Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
abudawud:2646Abū Tawbah al-Rabīʿ b. Nāfiʿ > Ibn al-Mubārak > Jarīr b. Ḥāzim > al-Zubayr b. Khirrīt > ʿIkrimah > Ibn ʿAbbās

Ibn ‘Abbas said “When the verse “If there are twenty amongst you patient and persevering, they will vanquish two hundred” was revealed. It was heavy and troublesome for Muslims when Allaah prescribed for them that one (fighting Muslim) should not fly from ten (fighting Non-Muslims). Then a light commandment was revealed saying “For the present Allaah hath lightened your (task).” The narrator Abu Tawbah recited the verse to “they will vanquish two hundred.” When Allaah lightened the number, patient and perseverance also decreased according to the number lightened from them.”  

أبو داود:٢٦٤٦حَدَّثَنَا 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 } قَالَ فَلَمَّا خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَنْهُمْ مِنَ الْعِدَّةِ نَقَصَ مِنَ الصَّبْرِ بِقَدْرِ مَا خَفَّفَ عَنْهُمْ  


See similar narrations below:

Collected by Bukhārī
bukhari:4653Yaḥyá b. ʿAbdullāh al-Sulamī > ʿAbdullāh b. al-Mubārak > Jarīr b. Ḥāzim > al-Zubayr b. Khirrīt > ʿIkrimah > Ibn ʿAbbās

When the Verse:--'If there are twenty steadfast amongst you (Muslims), they will overcome twohundred (non-Muslims).' was revealed, it became hard on the Muslims when it became compulsory that one Muslim ought not to flee (in war) before ten (non-Muslims). So (Allah) lightened the order by revealing: '(But) now Allah has lightened your (task) for He knows that there is weakness in you. So if there are of you one-hundred steadfast, they will overcome (two-hundred (non-Muslims).' (8.66) So when Allah reduced the number of enemies which Muslims should withstand, their patience and perseverance against the enemy decreased as much as their task was lightened for them.  

البخاري:٤٦٥٣حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ السُّلَمِيُّ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُبَارَكِ أَخْبَرَنَا جَرِيرُ بْنُ حَازِمٍ قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي الزُّبَيْرُ بْنُ خِرِّيتٍ عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ قَالَ

لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ {إِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَابِرُونَ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ} شَقَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى الْمُسْلِمِينَ حِينَ فُرِضَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَنْ لاَ يَفِرَّ وَاحِدٌ مِنْ عَشَرَةٍ فَجَاءَ التَّخْفِيفُ فَقَالَ رالآنَ خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ عَنْكُمْ وَعَلِمَ أَنَّ فِيكُمْ ضُعْفًا فَإِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ مِائَةٌ صَابِرَةٌ يَغْلِبُوا مِائَتَيْنِ} قَالَ فَلَمَّا خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ مِنَ الْعِدَّةِ نَقَصَ مِنَ الصَّبْرِ بِقَدْرِ مَا خُفِّفَ عَنْهُمْ