Bismillah Hir Rahmaan Nir raheem
Assalaamu alaykum wa rahmatuallahi wa barakatuhu
THE SEVERE PUNISHMENT FOR THE ONE WHO TURNS HIS BACK DURING BATTLE:
Allah say:
“O you who have believed, when you meet those who disbelieve advancing [for
battle], do not turn to them your backs. 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 from Allah, and his refuge is Hell –
and wretched is the destination”284
Know that turning one’s back in battle is a major sin with the consensus of
scholars and the one who does it deserves the wrath of Allah and his severe
punishment.
Abu Hurairah narrated: The Messenger of Allah said: “Stay away from the seven
destroyers of your deeds: Associating another deity with Allah, sorcery,
murder, usurping the wealth of an orphan, dealing with interest, turning one’s
back during battle, and accusing the chaste with adultery or fornication.”285
If jihad is a collective duty, it becomes an individual duty when the armies’
meet and turning one’s back becomes prohibited. The only exceptions are:
1. If the size of the enemy’s army is more than twice that of the Muslims.
2. Swerving to take a new position.
3. Retreating to join another company of Muslims
4. Being incapacitated due to illness or having no access to a weapon
Allah says:
“If there are among you twenty steadfast, they will overcome two hundred. And
if there are among you one hundred steadfast, they will overcome a thousand of
those who have disbelieved because they are a people who do not understand. Now
Allah has lightened [the hardship] for you, and He knows that among you is
weakness. So if there are from you one hundred steadfast, they will overcome
two hundred. And if there are among you a thousand, they will overcome two
thousand by
284 (al Anfal 15-16)
285 (Bukhari – Muslim)
the permission of Allah. And Allah is with the steadfast.”286
Ibn Al Mubarak narrated that Ibn Abbas said: If one man runs away from three,
he hasn’t turned his back in battle. If he runs from two then he has turned his
back in battle.
Al Qurtubi in his Tafseer: As long as the enemy is more than twice the number
of Muslims they can retreat but being steadfast and fighting is better. In the
battle of Mutah the Muslims with only 3000 faced the Roman army of 200,000
Roman soldiers and 100,000 Arab soldiers. It is also mentioned that when Tariq
opening al Andalusia he had only 1700 soldiers while his enemy was 70,000 strong
Imam Malik was asked about a Muslim facing ten enemy soldiers, should he fight
them or retreat? He said: Both options are allowed for him.
The Messenger of Allah said: “An army of twelve thousand would never be
defeated due to fewness”287
Most of the scholars consider this hadith to be an exception from the rule set
by the verse that as long as the enemy is more than twice your number you can
retreat.288
286 (Al Anfal 65-66)
287 (Abu Dawud – al Sunan al Kubra – Tirmithi - Darimi – al Hakim)
288 [The scholars say that this rules applies to armies less than 12,000 in
number. However, if the Muslim army is 12,000 or more then they cannot turn
there backs no matter how large the enemy’s army is.]
Surah Isra 17 verse 80 Say: "O my Lord! let my entry be by the Gate of Truth
and Honor and likewise my exit by the Gate of Truth and Honor; and grant me
from Thy Presence an authority to aid (me)."
Ameen,Thumameen.
Transliteration :Wa qur rabbi adkhilni mudkhala sidqiw wa akhrijni mukhraja
sidqiw wa-j'al li mil ladunka sulta_nan nasira_(n).
Al-Tirmidhi HadithHadith 2482 Narrated by AbuHurayrah (May Allah be pleased
with him)
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) used to say, " O Allah, grant me benefit
in what Thou hast taught me, teach me what will benefit me, and increase my
knowledge. Praise be to Allah in all circumstances. I seek refuge in Allah from
the state of those who go to Hell."
Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying this is a tradition
whose isnad is gharib.
Ameen
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