Tafsir of Al-Ahzab 33:60-62

{Those in whose hearts is a disease} They are a people who possessed weak faith and lacked steadfastness in it. It is also said: They are the fornicators and the people of immorality, based on the Almighty’s saying: “...so that he in whose heart is a disease might covet” (Al-Ahzab: 32).

{And the alarmists (al-murjifun)} These were people who would spread false, alarming news about the military expeditions of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). They would say: "They have been defeated," "They have been killed," or "Such and such has befallen them," thereby breaking the hearts of the believers. It is said: "He spread an alarm (ar-jafa) about such-and-such," meaning he reported it untruthfully, as it is shaky, unstable news—derived from ar-rajfa, which is an earthquake.

The Meaning: If the hypocrites do not cease their hostility and plotting against you, and the immoral do not cease their wickedness, and the alarmists do not cease fabricating evil news, We will command you to perform actions against them that will distress and burden them. Then, We will compel them to seek departure from Medina, and they shall not dwell with you in it {except} for a {little} while—only long enough to depart and gather themselves and their families. This is called "incitement" (ighra’), which is a metaphorical term for stirring up trouble.

{Cursed} This is in the accusative case (nasb) as an expression of condemnation or as a state (hal). That is: They shall not dwell near you except while being cursed. The particle of exception (illa) applies to both the adverb of time and the state simultaneously, as previously seen in His saying: “...except when you are permitted to a meal, without waiting for its preparation” (Al-Ahzab: 53). It is not correct for it to be governed by “they were seized” (ukhidhu), because what follows a conditional particle cannot govern what precedes it. It is also said that “little” (qalilan) is in the accusative case as a state, meaning: They shall not dwell near you except as few and humiliated, while being cursed.

If you ask: What is the grammatical position of “they shall not dwell near you”? I say: It is a conjunction linked to “We will surely incite you against them” (la-nughriyannaka), because it is permissible for it to be a response to an oath. Do you not see the validity of saying: "If they do not cease, they shall not dwell near you"?

If you ask: Should it not have been linked with the particle fa (e.g., "We will incite you against them, so they shall not dwell near you")? I say: If the second were a consequence of the first, it would be as you said. However, it is made a separate response to the oath, linked to the first. It was linked with thumma (then) because departure from one's homeland was the greatest burden upon them—greater than everything else they had suffered—so its state is delayed relative to the state of the preceding clause.

{The way of Allah} This is in the position of an emphatic noun. That is: It is Allah’s way regarding those who act hypocritically toward the Prophets that they should be killed wherever they are found. According to Muqatil: It means just as the people of Badr were killed and taken captive.

{People ask you about the Hour. Say, "Its knowledge is only with Allah. And what may make you perceive? Perhaps the Hour is near."}