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 Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
16. And whoever turns his back on that day, unless it is a maneuver for battle or to join another group, then such a person has incurred the wrath [15] of Allah. His abode will be Hell, and what an evil destination it is.
[15]
Turning Away from Battle is a Major Sin:
There are several forms of retreat in battle. For example, if the entire army’s war policy is that it would be more beneficial to withdraw from this position and attack from another location, or if a military unit wants to leave that place and join its base, or if an individual withdraws to the rear in order to change tactics—then all such cases are considered military strategies. These are not called fleeing or retreating from battle. Rather, what is meant by fleeing is such a retreat in which the sole purpose is to save one’s own life, and this is a major sin. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ counted this act among the seven grave sins that destroy a person. [بخاري، كتاب المحاربين، باب رمي المحصنات]
The severity of this sin is not only because a person, by saving his own life, causes a reduction of one in the army. Rather, the main reason is that this act demoralizes the rest of the people and causes panic, and often the flight of one or a few individuals becomes the cause of the defeat of the entire army.
[15]
Turning Away from Battle is a Major Sin:
There are several forms of retreat in battle. For example, if the entire army’s war policy is that it would be more beneficial to withdraw from this position and attack from another location, or if a military unit wants to leave that place and join its base, or if an individual withdraws to the rear in order to change tactics—then all such cases are considered military strategies. These are not called fleeing or retreating from battle. Rather, what is meant by fleeing is such a retreat in which the sole purpose is to save one’s own life, and this is a major sin. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ counted this act among the seven grave sins that destroy a person. [بخاري، كتاب المحاربين، باب رمي المحصنات]
The severity of this sin is not only because a person, by saving his own life, causes a reduction of one in the army. Rather, the main reason is that this act demoralizes the rest of the people and causes panic, and often the flight of one or a few individuals becomes the cause of the defeat of the entire army.
