And he said 'to a group of them' because among them are those who repented from hypocrisy and regretted their absence, or excused themselves with a valid excuse. It was said: not all of those who stayed behind were hypocrites, so he meant by 'the group': the hypocrites among them. They sought your permission to go out, meaning to a battle after the battle of Tabuk. The first time is the going out to the battle of Tabuk, and their being excluded from the register of the fighters was a punishment for their absence, which Allah knew was due to nothing but hypocrisy, unlike others who stayed behind with the ones who stayed behind, which has been explained. Malik ibn Dinar, may Allah have mercy on him, read 'with the ones who stayed behind,' shortening 'the ones who stayed behind.' If you say 'time' is an indefinite noun placed in the place of times for preference, then why mention the name of preference added to it, which indicates one of the times? I say: the majority of the language is: 'Hind is the greatest of women,' and she is the greatest of them. Then your saying: 'she is the greatest woman,' you hardly find it. But it is 'she is the greatest woman,' and 'the first time,' and 'the last time.' And from Qatadah: it was mentioned to us that they were twelve men about whom what was said was said.