And when a faction of them said, "O people of Yathrib, there is no stability for you [here], so return [home]." And a party of them asked permission of the Prophet, saying, "Indeed, our houses are unprotected," while they were not exposed. They did not intend except to flee.
Tafseer
{ وإذ قالت طائفة منهم } أي المنافقون { يا أهل يثرب } هي أرض المدينة ولم تصرف للعلمية ووزن الفعل { لا مقام لكم } بضم الميم وفتحها: أي لا إقامة ولا مكانة { فارجعوا } إلى منازلكم من المدينة وكانوا خرجوا مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم إلى سلع جبل خارج المدينة للقتال { ويستأذن فريق منهم النبي } في الرجوع { يقولون إنَّ بيوتنا عورة } غير حصينة يخشى عليها، قال تعالى: { وما هي بعورة إن } ما { يريدون إلا فرارا} من القتال.
{And when a party of them said} meaning the hypocrites {O people of Yathrib} it is the land of Medina and it was not declined for the sake of knowledge and the weight of the verb {there is no place for you} with the mim with a damma or a fatha: meaning no residence or place {so return} to your homes from Medina. They had gone out with the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, to Sal’ mountain outside Medina to fight. {And a party of them asked permission of the Prophet} to return {saying, “Indeed, our houses are vulnerable”} not fortified and feared for. God Almighty said: {And they are not vulnerable. They only want to flee} from the fighting.
