Surah Al-Ahzab — Ayah 13 (33:13)
وَإِذۡ قَالَت طَّآئِفَةٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَٰٓأَهۡلَ يَثۡرِبَ لَا مُقَامَ لَكُمۡ فَٱرۡجِعُواْۚ وَيَسۡتَـٔۡذِنُ فَرِيقٞ مِّنۡهُمُ ٱلنَّبِيَّ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوۡرَةٞ وَمَا هِيَ بِعَوۡرَةٍۖ إِن يُرِيدُونَ إِلَّا فِرَارٗا ١٣
English translation (Saheeh International)
And when a faction of them said, "O people of Yathrib,1 there is no stability for you [here], so return [home]." And a party of them asked permission of the Prophet, saying, "Indeed, our houses are exposed [i.e., unprotected]," while they were not exposed. They did not intend except to flee.
- - The name by which al-Madīnah was known before the arrival of the Prophet (ﷺ).
Brief commentary
O Messenger, remember when a group of hypocrites said to the people of Madina: “O people of Yathrib (the name for Madina before Islam), there is no stability for you by the peak of Silah near the trench, so return to your homes”. And a group of them was seeking permission from the Prophet (peace be upon him) to return to their homes, claiming that their homes were exposed to the enemy, but they were not exposed as they claimed. They were only seeking to flee from their enemy through this false excuse.