I asked Ibn ʿAbbas regarding Surat-al-Anfal. He said, "It was revealed in connection with the Battle of Badr."  

قُلْتُ لاِبْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ سُورَةُ الأَنْفَالِ قَالَ نَزَلَتْ فِي بَدْرٍ الشَّوْكَةُ الْحَدُّ {مُرْدَفِينَ} فَوْجًا بَعْدَ فَوْجٍ رَدِفَنِي وَأَرْدَفَنِي جَاءَ بَعْدِي {ذُوقُوا} بَاشِرُوا وَجَرِّبُوا وَلَيْسَ هَذَا مِنْ ذَوْقِ الْفَمِ {فَيَرْكُمَهُ} يَجْمَعُهُ {شَرِّدْ} فَرِّقْ {وَإِنْ جَنَحُوا} طَلَبُوا {يُثْخِنَ} يَغْلِبَ وَقَالَ مُجَاهِدٌ {مُكَاءً} إِدْخَالُ أَصَابِعِهِمْ فِي أَفْوَاهِهِمْ وَ{تَصْدِيَةً} الصَّفِيرُ {لِيُثْبِتُوكَ} لِيَحْبِسُوكَ  

Regarding the Verse: "Verily! The worst of beasts in the Sight of Allah are the deaf and the dumb---- those who understand not." (8.22) (The people referred to here) were some persons from the tribe of Bani ʿAbd-Addar.  

هُمْ نَفَرٌ مِنْ بَنِي عَبْدِ الدَّارِ  

While I was praying, Messenger of Allah ﷺ passed me and called me, but I did not go to him until I had finished the prayer. Then I went to him, and he said, "What prevented you from coming to me? Didn't Allah say:-- "O you who believe! Answer the call of Allah (by obeying Him) and His Apostle when He calls you?" He then said, "I will inform you of the greatest Sura in the Qur'an before I leave (the mosque)." When Messenger of Allah ﷺ got ready to leave (the mosque), I reminded him. He said, "It is: 'Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.' (i.e. Surat-al-Fatiha) As-sab'a Al-Mathani (the seven repeatedly recited Verses).  

كُنْتُ أُصَلِّي فَمَرَّ بِي رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَدَعَانِي فَلَمْ آتِهِ حَتَّى صَلَّيْتُ ثُمَّ أَتَيْتُهُ فَقَالَ مَا مَنَعَكَ أَنْ تَأْتِيَ أَلَمْ يَقُلِ اللَّهُ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اسْتَجِيبُوا لِلَّهِ وَلِلرَّسُولِ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ} ثُمَّ قَالَ لأُعَلِّمَنَّكَ أَعْظَمَ سُورَةٍ فِي الْقُرْآنِ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَخْرُجَ فَذَهَبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ لِيَخْرُجَ فَذَكَرْتُ لَهُ وَقَالَ مُعَاذٌ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ عَنْ خُبَيْبٍ سَمِعَ حَفْصًا سَمِعَ أَبَا سَعِيدٍ رَجُلاً مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ بِهَذَا وَقَالَ هِيَ {الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ} السَّبْعُ الْمَثَانِي  

Abu Jahl said, "O Allah! If this (Qur'an) is indeed the Truth from You, then rain down on us a shower of stones from the sky or bring on us a painful torment." So Allah revealed:-- "But Allah would not punish them while you were amongst them, nor He will punish them while they seek (Allah's) forgiveness..." (8.33) And why Allah should not punish them while they turn away (men) from Al- Masjid-al-Haram (the Sacred Mosque of Mecca)..." (8.33-34)  

أَبُو جَهْلٍ {اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ هَذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِنَ السَّمَاءِ أَوِ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ} فَنَزَلَتْ {وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنْتَ فِيهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ * وَمَا لَهُمْ أَنْ لاَ يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ} الآيَةَ  

Abu Jahl said, "O Allah! If this (Qur'an) is indeed the Truth from You), then rain down on us a shower of stones from the sky or bring on us a painful punishment." So there was revealed:-- 'But Allah would not punish them while you (Muhammad) were amongst them, nor will He punish them while they seek (Allah's) Forgiveness. And why Allah should not punish them while they stop (men) from Al-Masjid-al-Haram ..' (8.33-34)  

أَبُو جَهْلٍ {اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ كَانَ هَذَا هُوَ الْحَقَّ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ فَأَمْطِرْ عَلَيْنَا حِجَارَةً مِنَ السَّمَاءِ أَوِ ائْتِنَا بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ} فَنَزَلَتْ {وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنْتَ فِيهِمْ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ مُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَسْتَغْفِرُونَ * وَمَا لَهُمْ أَنْ لاَ يُعَذِّبَهُمُ اللَّهُ وَهُمْ يَصُدُّونَ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ} الآيَةَ  

That a man came to him (while two groups of Muslims were fighting) and said, "O Abu ʿAbdur Rahman! Don't you hear what Allah has mentioned in His Book: 'And if two groups of believers fight against each other...' (49.9) So what prevents you from fighting as Allah has mentioned in His Book?"' Ibn ʿUmar said, "O son of my brother! I would rather be blamed for not fighting because of this Verse than to be blamed because of another Verse where Allah says: 'And whoever kills a believer intentionally..." (4.93) Then that man said, "Allah says:-- 'And fight them until there is no more afflictions (worshipping other besides Allah) and the religion (i.e. worship) will be all for Allah (Alone)" (8.39) Ibn ʿUmar said, "We did this during the lifetime of Messenger of Allah ﷺ when the number of Muslims was small, and a man was put to trial because of his religion, the pagans would either kill or chain him; but when the Muslims increased (and Islam spread), there was no persecution." When that man saw that Ibn ʿUmar did not agree to his proposal, he said, "What is your opinion regarding ʿAli and ʿUthman?" Ibn ʿUmar said, "What is my opinion regarding ʿAli and ʿUthman? As for ʿUthman, Allah forgave him and you disliked to forgive him, and ʿAli is the cousin and son-in-law of Messenger of Allah ﷺ ." Then he pointed out with his hand and said, "And that is his daughter's (house) which you can see."  

تَسْمَعُ مَا ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ {وَإِنْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا} إِلَى آخِرِ الآيَةِ فَمَا يَمْنَعُكَ أَنْ لاَ تُقَاتِلَ كَمَا ذَكَرَ اللَّهُ فِي كِتَابِهِ فَقَالَ يَا ابْنَ أَخِي أَغْتَرُّ بِهَذِهِ الآيَةِ وَلاَ أُقَاتِلُ أَحَبُّ إِلَىَّ مِنْ أَنْ أَغْتَرَّ بِهَذِهِ الآيَةِ الَّتِي يَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {وَمَنْ يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُتَعَمِّدًا} إِلَى آخِرِهَا قَالَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ {وَقَاتِلُوهُمْ حَتَّى لاَ تَكُونَ فِتْنَةٌ} قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ قَدْ فَعَلْنَا عَلَى عَهْدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ إِذْ كَانَ الإِسْلاَمُ قَلِيلاً فَكَانَ الرَّجُلُ يُفْتَنُ فِي دِينِهِ إِمَّا يَقْتُلُوهُ وَإِمَّا يُوثِقُوهُ حَتَّى كَثُرَ الإِسْلاَمُ فَلَمْ تَكُنْ فِتْنَةٌ فَلَمَّا رَأَى أَنَّهُ لاَ يُوَافِقُهُ فِيمَا يُرِيدُ قَالَ فَمَا قَوْلُكَ فِي عَلِيٍّ وَعُثْمَانَ قَالَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ مَا قَوْلِي فِي عَلِيٍّ وَعُثْمَانَ أَمَّا عُثْمَانُ فَكَانَ اللَّهُ قَدْ عَفَا عَنْهُ فَكَرِهْتُمْ أَنْ يَعْفُوَ عَنْهُ وَأَمَّا عَلِيٌّ فَابْنُ عَمِّ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَخَتَنُهُ وَأَشَارَ بِيَدِهِ وَهَذِهِ ابْنَتُهُ أَوْ بِنْتُهُ حَيْثُ تَرَوْنَ  

Ibn ʿUmar came to us and a man said (to him), "What do you think about 'Qit-alal-Fitnah' (fighting caused by afflictions)." Ibn ʿUmar said (to him), "And do you understand what an affliction is? Muhammad used to fight against the pagans, and his fighting with them was an affliction, (and his fighting was) not like your fighting which is carried on for the sake of ruling."  

رَجُلٌ كَيْفَ تَرَى فِي قِتَالِ الْفِتْنَةِ فَقَالَ وَهَلْ تَدْرِي مَا الْفِتْنَةُ كَانَ مُحَمَّدٌ ﷺ يُقَاتِلُ الْمُشْرِكِينَ وَكَانَ الدُّخُولُ عَلَيْهِمْ فِتْنَةً وَلَيْسَ كَقِتَالِكُمْ عَلَى الْمُلْكِ  

When the Verse:-- "If there are twenty steadfast amongst you, they will overcome two hundred." (8.65) was revealed, then it became obligatory for the Muslims that one (Muslim) should not flee from ten (non-Muslims). Sufyan (the sub-narrator) once said, "Twenty (Muslims) should not flee before two hundred (non Muslims)." Then there was revealed: 'But now Allah has lightened your (task)..' (8.66) So it became obligatory that one-hundred (Muslims) should not flee before two hundred (nonmuslims). (Once Sufyan said extra, "The Verse: 'Urge the believers to the fight. If there are twenty steadfast amongst you (Muslims) ..' was revealed.) Sufyan said, "Ibn Shabrama said, "I see that this order is applicable to the obligation of enjoining good and forbidding evil."  

أَنْ لاَ يَفِرَّ عِشْرُونَ مِنْ مِائَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ نَزَلَتِ {الآنَ خَفَّفَ اللَّهُ عَنْكُمُ} الآيَةَ فَكَتَبَ أَنْ لاَ يَفِرَّ مِائَةٌ مِنْ مِائَتَيْنِ زَادَ سُفْيَانُ مَرَّةً نَزَلَتْ {حَرِّضِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى الْقِتَالِ إِنْ يَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ عِشْرُونَ صَابِرُونَ} قَالَ سُفْيَانُ وَقَالَ ابْنُ شُبْرُمَةَ وَأُرَى الأَمْرَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَالنَّهْىَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ مِثْلَ هَذَا  

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.  

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