Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he participated in a military expedition. People began to run in circles to flee; he says, "I was also among those who fled. While fleeing from the battle, we said, 'What should we do? We are fleeing from battle and returning deserving of Allah's wrath.' We said, 'Let us go to Madinah and spend the night there so that no one sees us.' The narrator says that when we reached Madinah, we said, 'If we present ourselves before the Prophet of Allah ﷺ, it would be better. If there is room for repentance for us, we will remain upon it, and if there is any other matter, we will return.' We sat with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ before the morning prayer. When he ﷺ came out, we said, 'O Messenger of Allah! We are among those who fled from battle.' The Prophet ﷺ turned towards us and said, 'Rather, you are those who flee only to return again.' The narrator says that when the Prophet ﷺ came near us, we kissed his hand and said, 'O Messenger of Allah! We also intended to do the same.' The Prophet ﷺ said, 'I am the helper of the Muslims.'"