), one should say, “O Messenger of Allah,” or, “O Prophet of Allah.”
“Allah certainly knows those of you who slip away, taking cover behind others.” Having praised those who believe in Allah and His Messenger and who, when they are with him for a matter requiring collective action, do not leave until they have sought his permission, Allah threatened anyone who fails to do so and departs without permission. Although his departure may be concealed from you because he slips away secretly—as meant by the words, “who slip away, taking cover behind others,” that is, while slipping away and departing, they take cover behind something that screens them from view—Allah knows who they are and will repay them in full. He therefore warned them by saying, “Let those who go against his command beware.” That is, they leave to attend to some affair of their own, turning away from the command of Allah and His Messenger. What, then, of one who does not leave to attend to any affair of his own, but simply abandons Allah’s command without anything occupying him? “Lest a trial afflict them,” meaning polytheism and evil, “or a painful punishment befall them.”
“Behold, to Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth,” owned by Him and enslaved to Him. He disposes of them through His decree governing creation and His rulings under Sacred Law. “He certainly knows the state you are in.” That is, His knowledge encompasses the good and evil conditions you are in. He knows all your deeds: His knowledge has enumerated them, His Pen has inscribed them, and the noble recording angels have written them in your records.
“And on the Day they are returned to Him”—on the Day of Resurrection—“He will inform them of what they did.” He will tell them of all their deeds, great and small, in an account corresponding precisely to what they actually did, and He will call their own limbs to bear witness against them. Thus, they will receive from Him nothing but grace or justice. Having mentioned His knowledge specifically in connection with their deeds, He then stated the general after the particular, saying, “Allah has full knowledge of all things.”
Tafsīr of Sūrat al-Furqān
It is Makkan according to the majority.