O believers, when you meet unbelievers on the field of battle, do not turn your backs to them.
O People who Believe! When you confront a large army of disbelievers in battle, do not turn your backs to them.
O believers, when you encounter the unbelievers marching to battle, turn not your backs to them.
O YOU who have attained to faith! When you meet in battle those who are bent on denying the truth, advancing in great force, do not turn your backs on them:
O Ye who believe! whenever ye those who disbelieve matching meet slowly turn to them not your backs.
O you who believe! When you meet those who disbelieve, in a battle-field, never turn your backs to them.
O you who believe! When you meet those who disbelieve on the march, never turn your backs on them.
Believers, whenever you encounter a hostile force of unbelievers, do not turn your backs to them in flight.
O you who believe! When you meet those who disbelieve, in a battlefield, never turn your backs to them.
O ye who believe! When ye meet those who disbelieve in battle, turn not your backs to them.
O you who have faith! When you encounter the faithless advancing [for battle], do not turn your backs [to flee] from them.
Believers, when you encounter unbelievers on the march do not turn your backs to them in flight.
O you who have believed, when you meet those who disbelieve advancing [for battle], do not turn to them your backs [in flight].
Believers, do not retreat when facing the marching army of the unbelievers, for no believer will turn back at that time except for strategic reasons or to join another band.
O you who believe! when you meet those who disbelieve marching for war, then turn not your backs to them.
Y<u>a</u> ayyuh<u>a</u> alla<u>th</u>eena <u>a</u>manoo i<u>tha</u> laqeetumu alla<u>th</u>eena kafaroo za<u>h</u>fan fal<u>a</u> tuwalloohumu aladb<u>a</u>r<b>a</b>
Believers, when you meet in battle those who deny the truth, never turn your backs on them:
O ye who believe! when ye meet the Unbelievers in hostile array, never turn your backs to them.
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا لَقِيتُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ زَحْفًا فَلَا تُوَلُّوهُمُ ٱلْأَدْبَارَ
O you who believe in Allah and who follow His Messenger, if you meet the idolaters approaching them in battle, then do not turn your backs to them and run away; but be patient when facing them, and firm when you meet, because Allah is with you with His help and support.
O you who believe in Allah and who follow His Messenger, if you meet the idolaters approaching them in battle, then do not turn your backs to them and run away; but be patient when facing them, and firm when you meet, because Allah is with you with His help and support.
<p>Commentary</p><p>Out of the verses appearing above, the first two (15-16) tell us about a military law of Islam. The word: زحف (zahf) translated here literally as 'marching to battle' denotes the confrontation and intermingling between the two armies. The sense is that once a war is on, turning back and deserting the battlefield is not permissible for Muslims.</p><p>The second verse (16) refers to an exception to this rule, and to a severe punishment for illegal deserters.</p>
CommentaryOut of the verses appearing above, the first two (15-16) tell us about a military law of Islam. The word: زحف (zahf) translated here literally as 'marching to battle' denotes the confrontation and intermingling between the two armies. The sense is that once a war is on, turning back and deserting the battlefield is not permissible for Muslims.The second verse (16) refers to an exception to this rule, and to a severe punishment for illegal deserters.
<h2 class="title">Fleeing from Battle is prohibited, and its Punishment</h2><p>Allah said, while warning against fleeing from the battlefield and threatening those who do it with the Fire, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِذَا لَقِيتُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ زَحْفاً</div><p>(O you who believe! When you meet those who disbelieve, in a battlefield,) when you get near the enemy and march towards them, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَلاَ تُوَلُّوهُمُ الأَدْبَارَ</div><p>(never turn your backs to them.) do not run away from battle and leave your fellow Muslims behind, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">وَمَن يُوَلِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ دُبُرَهُ إِلاَّ مُتَحَرِّفاً لِّقِتَالٍ</div><p>(And whoever turns his back to them on such a day -- unless it be a stratagem of war...) </p><p>The Ayah says, whoever flees from the enemy by way of planning to pretend that he is afraid of the enemy, so that they follow him and he takes the chance and returns to kill the enemy, then there is no sin on him. This is the explanation of Sa`id bin Jubayr and As-Suddi. Ad-Dahhak also commented, "Whoever went ahead of his fellow Muslims to investigate the strength of the enemy and make use of it, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَوْ مُتَحَيِّزاً إِلَى فِئَةٍ</div><p>(or to retreat to a troop (of his own)), meaning he leaves from here to another troop of Muslims to assist them or be assisted by them. So that is allowed for him, or even during the battle if he flees from his brigade to the commander. Or going to the grand Imam, would also fall under this permission." </p><p>`Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said about Abu `Ubayd when he was fighting on the bridge in the land of the Persians, because of the many Zoroastrian soldiers, "If he retreated to me then I would be as a troop for him." </p><p>This is how it was reported by Muhammad bin Sirin from `Umar. In the report of Abu `Uthman An-Nahdi from `Umar, he said: When Abu `Ubayd was fighting, `Umar said, "O people! We are your troop." Mujahid said that `Umar said, "We are the troop of every Muslim." Abdul-Malik bin `Umayr reported from `Umar, "O people! Don't be confused over this Ayah, it was only about the day of Badr, and we are a troop for every Muslim." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Nafi` questioned Ibn `Umar, "We are people who are not stationary when fighting our enemy, and we may not know where our troop is, be it that of our Imam or our army." </p><p>So he replied, "The troop is Allah's Messenger ." I said but Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">إِذَا لَقِيتُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ زَحْفاًالنَّارِ</div><p>(when you meet those who disbelieve in the battlefield) to the end of the Ayah . So he said; "This Ayah was about Badr, not before it nor after it." </p><p>Ad-Dahhak commented that Allah's statement, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">أَوْ مُتَحَيِّزاً إِلَى فِئَةٍ</div><p>(or to retreat to a troop), refers to "Those who retreat to the Messenger of Allah and his Companions (when the Messenger was alive), and those who retreat in the present time to his commander or companions." However, if one flees for any other reason than those mentioned here, then it is prohibited and considered a major sin. Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«اِجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ الْمُوبِقَات»</div><p>("Shun the seven great destructive sins.") </p><p>The people inquired, "O Allah's Messenger! What are they" He said, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">«الشِّرْكُ بِاللهِ وَالسِّحْرُ وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَأَكْلُ الرِّبَا وَأَكْلُ مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ وَالتَّوَلِّي يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ وَقَذْفُ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْغَافِلَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَات»</div><p>((They are:) Joining others in worship with Allah, magic taking life which Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause (according to Islamic law), consuming Riba, consuming an orphan's wealth, fleeing the battlefield at the time of fighting, and false accusation to chaste women, who never even think of anything touching chastity and are good believers.) </p><p>This is why Allah said here, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">فَقَدْ بَآءَ</div><p>(he indeed has drawn upon himself...), and returned with, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَمَأْوَاهُ</div><p>(wrath from Allah. And his abode...), destination, and dwelling place on the Day of Return, </p><div class="text_uthmani arabic">جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ</div><p>(is Hell, and worst indeed is that destination!) </p>
Fleeing from Battle is prohibited, and its PunishmentAllah said, while warning against fleeing from the battlefield and threatening those who do it with the Fire, يَـأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِذَا لَقِيتُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ زَحْفاً(O you who believe! When you meet those who disbelieve, in a battlefield,) when you get near the enemy and march towards them, فَلاَ تُوَلُّوهُمُ الأَدْبَارَ(never turn your backs to them.) do not run away from battle and leave your fellow Muslims behind, وَمَن يُوَلِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ دُبُرَهُ إِلاَّ مُتَحَرِّفاً لِّقِتَالٍ(And whoever turns his back to them on such a day -- unless it be a stratagem of war...) The Ayah says, whoever flees from the enemy by way of planning to pretend that he is afraid of the enemy, so that they follow him and he takes the chance and returns to kill the enemy, then there is no sin on him. This is the explanation of Sa`id bin Jubayr and As-Suddi. Ad-Dahhak also commented, "Whoever went ahead of his fellow Muslims to investigate the strength of the enemy and make use of it, أَوْ مُتَحَيِّزاً إِلَى فِئَةٍ(or to retreat to a troop (of his own)), meaning he leaves from here to another troop of Muslims to assist them or be assisted by them. So that is allowed for him, or even during the battle if he flees from his brigade to the commander. Or going to the grand Imam, would also fall under this permission." `Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said about Abu `Ubayd when he was fighting on the bridge in the land of the Persians, because of the many Zoroastrian soldiers, "If he retreated to me then I would be as a troop for him." This is how it was reported by Muhammad bin Sirin from `Umar. In the report of Abu `Uthman An-Nahdi from `Umar, he said: When Abu `Ubayd was fighting, `Umar said, "O people! We are your troop." Mujahid said that `Umar said, "We are the troop of every Muslim." Abdul-Malik bin `Umayr reported from `Umar, "O people! Don't be confused over this Ayah, it was only about the day of Badr, and we are a troop for every Muslim." Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Nafi` questioned Ibn `Umar, "We are people who are not stationary when fighting our enemy, and we may not know where our troop is, be it that of our Imam or our army." So he replied, "The troop is Allah's Messenger ." I said but Allah said, إِذَا لَقِيتُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ زَحْفاًالنَّارِ(when you meet those who disbelieve in the battlefield) to the end of the Ayah . So he said; "This Ayah was about Badr, not before it nor after it." Ad-Dahhak commented that Allah's statement, أَوْ مُتَحَيِّزاً إِلَى فِئَةٍ(or to retreat to a troop), refers to "Those who retreat to the Messenger of Allah and his Companions (when the Messenger was alive), and those who retreat in the present time to his commander or companions." However, if one flees for any other reason than those mentioned here, then it is prohibited and considered a major sin. Al-Bukhari and Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said, «اِجْتَنِبُوا السَّبْعَ الْمُوبِقَات»("Shun the seven great destructive sins.") The people inquired, "O Allah's Messenger! What are they" He said, «الشِّرْكُ بِاللهِ وَالسِّحْرُ وَقَتْلُ النَّفْسِ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَأَكْلُ الرِّبَا وَأَكْلُ مَالِ الْيَتِيمِ وَالتَّوَلِّي يَوْمَ الزَّحْفِ وَقَذْفُ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْغَافِلَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَات»((They are:) Joining others in worship with Allah, magic taking life which Allah has forbidden, except for a just cause (according to Islamic law), consuming Riba, consuming an orphan's wealth, fleeing the battlefield at the time of fighting, and false accusation to chaste women, who never even think of anything touching chastity and are good believers.) This is why Allah said here, فَقَدْ بَآءَ(he indeed has drawn upon himself...), and returned with, بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَمَأْوَاهُ(wrath from Allah. And his abode...), destination, and dwelling place on the Day of Return, جَهَنَّمُ وَبِئْسَ الْمَصِيرُ(is Hell, and worst indeed is that destination!) 