The tradition mentioned above has also been transmitted by Anas. B. Malik through a different chain of narrators. This version says :The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) sent some people who were experts in tracking in pursuit of them and they were brought (to him). Allah , the Exalted, then revealed the verse about it : “ The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and his Apostle and strive for mischief through the land.
حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ بْنِ سُفْيَانَ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنَا ح، وَحَدَّثَنَا عَمْرُو بْنُ عُثْمَانَ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ، عَنِ الأَوْزَاعِيِّ، عَنْ يَحْيَى، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ - عَنْ أَبِي قِلاَبَةَ، عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ قَالَ فِيهِ فَبَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي طَلَبِهِمْ قَافَةً فَأُتِيَ بِهِمْ . قَالَ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى فِي ذَلِكَ { إِنَّمَا جَزَاءُ الَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَسْعَوْنَ فِي الأَرْضِ فَسَادًا } الآيَةَ .
AbuDaud
Prescribed Punishments (Kitab Al-Hudud) • Hadith 4366