(Is not the time ripe for the hearts of those who believe to submit to Allah’s reminder…) [57:16].
Al-Kalbi and Muqatil said: “This verse was revealed about the hypocrites, one year after Emigration. This is because one day they asked Salman al-Farisi: ‘Tell us about what is in the Torah for it contains wonders’, and so this verse was revealed”.
Others said that this verse was revealed about the believers. ‘Abd al-Qahir ibn Tahir informed us> Abu ‘Amr ibn Matar> Ja‘far ibn Muhammad al-Firyabi> Ishaq ibn Rahwayh> ‘Amr ibn Muhammad al-Qurashi> Khallad ibn Muslim al-Saffar> ‘Amr ibn Qays al-Mula’i> ‘Amr ibn Murrah> Mus‘ab ibn Sa‘d> Sa‘d who said: “The Qur’an was revealed to the Messenger of Allah, Allah bless him and give him peace, and he recited it to them for a while. Then they said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, if only you narrate to us [the events of old]’, and so Allah, exalted is He, revealed (We narrate unto thee (O Muhammad) the best of narratives in that We have inspired in thee this Qur’an) [12:3]. He recited these to them for a while until they said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, if only you recite to us statements’. And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed (Allah hath (now) revealed the fairest of statements…) [39:23]. They were commanded all that through the Qur’an”. Khallad said: “Another narrator added: They also asked him: ‘O Messenger of Allah, if only you reminded us’. And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed (Is not the time ripe for the hearts of those who believe to submit to Allah’s reminder…)”.
Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-Wahidi , trans. Mokrane Guezzou