Hafs bin Ghiyath narrated:
"Habib bin Abi Amrah narrated to us, from Sa'eed bin Jubair, from Ibn Abbas, regarding the saying of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime: What you cut down of the Linah, or you left of them standing on their trunks – he said: 'The Linah is the date-palms.' That He might disgrace the rebellious. He said: 'They were forced from their forts.' And they were ordered to cut down the date-pals, that caused some hesitation in their chests, so the Muslims said: "We cut some of them, and we left some of them, so let us ask the Messenger of Allah is we are to be rewarded for those that we cut down, and if we will be burdened for what we left?" So Allah [Most High] revealed the Ayah: What you cut down of the Linah, or you left of them standing on their trunks."
English reference: Vol. 5, Book 44, Hadith 3303
Arabic reference: Book 47, Hadith 3616