Tafsir of At-Tawbah 9:58

(And among them are those who criticize you regarding the [distribution of] charities), meaning: they find fault with you concerning them. Ya‘qub read it as yalmuzuka with a damma on the mim, and this is the reading of al-Hasan and al-A‘raj. Ibn Kathir read it as yalamizuka, which is derived from mulamazah, meaning lamz (criticism). It is well-known that this refers to fault-finding in an absolute sense, just like hamz. Some have distinguished between the two, stating that lamz is done to one’s face while hamz is done behind one’s back; this is what is narrated from al-Layth, though others have reversed this as well. The root meaning is "pushing away."

(If they are given thereof)—this clarifies the corruption of their criticism and that it has no origin other than their greed for the debris of this world—meaning: if you give them from those charities the amount they desire, (they are satisfied) with how the distribution turned out and they approve of your action. (But if they are not given thereof)—that specific amount—(they are suddenly displeased), meaning: they are taken by sudden displeasure. Idha (when/suddenly) here stands in the place of the fa of the conditional response (jaza'). For it to function in this capacity, the condition is that the response be a nominal sentence. The reason for its substitution is its indication of immediate succession, similar to the fa. The Glorified [Allah] differentiated between the responses of the two clauses to indicate that their displeasure is constant, neither ceasing nor perishing, unlike their satisfaction. Ayad ibn Laqit read it as idha hum sakhitun (they are displeased ones).

The verse was revealed concerning Dhu al-Khuwaysirah, whose name was Harqus ibn Zuhayr al-Tamimi. He came while the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) was distributing the spoils of Hawazin on the day of Hunayn and said, "O Messenger of Allah, be just!" The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) replied, "Who will be just if I am not just?" Umar ibn al-Khattab said, "O Messenger of Allah, permit me to strike off his neck." The Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said, "Leave him, for he has companions who would consider your prayers and your fasting insignificant compared to their prayers and fasting; they pass through the religion just as an arrow passes through its target,"—the rest of the hadith.

Ibn Marduyah recorded from Ibn Mas‘ud that he said: "When the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) distributed the spoils of Hunayn, I heard a man say, 'This distribution was not intended for the sake of Allah the Exalted.' I went to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and mentioned that to him. He said, 'May the mercy of Allah be upon Musa; he was harmed by more than this, yet he remained patient.' Then the verse was revealed."

Ibn Jarir and others recorded from Dawud ibn Abi ‘Asim that he said: "Charity was brought to the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) and he distributed it here and there until it was gone. Behind him was a man from the Ansar who said, 'This is not just.' So [this verse] was revealed." According to al-Kalbi, it was revealed concerning the hypocrite Abu al-Jawwaz, who said, "Do you not see your companion? He only distributes your charities among the shepherds, while claiming that he is being just." Wali al-Din al-‘Iraqi commented on this by saying that it does not appear in any of the books of hadith. You know that the most authentic narrations are the first ones, although the fact that the cause of revelation was his distribution of charity—as he did—is more consistent with the verse than it being his distribution of spoils of war. So contemplate this.