(But when they spy some merchandise or pastime they break away to it…) [62:11].
Master Abu Tahir al-Ziyadi informed us> Abu'l-Hasan 'Ali ibn Ibrahim> Muhammad ibn Muslim ibn Warah> al-Hasan ibn 'Atiyyah> Isra'il> Husayn ibn 'Abd al-Rahman> Abu Sufyan> Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah who said: “The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, was standing, delivering a sermon one Friday, when a caravan arrived from Syria. People left the mosque and went out to attend to it; only twelve people remained seated. Allah, glorified and exalted is He, then revealed (But when they spy some merchandise or pastime they break away to it and leave thee standing)”. This was narrated by Bukhari> Hafs ibn 'Umar> Khalid ibn 'Abd Allah> Husayn.
Muhammad ibn Ibrahim al-Muzakki informed us> Abu Bakr ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Yahya al-Talhi> Ja'far ibn Ahmad ibn 'Imran al-Shashi> 'Abd Allah ibn Ahmad ibn 'Abd Allah ibn Yunus> 'Abthar ibn al-Qasim> Husayn> Salim ibn Abi al-Ja'd> Jabir ibn 'Abd Allah: “It was Friday and we were with the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, when a caravan transporting food passed by. Except for twelve men, everyone left to attend to it, and so the verse of Friday (Ayat al-Jumu'ah) was revealed”. This was narrated by Muslim> Ishaq ibn Ibrahim> Jarir and also by al-Bukhari in Kitab al-Jumu'ah> Mu'awiyah ibn 'Amr> Za'idah; both Jariri and Ibn Za'idah related it from Husayn.
The commentators of the Qur'an said: “The people of Medina were suffering from hunger and a rise in prices. And it happened that Dihyah ibn Khalifah al-Kalbi arrived from a business trip to Syria. His arrival was announced to people by beating a drum while the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, was standing, delivering the Friday sermon. People left the mosque such that only twelve people remained inside, including Abu Bakr and 'Umar. This verse was then revealed, and the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, said: 'By Him in Whose Hand is Muhammad's soul, had you followed each other, such that none of you remained, the valley would have inundated you with fire' ”.
Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi , trans. Mokrane Guezzou