Tafsir of Al-Munafiqun 63:7

(They are the ones who say, "Do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allah until they disperse.")

This is an inaugural statement clarifying some of what indicates their wickedness. It has been suggested that it functions as a justification for why Allah the Exalted does not forgive them, but this holds no weight because that [forgiveness] is already justified by what preceded it. The speaker was the head of the hypocrites, Ibn Ubayy, and the rest of them were content with that.

Al-Tirmidhi narrated—and he as well as a group of others authenticated it—from Zayd ibn Arqam who said: "We went on a military expedition with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), and there were Bedouins with us. We were racing toward the water, and the Bedouin would get there before us. A Bedouin would outstrip his companions, fill the trough, place stones around it, and spread a leather mat over it until his companions arrived. A man from the Ansar came to a Bedouin and loosened the halter of his camel to let it drink, but the Bedouin refused to let him. The man pulled out a stone, and water spilled out. The Bedouin then raised a piece of wood and struck the Ansar's head, wounding him. The man went to Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the head of the hypocrites, and informed him. He was one of his followers, so he became angry and said, 'Do not spend on those who are with the Messenger of Allah until they disperse from around him'—meaning the Bedouins. Then he said to his companions: 'If you return to Medina, the most honored shall surely expel the most abased therefrom.'

Zayd said: 'I was riding behind my uncle, and I heard Abdullah. I informed my uncle, who then informed the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) sent for him, and he swore and denied it. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) believed him and called me a liar. My uncle came to me and said: "What did you intend by getting yourself accused of lying? The Muslims have called you a liar." Such distress fell upon me as had never fallen upon anyone before. While I was walking, having bowed my head in grief, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) came to me, pulled my ear, and smiled in my face. Then Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) caught up with me and said: "What did the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) say to you?" I said: "He did not say anything to me other than that he pulled my ear and smiled in my face." He said: "Rejoice." When it was morning, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) recited [the chapter], "When the hypocrites come to you, they say: 'We bear witness that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah'" until he reached: "The most honored shall surely expel the most abased therefrom."' It has been mentioned previously from Al-Bukhari what indicates that he was also the one who said that."

Imam Ahmad, Muslim, and Al-Nasa’i narrated something similar, and the reports regarding this are too numerous to count. That expedition to which Zayd referred—Sufyan said: "They believe it was the expedition of Banu al-Mustaliq."

In Al-Kashshaf, there is a long account of the story from which it is understood that by "those who are with the Messenger of Allah," they meant the poor of the Emigrants (Muhajirun). The apparent meaning is that the expression "Messenger of Allah" (may Allah bless him and grant him peace)—that is, this specific phrasing—was used by them, and their disbelief does not prevent this, as they were hypocrites who outwardly professed his messengership (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

It is possible that they said it mockingly, or because it had become so prevalent for him (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) that it became like a proper noun, with nothing intended by it except the person himself. It is also possible that they used a different expression and Allah the Almighty changed it, in veneration and honor of His Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).

Al-infidād means to disperse. Hatta (until) is for causality; meaning: "Do not spend on them so that they may disperse from him (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and not accompany him." Al-Fadl ibn ‘Isa al-Raqashi read it as yinfadu, derived from anfada (the people exhausted their food supply), so the man emptied his vessel; the verb can be transitive without the hamzah and does not take an object with the hamzah. Al-Kashshaf states: "Its true meaning is: 'The time has come for them to empty their provision bags.'"

His saying (the Almighty): "And to Allah belong the treasuries of the heavens and the earth," is a rebuttal and invalidation of their claim that not spending on those with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would lead to their dispersing from him. It clarifies that the treasuries of provision are exclusively in the hand of Allah the Almighty; He gives from them to whom He wills and withholds from whom He wills. But the hypocrites do not understand; that is due to their ignorance of Allah the Almighty and His affairs (the Exalted). That is why they say from the statements of the disbelievers what they say.