A group of people from Mecca had embraced Islam but were concealing their faith. The polytheists forced them to come out with them on the day of Badr, and some of them were wounded while others were killed.The Muslims said, "These companions of ours were Muslims and were compelled against their will," so they sought forgiveness for them. Then this verse was revealed, "Indeed, those whom the angels take while wronging themselves" [Nisa 4:97], to the end of the verse.He said, This verse was written to those Muslims who remained in Mecca, indicating that they had no excuse. So they set out, but the polytheists caught up with them and subjected them to persecution, and they yielded to it. Then this verse was revealed, "And among the people is he who says, 'We believe in Allah,' but when he is harmed for the sake of Allah, he regards the persecution of people as the punishment of Allah" [Ankabut 29:10], to the end of the verse.The Muslims wrote to them about this, and they set out, having lost hope of any good. Then this was revealed concerning them, "Then indeed, your Lord, to those who emigrated after they had been persecuted and then struggled and were patient, indeed your Lord, after that, is Forgiving and Merciful" [Nahl 16:110].So they wrote to them about this, saying that Allah had made for them a way out. They set out, but the polytheists overtook them and fought them, until those who survived survived and those who were killed were killed.
كان قوم من أهل مكة أسلموا، وكانوا يستخفون بالإسلام، فأخرجهم المشركون يوم بدر معهم، فأصيب بعضهم وقتل بعض، فقال المسلمون: كان أصحابنا هؤلاء مسلمين وأكرهوا فاستغفروا لهم فنزلت: {إن الذين توفاهم الملائكة ظالمي أنفسهم}[النساء: ٩٧] إلى آخر الآية، قال: فكتب إلى من بقي بمكة من المسلمين بهذه الآية: أن لا عذر لهم، قال: فخرجوا فلحقهم المشركون، فأعطوهم الفتنة، فنزلت هذه الآية: {ومن الناس من يقول آمنا بالله فإذا أوذي في الله جعل فتنة الناس كعذاب الله} إلى آخر الآية، فكتب المسلمون إليهم بذلك، فخرجوا وأيسوا من كل خير، ثم نزلت فيهم: {ثم ان ربك للذين هاجروا من بعد ما فتنوا ثم جهدوا وصبروا إن ربك من بعدها لغفور رحيم} [النحل: ١١٠] فكتبوا إليهم بذلك: إن الله قد جعل لكم مخرجا، فخرجوا، فأدركهم المشركون فقاتلوهم، حتى نجا من نجا، و قتل من قتل.
Ibn Jareer narrated it in his Tafsir (14/379-380, and 18/366) — and this is his wording — and Bazzar in Kashf Astar (2204), both of them through Muhammad bin Sharik, from Amr bin Dinar, from Ikrima, from Ibn Abbas, who related it.Bazzar said, "We do not know of anyone who narrates it from Amr except Muhammad bin Sharik."I say, its chain of transmission is sahih, and Muhammad bin Sharik Abu Uthman Makki is trustworthy. Ibn Main, Ahmad, Abu Zura, and others affirmed his trustworthiness.Haythami said in Majma (9/7), "Bukhari narrated part of it, and Bazzar narrated it, and its narrators are the narrators of the Sahih."