His saying, exalted and majestic is He: "Indeed, the believers are only those who have believed in Allah and His Messenger, and when they are with him on a matter of common interest, they do not depart until they seek his permission. Indeed, those who seek your permission are those who believe in Allah and His Messenger. So if they seek your permission for some of their affairs, then grant permission to whom you will of them and ask forgiveness for them from Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."

"Indeed" in this verse is for restriction, which necessitates that meaning; because faith is not complete except that a person believes in Allah and His Messenger, and that he is among those who listen to the Messenger without being obstinate in that the Messenger, blessings and peace be upon him, wants something and he wants to corrupt it by its removal at the time of the gathering and similar matters.

And "the matter of common interest" refers to what the Imam has a need to gather the people for to announce a benefit. The necessary etiquette of Islam in that - if the matter is present - is that no one should depart for an excuse except with his permission. So if he departs with permission, the bad suspicion is lifted from him, and the Imam whose permission is anticipated in this verse is the Imam of the authority. And Makhluf and Al-Zahrawi said: Friday is among the matters of common interest. The Imam of the prayer should seek permission if he is presented by the Imam of the authority if he sees the one seeking permission. Some people have followed the practice of seeking permission from the Imam of the prayer for a long time. It has been narrated that Harim ibn Hibban was giving a sermon, when a man stood up, placed his hand on his nose, and gestured to Harim for permission, so he granted him permission. When the prayer was completed, he revealed his matter that he had only gone for no necessity. So Harim said: O Allah, delay the evil men to the time of evil.

The apparent meaning of the verse necessitates that the leader of the authority, who is in the position of Prophethood, should be sought for permission; for perhaps he has an opinion on detaining that man for a matter of the religion. As for the Imam of the prayer, that is not for him; because he is a representative over part of the religion for the one who is in the position of Prophethood.

Then Allah, blessed and exalted is He, commanded His Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, to grant permission to whom He knows from him the validity of the excuse, and they are those whom He wills.

It has been narrated that this verse was revealed at the time of the Prophet of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, digging the trench of Medina. This is because some of the believers were seeking permission for necessity, while the hypocrites would go without seeking permission. So Allah, exalted and majestic is He, excluded those who do not seek permission from the category of believers, and the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, was commanded to grant permission to the believer who is not called to detain him, and he is the one whom He wills. Then he was commanded to seek forgiveness for both categories of believers, for those who were granted permission and for those who were not granted permission. In that is reassurance for the believers and compassion towards them.