English translation
[7034] 8 - (2778) Humaid bin ‘Abdur-Rahmân bin ‘Awf narrated that Marwân said to his gatekeeper: “Go – O Râfi’ – to Ibn ‘Abbâs, and say: ‘If every man among us who rejoices in what he has done, and loves to be praised for what he has not done is to be punished, then we will all be punished.’” Ibn ‘Abbâs said: “What does this Verse have to do with you? This Verse was revealed concerning the People of the Book.” Then Ibn ‘Abbâs recited: ‘(And remember) when Allâh took a covenant from those who were given the Scripture (Jews and Christians) to make it known and clear to mankind, and not to hide it...’[2] And Ibn ‘Abbâs recited: ‘Think not that those who rejoice in what they have done (or brought about), and love to be praised for what they have not done...’”[3] Then Ibn ‘Abbâs said: “The Prophet ﷺ asked them about something, and they concealed it, and told him something else, and they went out thinking that he thought they had told him what he had asked them about. So they praised themselves, and rejoiced over what they had done, by concealing from him what he had asked them about.”