waman yuwallihim yawma-idhin duburahu illā mutaḥarrifan liqitālin aw mutaḥayyizan ilā fi-atin faqad bāa bighaḍabin mina l-lahi wamawāhu jahannamu wabi'sa l-maṣīru
Translation
And whoever turns his back to them on such a day, unless swerving [as a strategy] for war or joining [another] company, has certainly returned with anger [upon him] from Allāh, and his refuge is Hell - and wretched is the destination.
Verse 16 of Surah Al-Anfal (8:16), a Medinan surah, is in juz 9, on page 178 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 72 reciters.
Listen to verse 16 of Surah Al-Anfal
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Tafsir of verse 16
Al-Mukhtasar
And whoever turns their back running away- unless they are withdrawing as a strategy with the intention of turning back to fight, or doing it to join a group of Muslims in order to help them-then certainly, he will earn the anger of Allah, and his place in the Hereafter will be Hell; what a miserable destination and final destiny!
Whoever turns his back to them on such a day – unless it is for tactical reasons or joining another group – he will incur the wrath of Allah and his abode will be Hell. What a terrible destination!
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!
Whoso on that day turneth his back to them, unless manoeuvring for battle or intent to join a company, he truly hath incurred wrath from Allah, and his habitation will be hell, a hapless journey's end.
If any do turn his back to them on such a day - unless it be in a stratagem of war, or to retreat to a troop (of his own)- he draws on himself the wrath of Allah, and his abode is Hell,- an evil refuge (indeed)!
And whoever shall turn his back to them on that day-- unless he turn aside for the sake of fighting or withdraws to a company-- then he, indeed, becomes deserving of Allah's wrath, and his abode is hell; and an evil destination shall it be.
And whoever turns his back upon that day to them, except (in case) of turning off (i.e., turning off "e.g., the road" as a stratagem or to regroup) to fight or taking the side of (another) community, he has then incurred anger from Allah, and his abode is Hell, and miserable is the Destiny!
Indeed, those of you who turned back on the day the two armies met [at Uḥud] - it was Satan who caused them to slip because of some [blame] they had earned. But Allāh has already forgiven them. Indeed, Allāh is Forgiving and Forbearing.
Allāh has already given you victory in many regions and [even] on the day of Ḥunayn, when your great number pleased you, but it did not avail you at all, and the earth was confining for you with [i.e., in spite of] its vastness; then you turned back, fleeing.
So is one who pursues the pleasure of Allāh like one who brings upon himself the anger of Allāh and whose refuge is Hell? And wretched is the destination.
