[And among them are those who harm the Prophet], meaning: the hypocrites. Al-Hasan said: They used to say, "This man is an ear (udhun); he turns [his attention] to whoever he wishes, and he has no resolve (azim)." So God, Exalted is He, said to His Prophet: [Say: An ear of goodness for you, he believes in God]. It is read as (udhun khayrin lakum), meaning: This [person] whom you claim is an ear is a source of goodness for you.
Muhammad said: The meaning according to this reading is: Say, he who listens to you and is accepting of excuses is better for you. [He believes in God and believes the believers], meaning: He believes in God and believes the believers.
[And a mercy to those who believed among you], meaning: God had mercy on them through him, so He saved them from the Pre-Islamic Era (Jahiliyyah) and its darkness.
﴿وَمِنْهُم الَّذين يُؤْذونَ النَّبِي﴾ يَعْنِي: الْمُنَافِقِينَ، قَالَ الْحَسَنُ: كَانُوا يَقُولُونَ: هَذَا الرَّجُلُ أُذُنٌ، مَنْ شَاءَ صَرَفَهُ حَيْثُ شَاءَ لَيْسَتْ لَهُ عَزِيمَةٌ، فَقَالَ اللَّهُ ﷿ لنَبيه: ﴿قُلْ أُذُنُ خَيْرٍ لَكُمْ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّه﴾ وَهِيَ تُقْرَأُ (أُذُنُ خيرٍ لَكُمْ) أَيْ: هَذَا الَّذِي تَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُ أذنٌ خَيْرٍ لَكُمْ.
قَالَ مُحَمَّدٌ: الْمَعْنَى عَلَى هَذِهِ الْقِرَاءَةِ: قُلْ مَنْ يَسْتَمِعُ مِنْكُمْ وَيَكُونُ قَابِلا لِلْعُذْرِ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ ﴿يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ ويؤمن للْمُؤْمِنين﴾ يُصَدِّقُ اللَّهَ، وَيُصَدِّقُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ.
﴿وَرَحْمَةٌ للَّذين آمنُوا مِنْكُم﴾ رحمهم الله بِهِ، فَأَنْقَذَهُمْ مِنَ الْجَاهِلِيَّة وظلمتها.
