The Holy Quran with Five Volume Commentary (Vol 2) — Page 653
PT. 9 AL-ANFĀL CH. 8 the wrath of Allah, and Hell shall be his abode. And an evil resort it is. 1106 success, besides being a sure source it of self-discipline. 1106. Important Words: (turning) is derived from which is derived from b. They say 85bi. e. he drew, collected or gathered it together. means, he drove the camels. or means, he or it writhed or twisted about and turned over and over; or he or it was restless, not remaining still on the ground; or he withdrew or retired to a distance; or he drew back. means, he turned or withdrew or retired or joined himself to them (company of men). also means, he turned aside or withdrew to his place or his proper place. means, a place in which a thing is; the proper or natural place of a thing; the container or receptacle of anything (Lane). a (company) is derived either from i. e. he struck or smote or clove, or from i. e. he returned, or he returned to a good state or condition. The word means, a party, division or distinct body; or a company or congregated body of men; or a party or division of men; or a company of soldiers who fight in the rear of another party or company and to whom the latter has recourse in the case of fear or defeat; الْمَصِيرُ defines and describes the circumstances in which an apparent retreat or withdrawal of a Muslim force against an enemy force is allowable. Such a retreat is allowed only on two distinct conditions: firstly, as a war strategy or a battle shifts its position not to fly but to manoeuvre when a fighting force hoodwink the enemy or to occupy a better position; secondly, when a force decides to fall back to join the main army or another Muslim force before giving battle to the enemy. No other retreat or withdrawal is allowed. Muslims must either win or die. Those who turn their backs incur the wrath of God and "Hell shall be their abode. " The words, and Hell shall be his abode, have a double significance: (1) that those who turn back from the battlefield, except in the circumstances stated above, shall be awarded the punishment of Hellfire in the Hereafter; (2) that although such from the field of battle they will find runaways think that by turning back security from danger, the truth is that they will thereby be running into the very jaws of fire, for such ignom- inious defeat will embolden the enemy against them and will open the or a company of men who (in war) doors of their persecution wider still. have recourse for aid, one to another (Lane). Commentary: The verse is important inasmuch as 1093 A fight that begins with a single individual, (a Divine Messenger), arrayed against the entire forces of the world, cannot possibly allow at a