"There was a woman who performed Salat behind the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) who was the most beautiful among the people. Some of the people would go forward to the first line so as not to see her. Others would go back to the last line so when he would bow, he could look at her from under his armpit. So Allah revealed: Indeed We know those who try to come forward among you, and We know those who try to go back (15:24).
حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا نُوحُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ الْحُدَّانِيُّ، عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ أَبِي الْجَوْزَاءِ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ كَانَتِ امْرَأَةٌ تُصَلِّي خَلْفَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم - حَسْنَاءُ مِنْ أَحْسَنِ النَّاسِ فَكَانَ بَعْضُ الْقَوْمِ يَتَقَدَّمُ حَتَّى يَكُونَ فِي الصَّفِّ الأَوَّلِ لِئَلاَّ يَرَاهَا وَيَسْتَأْخِرُ بَعْضُهُمْ حَتَّى يَكُونَ فِي الصَّفِّ الْمُؤَخَّرِ فَإِذَا رَكَعَ نَظَرَ مِنْ تَحْتِ إِبْطَيْهِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ : ( وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْنَا الْمُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنْكُمْ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْنَا الْمُسْتَأْخِرِينَ ) . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى وَرَوَى جَعْفَرُ بْنُ سُلَيْمَانَ هَذَا الْحَدِيثَ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْجَوْزَاءِ نَحْوَهُ وَلَمْ يَذْكُرْ فِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَهَذَا أَشْبَهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَصَحَّ مِنْ حَدِيثِ نُوحٍ .
Tirmizi
Chapters on Tafsir • Hadith 3301