Tafsir of At-Tawbah 9:65

Ibn al-Mundhir and Ibn Abi Hatim recorded from Qatadah who said: While the Messenger of Allah (may Allah exalt his mention and grant him peace) was on his expedition to Tabuk, he looked at a group of hypocrites ahead of him who were saying, "Does this man hope that the palaces and fortresses of Ash-Sham will be opened for him? Far, how far!" Allah then informed His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) of that, so he said, "Detain these riders." He came to them and said: "You said such and such." They replied: "O Prophet of Allah, we were only conversing idly and playing." Then this verse was revealed.

Ibn Jarir, Ibn Marduyah, and others recorded from Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them) who said: A man said during the Battle of Tabuk, "We have never seen anyone like these reciters of ours—with the most gluttonous bellies, the most lying tongues, and the most cowardly at the time of battle." A man [among the believers] said, "You have lied, but you are a hypocrite; I shall certainly inform the Messenger of Allah (may Allah exalt his mention and grant him peace)." This reached the Messenger of Allah, and the Quran was revealed. Abdullah said: I saw that man clinging to the saddle-strap of the Messenger of Allah’s she-camel while the stones were striking him, and he was saying: "O Messenger of Allah, we were only conversing idly and playing," while the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was repeating to him what Allah the Exalted had commanded him in His saying: {Say, "Is it Allah and His verses and His Messenger that you were mocking?"}

It is stated in some narrations that this man clinging to the camel was Abdullah ibn Ubayy, the chief of the hypocrites.

As to whether they denied what they had said and offered this false excuse, or whether they did not deny it and said what they said regarding it, there is a difference of opinion. The position of the Imam is the latter, and it is more consistent with the apparent structure of the magnificent text.

The origin of al-khawd (conversing idly/wading) is entering into a fluid substance like water or mud. It then became used extensively until it became a term for any entry [into a matter] that involves defilement and harm. They meant: "We were only playing and amusing ourselves to shorten the travel distance with talk and jesting," just as travelers do to pass the road, and "that was not intended by us in seriousness."

The questioning [in the verse] is for the purpose of rebuke. The first object [of the questioning] is placed first to signal that the mocking occurred inevitably. However, the address is regarding the object of the mockery; that is, "Say to them—not turning to their excuse, but denouncing their crimes—'You have mocked the One whom it is not permissible to mock, and you have erred in the placement of your abominable act, which you have committed so often.'" Whoever contemplates this will know that their previous statement regarding the cause of revelation contains the aforementioned mockery.