Tafsir of Abasa 80:1-2

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

“He frowned and turned away, because the blind man came to him.” It is narrated that Ibn Umm Maktum—who was the son of Khadijah’s maternal aunt—and his name was ‘Amr bin Qays bin Za’idah bin Jundub bin Haram bin Rawahah bin Hajar bin Ma’is bin ‘Amir bin Lu’ayy al-Qurashi (it is also said [his name was] ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amr, and it is said ‘Abdullah bin Shurayh bin Malik bin Abi Rabi’ah al-Fihri, though the first is more prevalent and famous, as stated in Jami’ al-Usul), and Umm Maktum was the kunyah (agnomen) of his mother, whose name was ‘Atikah bint ‘Abdullah al-Makhzumiyyah; al-Zamakhshari erred in al-Kashshaf by claiming she was his grandmother. He was blind, having become blind after having sight, though it is said he was born blind, which is why his mother was called Umm Maktum.

He came to the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) while the chiefs of Quraysh—‘Utbah and Shaybah the sons of Rabi’ah, Abu Jahl, al-‘Abbas bin ‘Abd al-Muttalib, Umayyah bin Khalaf, and al-Walid bin al-Mughirah—were with him, and he was conversing with them privately and inviting them to Islam, hoping that others would accept Islam through their conversion. He said, "O Messenger of Allah, teach me and instruct me from what Allah has taught you." He repeated this, not realizing he was interrupting the Prophet’s preoccupation with the group. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) disliked his interrupting his speech, so he frowned and turned away from him. Then, this [revelation] was sent down.

Thereafter, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) would honor him; when he saw him, he would say, "Welcome to him for whom my Lord rebuked me," and he would ask, "Do you have any need?" The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) appointed him as his deputy over Medina, and he led the people in prayer thirteen times, as narrated by Ibn ‘Abd al-Barr in al-Isti’ab from the scholars of biography. He was among the foremost Emigrants (Muhajirun), having migrated—according to the correct opinion—before the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Al-Qurtubi erred in his assertion that he was a Medinan and that he did not meet the aforementioned chiefs of the people of Mecca. He died as a martyr at al-Qadisiyyah on the day of the conquest of al-Mada’in during the days of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him); Anas saw him on that day wearing armor and carrying a black banner. It is also said that he returned from there to Medina and died there (may Allah be pleased with him).

The pronoun in "He frowned" and what follows refers to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Expressing the matter using the third-person pronoun for him (may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) is an act of honoring him, as it creates the impression that the action was performed by someone other than him, since such an action would not [typically] emanate from him (may Allah bless him and grant him peace).