(O ye who believe! when it is said unto you, Make room! in assemblies, then make room; Allah will make way for you (hereafter)…) [58:11]. Said Muqatil: “The Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, was at al-Suffah. The place was not spacious and it was a Friday. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, had the habit of honouring those who had taken part in the Battle of Badr from among the Emigrants and the Helpers. Some of those who had participated in Badr came to the gathering and found that people were already there before them. They stood, therefore, facing toward the Prophet, Allah bless him and give him peace, waiting for people to make room for them. But no one made room for them. The Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, was pained to see this and so he said to those around him who did not take part in Badr: ‘So-and-so get up, and you get up’, and he moved as many people as the number of those who were standing among the Companions who participated in the Battle of Badr. Those who were asked to vacate their seats were not pleased and the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, saw their displeasure on their faces. Then, the hypocrites said to the Muslims: ‘Did you not claim that your man deals fairly with people? By Allah, he has not been fair with these people. He removed people who wanted to be close to their Prophet from places in which they were already sitting and seated in their stead people who came late!’ Allah, exalted is He, therefore revealed this verse”.
Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi , trans. Mokrane Guezzou
