Taberî states that the addressee of the command 'then depart from where the people depart' is the Quraysh and the Arabs known as Hums who were with them. The Quraysh, considering themselves as people of the Sacred Sanctuary, did not ascend to Arafat but performed the departure from Muzdalifah; with this verse, Allah commanded them as well as other people to depart from Arafat. Taberî explains that he prefers this view by basing it on the consensus of the commentators on this matter.

والذي نراه صوابا من تأويل هذه الآية، أنه عنى بهذه الآية قريشا ومن كان متحمسا معها من سائر العرب لإجماع الحجة من أهل التأويل على أن ذلك تأويله

In this text, Râzî first explains that the true meaning of seeking forgiveness is not merely words spoken with the tongue but also requires repentance with the heart; the real matter is that each person regrets the shortcomings shown in obedience and resolves not to repeat them again. Then he presents three views regarding whom the word 'nâs' in the phrase 'summa afîdû' refers to: those who depart from Arafat (the people other than Hums), Abraham and Ishmael (peace be upon them) and those who follow their tradition, or according to Zuhrî's view, Adam. Separate evidences and objections are listed for each of these views.

فالمراد منه الاستغفار باللسان مع التوبة بالقلب ، وهو أن يندم على كل تقصير منه في طاعة الله ويعزم على أن لا يقصر فيما بعد

According to Kurtubî, the address in the verse 'then depart from where the people depart' is directed to the Quraysh and those known as Hums; they did not stand at Arafat but stood at Muzdalifah and said 'we are the neighbors of Allah' and did not expand the Hill region. The verse commanded them to depart from Arafat, which is the station of Abraham, together with other people. Kurtubî prefers this view to Dahhak's view that 'what is meant by the people is Abraham,' basing himself on authentic reports from Aisha.

وفي صحيح مسلم عن عائشة قالت : الحمس هم الذين أنزل الله فيهم : ثم أفيضوا من حيث أفاض الناس قالت : كان الناس يفيضون من عرفات وكان الحمس يفيضون من المزدلفة يقولون : لا نفيض إلا من الحرم فلما نزلت : أفيضوا من حيث أفاض الناس رجعوا إلى عرفات وهذا نص صريح ومثله كثير صحيح فلا معول على غيره من الأقوال

According to Beydâvî, what is meant by 'nâs' in the verse is the people descending from Arafat like a flood, and 'ifâda' is from Arafat and not from Muzdalifah; the address is directed to the Quraysh, since the Quraysh stood at Muzdalifah (Jam') and considered themselves superior to other people, with this verse they were commanded to descend from Arafat in the same manner as other people. Furthermore, the particle 'summa' is used to indicate the difference between two departures. According to another view, the departure refers to the movement from Muzdalifah to Mina and the address is general. When 'an-Nâs' is read as 'an-Nâsî' with a difference in reading, it then refers to Adam, and the meaning is that the departure from Arafat was an ancient law that should not be changed.

والخطاب مع قريش كانوا يقفون بجمع وسائر الناس بعرفة ويرون ذلك ترفعا عليهم، فأمروا بأن يساووهم

Ibn Kesîr conveys the report that the word 'an-nâs' in the expression 'thumma afîdû min haytu afâda an-nâs' in the verse refers to Abraham (peace be upon him); however, Ibn Jarîr reports the consensus of the majority in opposition to this view, stating that what is meant by 'an-nâs' is all people (Arabs other than the Quraysh/those who are not Hums). He also includes a report from Ibn Abbas regarding whether 'ifâda' is from Arafat or from Muzdalifah to Mina. The text, in connection with the command to seek forgiveness mentioned in the continuation of the verse, conveys various invocations of seeking forgiveness from the Prophet and related hadith reports.

ولولا إجماع الحجة على خلافه لكان هو الأرجح