حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو تَوْبَةَ الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ، عَنْ جَرِيرِ بْنِ حَازِمٍ، عَنِ الزُّبَيْرِ بْنِ خِرِّيتٍ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ نَزَلَتْ ‏‏{‏ إِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَابِرُونَ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ ‏}‏ فَشَقَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ حِينَ فَرَضَ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ لاَ يَفِرَّ وَاحِدٌ مِنْ عَشَرَةٍ ثُمَّ إِنَّهُ جَاءَ تَخْفِيفٌ فَقَالَ ‏‏{‏ الآنَ خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ عَنْكُمْ ‏}‏ قَرَأَ أَبُو تَوْبَةَ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ ‏{‏ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ ‏}‏ قَالَفَلَمَّا خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُمْ مِنَ الْعِدَّةِ نَقَصَ مِنَ الصَّبْرِ بِقَدْرِ مَا خَفَّفَ عَنْهُمْ

Ibn 'Abbas said: When {If there are twenty amongst you patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred} was revealed, that was hard upon the Muslims when Allah enjoined upon them that no single man should flee from ten. Then an alleviation came, and He said: {Now Allah has lightened your [task]}. Abu Tawbah recited up to His saying: {They will vanquish two hundred}. He said: So when Allah the Exalted lightened for them regarding the number, He decreased from the steadfastness to the extent that He lightened for them.