Al-Qur'an Surah Ali 'Imran Verse 152

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Allah has surely fulfilled His promise to you when you, with His will, were killing them off, until you showed weakness and disputed in the matter and disobeyed after He had shown you what you liked.Among you there were some who were seeking the mundane, and among you there were others who were seeking the Hereafter. After that, He reversed your position against them, so that He may test you. Of course, He has forgiven you. Allah is All-Gracious to the believers.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed, Allah fulfilled His promise to you when you ˹initially˺ swept them away by His Will, then your courage weakened and you disputed about the command and disobeyed,[[ The archers disputed whether to keep their positions after the initial victory. Eventually, most of them decided to go in pursuit of the spoils of war, disobeying the Prophet’s direct orders not to leave their position no matter what happened. Defeat became inevitable. ]] after Allah had brought victory within your reach. Some of you were after worldly gain while others desired a heavenly reward. He denied you victory over them as a test, yet He has pardoned you. And Allah is Gracious to the believers.

Ruwwad Translation Center

Indeed, Allah has fulfilled His promise to you when you were slaying them by His permission, until you lost courage and disputed over the command and disobeyed after He had shown you what you liked [victory]. Among you are some who seek this world and some who seek the Hereafter. He then prevented you from [defeating] them so that He may test You, but He pardoned you, for Allah is Most Gracious to the believers.

A. J. Arberry

God has been true in His promise towards you when you blasted them by His leave; until you lost heart, and quarrelled about the matter, and were rebellious, after He had shown you that you longed for. Some of you there are that desire this world, and some of you there are desire the next world. Then He turned you from them, that He might try you; and He has pardoned you; and God is bounteous to the believers.

Abdul Haleem

God fulfilled His promise to you: you were routing them, with His permission, but then you faltered, disputed the order, and disobeyed, once He had brought you within sight of your goal- some of you desire the gains of this world and others desire the world to come- and then He prevented you from [defeating] them as a punishment. He has now forgiven you: God is most gracious to the believers.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And Allah had assuredly made good His promise unto you when ye were extirpating them by His leave, until when ye flagged and ye disagreed about the command and ye disobeyed after He had shewn you that for which ye longed. Of you some desired the World and of you some desired the Hereafter, wherefore He turned you away from them that he might prove; and of a surety He hath pardoned you And Allah is Gracious unto the believers.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Allah did indeed fulfil His promise to you when ye with His permission Were about to annihilate your enemy,-until ye flinched and fell to disputing about the order, and disobeyed it after He brought you in sight (of the booty) which ye covet. Among you are some that hanker after this world and some that desire the Hereafter. Then did He divert you from your foes in order to test you but He forgave you; For Allah is full of grace to those who believe.

Abul Ala Maududi

Allah surely fulfilled His promise (of succour) when you were slaying them by His leave until the moment when you flagged and quarrelled among yourselves about the matter, and acted against the order of (the Prophet). Soon He showed you what you had intensely desired - for some among you sought this world and some of you sought the Next. Thereupon, in order to put you to a test He turned you away from your foes. Still He pardoned you after that for Allah is Bounteous to those who believe.

Ahmed Ali

The promise made to you by God was verified when you destroyed (the foe) by His leave, until you were unmanned and disputed the order, and thus disobeyed (the Apostle) even after He had brought you in sight of (victory) you longed for. Some of you desired this world, and some of you the next. Then He put you to flight before (them) in order to try you. But (now) He has forgiven you, for surely God is kind to the faithful.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And indeed Allah has proved true His promise to you, when you used to slay the disbelievers by His command; until the time you people lost courage and disputed about the order and disobeyed after Allah had shown you what pleases you; some of you desired the world, and some of you desired the Hereafter; thereafter He turned you away from them in order to test you; and undoubtedly He has forgiven you; and Allah is Most Munificent towards the Muslims.

Ali Quli Qarai

Allah certainly fulfilled His promise to you when you were slaying them with His leave, until you lost courage, disputed about the matter, and disobeyed after He showed you what you loved. Some among you desire this world, and some among you desire the Hereafter. Then He turned you away from them so that He might test you. Certainly He has excused you, for Allah is gracious to the faithful.

Ali Ünal

God did indeed fulfill His promise to you when you routed them by His leave, up to (the point) when you lost heart, and disagreed about the order (given to the archers among you not to leave their positions), and disobeyed, after He had brought you within sight of that (victory) for which you were longing. Among you were such as cared for this world, and among you were such as cared for the Hereafter. Then He diverted you from them (the enemy), that He might try you. But He has surely pardoned you: God has grace and bounty for the believers.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And certainly Allâh had made good His promise to you when you were slaying them to pieces by His leave (in the Battle of Uhud), until, when you became lax and disagreed among yourselves about the (implications of the) order (of the Prophet), and you disobeyed (your leader Abdullah bin Jubair), after He had brought that (victory) which you desired within your sight (He withdrew His help from you). There were some among you who desired the present life and among you were those who desired the life to come. Then He turned you away from (gaining clear victory over) them (- the enemy), that He might reveal your (true) selves. Yet He surely pardoned you. Allâh is Gracious to the believers.

English Literal

And God had been (E) truthful to you (in) His promise to you when you killed/uprooted them with His permission, until you weakened and became cowardly/failed and you disputed in the matter/affair, and you disobeyed from after what He showed you what you love/like, from you who want the present world and from you who want the end (other life), then He diverted you from them, to test you and He had (E) forgiven on you, and God (is owner) of grace on the believers.

Faridul Haque

And indeed Allah has proved true His promise to you, when you used to slay the disbelievers by His command; until the time you people lost courage and disputed about the order and disobeyed after Allah had shown you what pleases you; some of you desired the world, and some of you desired the Hereafter; thereafter He turned you away from them in order to test you; and undoubtedly He has forgiven you; and Allah is Most Munificent towards the Muslims.

Hamid S. Aziz

And when you climbed (the hill) and looked not round upon any one, although the Messenger was calling you from your rear. Therefore did Allah reward you with trouble on trouble that you should not grieve after what you had missed, nor for what befell you, for Allah is well aware of what you do.

Hilali & Khan

And Allah did indeed fulfil His Promise to you when you were killing them (your enemy) with His Permission; until (the moment) you lost your courage and fell to disputing about the order, and disobeyed after He showed you (of the booty) which you love. Among you are some that desire this world and some that desire the Hereafter. Then He made you flee from them (your enemy), that He might test you. But surely, He forgave you, and Allah is Most Gracious to the believers.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

We will cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve because they set up with Allah that for which He has sent down no authority, and their abode is the Fire. And evil is the abode of the wrongdoers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And certainly Allah made good to you His promise when you slew them by His permission, until when you became weak-hearted and disputed about the affair and disobeyed after He had shown you that which you loved; of you were some who desired this world and of you were some who desired the hereafter; then He turned you away from them that He might try you; and He has certainly pardoned you, and Allah is Gracious to the believers.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Allah verily made good His promise unto you when ye routed them by His leave, until (the moment) when your courage failed you, and ye disagreed about the order and ye disobeyed, after He had shown you that for which ye long. Some of you desired the world, and some of you desired the Hereafter. Therefore He made you flee from them, that He might try you. Yet now He hath forgiven you. Allah is a Lord of Kindness to believers.

Muhammad Sarwar

God certainly fulfilled His promise to you when you were fighting the unbelievers, by His permission. Even after We showed you what you wanted, you began to lose courage, started quarreling with each other, and disobeyed God's orders. Some of you want worldly gains and others of you want rewards in the hereafter. Then He let you face defeat in order to test you. However, He forgave you. God is Gracious to the believers.

Qaribullah & Darwish

Allah has been true in His promise towards you when you routed them by His leave, until you lost heart, and quarreled about the matter, and disobeyed, afterHe had shown you that which you loved. Some among you wanted the world, and some among you wanted the Everlasting Life. Then He made you turn away from them in order to test you. But He has forgiven you, for Allah is Bounteous to the believers.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And Allah did indeed fulfill His promise to you when you were killing them (your enemy) with His permission; until Fashiltum and fell to disputing about the order, and disobeyed after He showed you what you love. Among you are some that desire this world and some that desire the Hereafter. Then He made you flee from them, that He might test you. But surely, He forgave you, and Allah is Most Gracious to the believers.

Wahiduddin Khan

And God made good His promise to you when by His leave you were about to destroy your foes, but then your courage failed you and you disagreed among yourselves [concerning the Prophet's direction] and disobeyed it, after He had brought you within sight of what you wished for, some of you desired the goods of this world and some of you desired the Hereafter, then in order that He might put you to the test, He prevented you from defeating your foes. But now He has pardoned you: God is most gracious to the believers.

Talal Itani

God has fulfilled His promise to you, and you defeated them by His leave; until when you faltered, and disputed the command, and disobeyed after He had shown you what you like. Some of you want this world, and some of you want the next. Then He turned you away from them, to test you; but He pardoned you. God is Gracious towards the believers.

Tafsir jalalayn

God has been true to His promise, towards you, of giving you victory, when you slew them by His leave, by His will, until you lost heart, [until] you shrank from battle, and quarrelled, disagreed, over the command, that is, the command of the Prophet (s) that you remain at the foot of the mountain for the arrow attack, some of you saying, `Let us depart, for our comrades have been given victory', others saying, `We should not disobey the command of the Prophet (s)'; and you disobeyed, his command, and abandoned your station in search of the booty, after He, God, had shown you what you longed for, of assistance (the response to the [clause containing] idh is indicated by what precedes it, that is to say, `[when you lost heart] He denied you His assistance'). Some of you desired this world, abandoning his station for the sake of the booty; and some of you desired the Hereafter, holding to it until he was slain, such as `Abd Allh b. Jubayr and his companions. Then He turned you away (thumma sarafakum is a supplement to the response of the [clause containing] idh, implied to be raddakum bi'l-hazma [`He turned you back in defeat']) from them, the disbelievers, so that He might try you, that He might test you and so make manifest the sincere ones from those otherwise; yet now He has pardoned you, what you have done, and God is Bounteous to the believers, with pardon.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

وَلَقَدْ صَدَقَكُمُ اللّهُ وَعْدَهُ

And Allah did indeed fulfill His promise to you,

in the beginning of the day of Uhud.

إِذْ تَحُسُّونَهُم

when you were killing them,

slaying your enemies,

بِإِذْنِهِ

with His permission,

for He allowed you to do that against them,

حَتَّى إِذَا فَشِلْتُمْ

until when you Fashiltum.

Ibn Jurayj said that Ibn Abbas said that;
Fashiltum means, `lost courage'.

وَتَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي الَامْرِ وَعَصَيْتُم

and fell to disputing about the order, and disobeyed,

such as the mistake made by the archers.

مِّن بَعْدِ مَا أَرَاكُم مَّا تُحِبُّونَ

after He showed you what you love,

that is, victory over the disbelievers.

مِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ الدُّنْيَا

Among you are some that desire this world,

referring to those who sought to collect the booty when they saw the enemy being defeated.

وَمِنكُم مَّن يُرِيدُ الاخِرَةَ ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمْ عَنْهُمْ لِيَبْتَلِيَكُمْ

and some that desire the Hereafter. Then He made you flee from them, that He might test you.

This Ayah means, Allah gave them the upper hand to try and test you, O believers.

وَلَقَدْ عَفَا عَنكُمْ

but surely, He forgave you,

He forgave the error you committed, because, and Allah knows best, the idolators were many and well supplied, while Muslims had few men and few supplies.

وَاللّهُ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى الْمُوْمِنِينَ



and Allah is Most Gracious to the believers.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Al-Bara' said,

"We met the idolators on that day (Uhud) and the Prophet appointed Abdullah bin Jubayr as the commander of the archers.

He instructed them, `Retain your position, and if you see that we have defeated them, do not abandon your positions. If you see that they defeated us, do not rush to help us.'

The disbelievers gave flight when we met them, and we saw their women fleeing up the mountain while lifting up their clothes revealing their anklets and their legs. So, the companions (of Abdullah bin Jubayr) said, `The booty, the booty!'

Abdullah bin Jubayr said, `Allah's Messenger commanded me not to allow you to abandon your position.'

They refused to listen, and when they left their position, Muslims were defeated and seventy of them were killed.

Abu Sufyan shouted, `Is Muhammad present among these people?'

The Prophet said, `Do not answer him.'

Then he asked, `Is the son of Abu Quhafah (Abu Bakr) present among these people?'

The Prophet said, `Do not answer him.'

He asked again, `Is the son of Al-Khattab (Umar) present among these people As for these (men), they have been killed, for had they been alive, they would have answered me.'

Umar could not control himself and said (to Abu Sufyan), `You lie, O enemy of Allah! The cause of your misery is still present.'

Abu Sufyan said, `O Hubal, be high!'

On that the Prophet said (to his Companions), `Answer him back.'

They said, `What shall we say?'

He said, `Say, Allah is Higher and more Sublime.'

Abu Sufyan said, `We have the (idol) Al-Uzza, and you have no Uzza.'

The Prophet said, `Answer him back.'

They asked, `What shall we say?'

He said, `Say, Allah is our protector and you have no protector.'

Abu Sufyan said, `Our victory today is vengeance for yours in the battle of Badr, and in war (the victory) is always undecided and is shared in turns by the belligerents. You will find some of your killed men mutilated, but I did not urge my men to do so, yet I do not feel sorry for their deed."'

Only Al-Bukhari collected this Hadith using this chain of narration.

Muhammad bin Ishaq said that, Abdullah bin Az-Zubayr narrated that Az-Zubayr bin Al-Awwam said,

"By Allah! I saw the female servants and female companions of Hind (Abu Sufyan's wife) when they uncovered their legs and gave flight. At that time, there was no big or small effort separating us from capturing them. However, the archers went down the mount when the enemy gave flight from the battlefield, seeking to collect the booty. They uncovered our back lines to the horsemen of the disbelievers, who took the chance and attacked us from behind.

Then a person shouted, `Muhammad has been killed.'

So we pulled back, and the disbelievers followed us, after we had killed those who carried their flag, and none of them dared to come close the flag, until then."'

Muhammad bin Ishaq said next,

"The flag of the disbelievers was left on the ground until Amrah bint Alqamah Al-Harithiyyah picked it up and gave it to the Quraysh who held it."

Allah said,
ثُمَّ صَرَفَكُمْ عَنْهُمْ لِيَبْتَلِيَكُمْ
(Then He made you flee from them, that He might test you),

Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas bin Malik said,

"My uncle Anas bin An-Nadr was absent from the battle of Badr. He said, `I was absent from the first battle the Prophet fought (against the pagans). (By Allah) if Allah gives me a chance to fight along with the Messenger of Allah, then Allah will see how (bravely) I will fight.'

On the day of Uhud when the Muslims turned their backs and fled, he said, `O Allah! I apologize to You for what these (meaning the Muslims) have done, and I denounce what these pagans have done.'

Then he advanced lifting his sword, and when Sa`d bin Mu`adh met him, he said to him, `O Sa`d bin Mu`adh! Where are you! Paradise! I am smelling its aroma coming from before (Mount) Uhud,' and he went forth, fought and was killed.

We found more than eighty stab wounds, sword blows or arrow holes on his body, which was mutilated so badly that none except his sister could recognize him, and she could only do so by his fingers or by a mole."

This is the narration reported by Al-Bukhari, Muslim also collected a similar narration from Thabit from Anas.
The Defeat that the Muslims Suffered During the Battle of Uhud

Allah said