and flee from him. As for today, they may flee. Ibn Habīb related in al-Wādiha that Yazīd ibn Abī Habīb said: Allah decreed the Fire for anyone who fled on the day of Badr. Then Uhud took place, and Allah Most High revealed:

“Those of you who turned away on the day the two armies met were only made to slip by Satan because of some of their deeds. But Allah has certainly pardoned them. Indeed, Allah is All-Forgiving, Forbearing.” [Āl ‘Imrān: 155]

Then Hunayn took place, and Allah revealed:

“Allah has certainly granted you victory on many battlefields, and on the day of Hunayn, when your great numbers pleased you but availed you nothing. The earth, vast as it was, became narrow for you; then you turned and fled. Then Allah sent down His tranquillity upon His Messenger and upon the believers, and sent down forces you could not see, and punished those who disbelieved. Such is the recompense of the disbelievers.” [al-Tawbah: 25 - 26]

“Then, after that, Allah will accept the repentance of whomever He wills. And Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [al-Tawbah: 27]

Thus, pardon was revealed concerning those who turned away after the day of Badr.

The correct view is that the prohibition against fleeing the battlefield is not confined to the day of Badr, but applies to every battle until the Day of Resurrection. Allah had imposed this obligation upon His Prophet Moses—peace be upon him—and did not subsequently abrogate it, so it became part of the Law of our Prophet Muhammad—peace and blessings be upon him. The evidence for this is the following report:

“A Jewish man said to another, ‘Let us go to this prophet.’ The other replied, ‘Do not call him “this prophet,” for if he hears it, he will have four eyes.’ They went to him and asked him about nine clear signs. He replied, ‘Worship Allah and associate nothing with Him; do not kill a soul whom Allah has forbidden to be killed, except with right; do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse; do not steal; do not flee the battlefield; do not practise sorcery; do not consume usury; and do not bring an innocent person before his ruler to have him killed. And you Jews must not transgress the Sabbath.’ They said, ‘We testify that you are indeed the Messenger of Allah.’ In some reports, they kissed his hands and feet and said, ‘We testify that you are a prophet.’”

This hadith serves as an explanation of the words of Allah Most High:

“We certainly gave Moses nine clear signs.” [al-Isrā’: 101]

[As for the report from Ibn ‘Abbās, transmitted by ‘Ikrima, explaining the Most High’s words “nine clear signs”], in which he listed the hand,