Mukhtasar Muslim

Narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, that there were some hypocrites during the blessed era of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, who would stay behind when you, peace and blessings be upon him, went out for battle, and they were pleased to remain at home behind the Noble Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. Then when you, peace and blessings be upon him, returned, they would make excuses to you, swear oaths, and wish that people would praise them for deeds they had not done. Then Allah Almighty revealed this verse: "Do not think of those who rejoice for what they have done, and love to be praised for what they did not do, as being safe from the punishment; for them is a painful punishment."

It is narrated from Humaid bin Abdur Rahman bin Awf that Marwan said to his doorkeeper Rafi‘, "Go to Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) and say: If every person among us who is pleased with what he has done and wants people to praise him for what he has not done were to be punished, then all of us would be punished (because this flaw exists in all of us)." So Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said, "What concern do you have with this verse? This verse was revealed regarding the People of the Book." Then Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) recited this verse ((wa idh akhadhallahu...)) to the end, and then recited the verse ((la tahsabanna alladhina...)). Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) said, "The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) asked the People of the Book about something, so they concealed it and instead told him something else. Then they left in such a state that they made the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) think that they had told him what he had asked, and they sought praise from him, and in their hearts they were pleased with what they had done (i.e., with concealing the real matter which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) had asked them about). So Allah the Exalted says about them that they will be punished, and what is meant is the People of the Book."