سُوْرَةُ الْاَنْفَالِ
Surah Al-Anfaal (8) — Ayah 16
وَمَن يُوَلِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ دُبُرَهُۥٓ إِلَّا مُتَحَرِّفًا لِّقِتَالٍ أَوْ مُتَحَيِّزًا إِلَىٰ فِئَةٍ فَقَدْ بَآءَ بِغَضَبٍ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَأْوَىٰهُ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ﴿16﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And whoever turns his back to them on such a day - unless it be a stratagem of war, or to retreat to a troop (of his own), - he indeed has drawn upon himself wrath from Allâh. And his abode is Hell, and worst indeed is that destination!
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
يُوَلِّهِمْ
yuwallihim
turns to them
يَوْمَئِذٍۢ
yawma-idhin
that day
دُبُرَهُۥٓ
duburahu
his back
إِلَّا
illā
except
مُتَحَرِّفًۭا
mutaḥarrifan
(as) a strategy
لِّقِتَالٍ
liqitālin
of war
أَوْ
aw
or
مُتَحَيِّزًا
mutaḥayyizan
(to) join
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
فِئَةٍۢ
fi-atin
a group
فَقَدْ
faqad
certainly
بَآءَ
bāa
(he has) incurred
بِغَضَبٍۢ
bighaḍabin
wrath
مِّنَ
mina
of
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
وَمَأْوَىٰهُ
wamawāhu
and his abode
جَهَنَّمُ ۖ
jahannamu
(is) Hell
وَبِئْسَ
wabi'sa
a wretched
ٱلْمَصِيرُ
l-maṣīru
destination
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 16) {اِلَّا مُتَحَرِّفًا لِّقِتَالٍ اَوْ مُتَحَيِّزًا اِلٰى فِئَةٍ: ’’ مُتَحَرِّفًا ‘‘ ’’ تَحَرَّفَ ‘‘} is an active participle, which means to turn aside, that is, to turn from one side to another to deceive the enemy, to change tactics. {’’ مُتَحَيِّزًا ‘‘ ’’ تَحَيَّزَ ‘‘ } means to gather at a place, that is, to turn from one side to another or to retreat in order to surround the enemy or to deceive them, or to seek refuge with the main group of Muslims and to return for another attack is not a sin, that is, the wrath of Allah and the abode of Hell is for the one who flees from battle, but if one retreats from the battlefield under the tactics of warfare, then it is not a sin.
