Circumstances of Revelation
Place: Medina, as the content of its verses testifies. → Introduction
Verses 2–4, the setting: Al-Mizan's view: the verse Why do you say what you do not do? censures the believers themselves, not the hypocrites. Read with verses 4 and 10, it refers in particular to Muslims who promised to stand firm in battle and not flee, then broke their word, held back when called out to fight, or refused to spend on its provisions. → Commentary on verse 2 · Commentary on verse 4
Verses 10–11: Imam al-Bāqir reports that when Shall I lead you to merchandise…? came down, the believers said that if they knew what it was they would spend their wealth, lives and children for it, and God then said You shall believe in Allah and His Messenger, and struggle hard in Allah's way… Al-Mizan: this meaning is also transmitted through Sunni chains. → Narrations
A summary prepared from Tafsīr al-Mīzān: where and when the sūrah was revealed, and the occasions reported for its verses, with the ʿAllāmah's view of them. Each point links to the full discussion.