That is, their backs; the singular form was used to conform to the verse-endings. Just as one may say, “We struck their heads,” or, “We struck their head,” when the singular conveys the meaning of the plural. Allah informed that they would turn their backs in defeat, and Allah fulfilled His promise and defeated them on the day of Badr.

Abd al-Wahid al-Mulayhi informed us; Ahmad ibn Abdullah al-Nu'aymi informed us; Muhammad ibn Yusuf informed us; Muhammad ibn Isma'il narrated to us; Muhammad ibn al-Muthanna narrated to us; Abd al-Wahhab narrated to us; Khalid narrated to us from Ikrimah, from Ibn Abbas, who said: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said while in his tent on the day of Badr: “O Allah, I beseech You by Your covenant and Your promise. O Allah, if You will, You will not be worshipped after this day.” Abu Bakr then took him by the hand and said, “Enough, O Messenger of Allah; you have earnestly implored your Lord.” He was wearing his armor, and he came out saying, “The gathering will be defeated, and they will turn their backs.” (1)

“Rather, the Hour is their appointed time, and the Hour will be more disastrous and more bitter. (46) Indeed, the guilty are in error and madness. (47) On the Day they are dragged face down into the Fire, they will be told, ‘Taste the touch of Hell!’ (48)”

Regarding the words, “Rather, the Hour is their appointed time, and the Hour will be more disastrous and more bitter,” Sa'id ibn al-Musayyib said: I heard Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, say, “When the verse, ‘The gathering will be defeated, and they will turn their backs,’ was revealed, I did not know which gathering would be defeated. But on the day of Badr, I saw the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, leaping about in his armor and saying, ‘The gathering will be defeated, and they will turn their backs. Rather, the Hour is their appointed time’—reciting them together—‘and the Hour will be more disastrous and more bitter.’” (2) That is, it will be a greater calamity and more bitter than captivity and killing on the day of Badr.

“Indeed, the guilty”—that is, the idolaters—“are in error and madness.” It was said: “in error” means far removed from the truth. Al-Dahhak said: “and madness” means a fire that will be kindled against them. It was also said: “error” means having gone astray from the path to Paradise in the Hereafter, and “madness” means a blazing fire. Al-Husayn ibn al-Fadl said: Indeed, the guilty are in error in this world and in the Fire in the Hereafter. Qatadah said: They are in hardship and torment. (3)

He then clarified their punishment, saying: “On the Day they are dragged”—that is, pulled—“face down into the Fire,” and they will be told, “Taste the touch of Hell!”