At-Tawba • EN-TAFISR-IBN-KATHIR
﴿ وَمِنْهُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ ٱلنَّبِىَّ وَيَقُولُونَ هُوَ أُذُنٌۭ ۚ قُلْ أُذُنُ خَيْرٍۢ لَّكُمْ يُؤْمِنُ بِٱللَّهِ وَيُؤْمِنُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَرَحْمَةٌۭ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمْ ۚ وَٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌۭ ﴾
“AND AMONG those [enemies of the truth] there are such as malign the Prophet by saying, "He is all ear." Say: "[Yes,] he is all ear, [listening] to what is good for you! He believes in God, and trusts the believers, and is [a manifestation of God's] grace towards such of you as have [truly] attained to faith. And as for those who malign God's Apostle - grievous suffering awaits them [in the life to come]!"”
Hypocrites annoy the Prophet Allah says, some hypocrites bother the Messenger of Allah ﷺ by questioning his character, saying, هُوَ أُذُنٌ (he is (lending his) ear), to those who say anything about us; he believes whoever talks to him. Therefore, if we went to him and swore, he would believe us. Similar was reported from Ibn `Abbas, Mujahid and Qatadah. Allah said, قُلْ أُذُنُ خَيْرٍ لَّكُمْ (Say: "He listens to what is best for you"), he knows who's saying the truth and who is lying, يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَيُؤْمِنُ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ (he believes in Allah; has faith in the believers), he believes the believers, وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ مِنكُمْ (and is a mercy to those of you who believe"), and a proof against the disbelievers, وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْذُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ (But those who annoy Allah's Messenger, will have a painful torment.)