Al-Qur'an Surah Ali 'Imran Verse 153

Mufti Taqi Usmani

When you were going away, not even turning to look at anyone, and the Messenger was calling you from behind you. He awarded you sorrow for sorrow, so that you should not grieve (in future) over what you lost, or for what you suffered. Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

˹Remember˺ when you were running far away ˹in panic˺—not looking at anyone—while the Messenger was calling to you from behind! So Allah rewarded your disobedience with distress upon distress. Now, do not grieve over the victory you were denied or the injury you suffered. And Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

Ruwwad Translation Center

[Remember] when you were fleeing without even casting a glance at anyone, and the Messenger was calling you back. You were then given distress upon distress, so that you should not grieve for what you missed or for what you suffered. For Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

A. J. Arberry

When you were going up, not twisting about for anyone, and the Messenger was calling you in your rear; so He rewarded you with grief on grief that you might not sorrow for what escaped you neither for what smote you; and God is aware of the things you do.

Abdul Haleem

You fled without looking back while the Messenger was calling out to you from behind, and God rewarded you with sorrow for sorrow. [He has now forgiven you] so that you may not grieve for what you missed or for what happened to you. God is well aware of everything you do.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And recall what time ye were running off and would not look back on any one, albeit the apostle In your rear was calling unto you. Wherefore He caused sorrow to overtake you for sorrow. that ye might not grieve for that which ye might lose nor for that which might befall you. And Allah is Aware of that which ye Work.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Behold! ye were climbing up the high ground, without even casting a side glance at any one, and the Messenger in your rear was calling you back. There did Allah give you one distress after another by way of requital, to teach you not to grieve for (the booty) that had escaped you and for (the ill) that had befallen you. For Allah is well aware of all that ye do.

Abul Ala Maududi

Recall when you were fleeing without casting even a side glance at anyone, and the Messenger was calling out to you from the rear. Then Allah requited you by inflicting grief after grief upon you so as to instruct you neither to grieve for the losses you might suffer nor for the afflictions that might befall you. Allah knows all that you do.

Ahmed Ali

Remember, as you were rushing up (the hill) without turning back to look, though the Prophet was calling you from the rear, He requited you with anguish for an anguish that you do not fret for missed opportunity and what befell you, for God is aware of all that you do,

Ahmed Raza Khan

When you were leaving, unconcerned without turning to look back at anyone, and from another group Our Noble Messenger was calling you (to fight); so He gave you sorrow in lieu of sorrow, and then forgave you so that you do not grieve over what has been lost or over the calamity that befell you; and Allah is Well Aware of what you do.

Ali Quli Qarai

When you were fleeing without paying any attention to anyone, while the Apostle was calling you from your rear, He requited you with grief upon grief, so that you may not grieve for what you lose nor for what befalls you, and Allah is well aware of what you do.

Ali Ünal

When you were running off (from the battlefield), paying no heed to anyone, and at your rear the Messenger was calling out to you (to stay in the battle), then God requited you with grief after grief so that you might not grieve either for what escaped you, or for what befell you. God is fully aware of all that you do.

Amatul Rahman Omar

When you were going hard and far (in pursuit of the enemy in the Battle of Uhud) and you would not cast even a side-glance at and wait for anyone while the Messenger was calling out to you from your rear (to come back). So He gave you greater sorrow (which proved unreal later on) in place of the sorrow (you had already) in order that you should not grieve over what you had missed (of clear victory) nor over what befell you (of the hardships). And Allâh is Well-Aware of what you do.

English Literal

When you ascend/have hardship and do not wait/stop on anyone, and the messenger calls you in your end/back , so you were flooded/rewarded grief/depression with a grief/depression, so that you not43be saddened on what passed/missed you permanently, and nor what struck you, and God (is) expert/experienced with what you make/do.

Faridul Haque

When you were leaving, unconcerned without turning to look back at anyone, and from another group Our Noble Messenger was calling you (to fight); so He gave you sorrow in lieu of sorrow, and then forgave you so that you do not grieve over what has been lost or over the calamity that befell you; and Allah is Well Aware of what you do.

Hamid S. Aziz

Then, after grief, He sent down upon you security, as drowsiness crept over one company of you, while another company became anxious about themselves, wrongly suspicious of Allah, with the suspicion of ignorance, and saying, "Have we any part (or chance) in this affair?" Say, "Verily, the affair is Allah´s." They conceal in themselves what they will not show to you, and say, "If we had any part (or chance) in this affair we should not be killed here." Say, "Even if you were in your houses, surely those, against whom slaughter was written down, would have gone forth to fight even to where they are lying now; that Allah may try what is in your breasts and prove what is in your heart. Allah is Aware of what is hidden in men´s breasts."

Hilali & Khan

(And remember) when you ran away (dreadfully) without even casting a side glance at anyone, and the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) was in your rear calling you back. There did Allah give you one distress after another by way of requital to teach you not to grieve for that which had escaped you, nor for that which had befallen you. And Allah is Well-Aware of all that you do.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And Allah certainly made good His promise to you when you slew them by His permission, until 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 indeed pardoned you. And Allah is Gracious to the believers.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

When you ran off precipitately and did not wait for any one, and the Apostle was calling you from your rear, so He gave you another sorrow instead of (your) sorrow, so that you might not grieve at what had escaped you, nor (at) what befell you; and Allah is aware of what you do.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

When ye climbed (the hill) and paid no heed to anyone, while the messenger, in your rear, was calling you (to fight). Therefor He rewarded you grief for (his) grief, that (He might teach) you not to sorrow either for that which ye missed or for that which befell you. Allah is Informed of what ye do.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Believers remember) when you were fleeing without even glancing to either side even though the Messengers were calling you back, God made you suffer sorrow upon sorrow to make you forget your grief of what you had lost and the injuries you had suffered. God is Well-Aware of what you do.

Qaribullah & Darwish

And when you were going up, and paid no heed for anyone, and the Messenger was calling you from behind; so He rewarded you with grief upon grief that you might not sorrow for what escaped you neither for what smote you. And Allah is Aware of what you do.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

(And remember) when you ran away without even casting a side glance at anyone, and the Messenger was in your rear calling you back. There did Allah give you one distress after another by way of requital, to teach you not to grieve for that which had escaped you, nor for what struck you. And Allah is Well-Aware of all that you do.

Wahiduddin Khan

When you were running away and did not look back at anyone, while the Messenger was calling to you from behind, He paid you back with one sorrow after another, so that you might not grieve for what you lost, nor for what befell you. God is aware of what you do.

Talal Itani

Remember when you fled, not caring for anyone, even though the Messenger was calling you from your rear. Then He repaid you with sorrow upon sorrow, so that you would not grieve over what you missed, or for what afflicted you. God is Informed of what you do.

Tafsir jalalayn

Remember, when you were ascending, fleeing in the distance, not turning around, [not] stopping, for anyone and the Messenger was calling you from your rear, saying, `Come to me servants of God, this way, servants of God!', so He rewarded you, He requited you, with grief, through defeat, for grief (ghamman bi- ghamm; the b' [bi-], `with', is said to mean `al, `for') because of the grief that you caused the Prophet when you disobeyed [his command], that is, [with grief] doubled, [being] in addition to the grief of the booty forfeited, so that (li-kayl is semantically connected either to `af, `He has pardoned', or athbakum, `He rewarded you'; the l [of kay-l] is thus extra) you might not grieve for what escaped you, of booty, neither for what befell you, of being slain and [of] defeat; and God is aware of what you do.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

إِذْ تُصْعِدُونَ وَلَا تَلْوُونَ عَلَى أحَدٍ

(And remember) when you (Tus`iduna) ran away dreadfully without casting even a side glance at anyone,

and Allah made the disbelievers leave you after you went up the mount, escaping your enemy.

Al-Hasan and Qatadah said that,
Tus`iduna, means, `go up the mountain'.

وَلَا تَلْوُونَ عَلَى أحَدٍ


without even casting a side glance at anyone,

meaning, you did not glance at anyone else due to shock, fear and fright.

وَالرَّسُولُ يَدْعُوكُمْ فِي أُخْرَاكُمْ

and the Messenger was in your rear calling you back,

for you left him behind you, while he was calling you to stop fleeing from the enemy and to return and fight.

As-Suddi said,

"When the disbelievers attacked Muslim lines during the battle of Uhud and defeated them, some Muslims ran away to Al-Madinah, while some of them went up Mount Uhud, to a rock and stood on it.

On that, the Messenger of Allah kept heralding, `Come to me, O servants of Allah! Come to me, O servants of Allah!'

Allah mentioned that the Muslims went up the Mount and that the Prophet called them to come back, and said,
إِذْ تُصْعِدُونَ وَلَا تَلْوُونَ عَلَى أحَدٍ وَالرَّسُولُ يَدْعُوكُمْ فِي أُخْرَاكُمْ
((And remember) when you ran away without even casting a side glance at anyone, and the Messenger was in your rear calling you back)."

Similar was said by Ibn Abbas, Qatadah, Ar-Rabi and Ibn Zayd.
The Ansar and Muhajirin Defended the Messenger

Al-Bukhari recorded that Qays bin Abi Hazim said,

"I saw Talhah's hand, it was paralyzed, because he shielded the Prophet with it."

meaning on the day of Uhud.

It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Abu Uthman An-Nahdi said,

"On that day (Uhud) during which the Prophet fought, only Talhah bin Ubaydullah and Sa`d remained with the Prophet."

Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib said,

"I heard Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas saying, `The Messenger of Allah gave me arrows from his quiver on the day of Uhud and said, `Shoot, may I sacrifice my father and mother for you."'

Al-Bukhari also collected this Hadith.

The Two Sahihs recorded that Sa`d bin Abi Waqqas said,

"On the day of Uhud, I saw two men wearing white clothes, one to the right of the Prophet and one to his left, who were defending the Prophet fiercely. I have never seen these men before or after that day."

Meaning angels Jibril and Mika'il, peace be upon them.

Abu Al-Aswad said that, Urwah bin Az-Zubayr said,

"Ubayy bin Khalaf of Bani Jumah swore in Makkah that he would kill the Messenger of Allah.

When the Messenger was told of his vow, he said, `Rather, I shall kill him, Allah willing.'

On the day of Uhud, Ubayy came while wearing iron shields and proclaiming, `May I not be saved, if Muhammad is saved.' He then headed to the direction of the Messenger of Allah intending to kill him, but Mus`ab bin Umayr, from Bani Abd Ad-Dar, intercepted him and shielded the Prophet with his body, and Mus`ab bin Umayr was killed.

The Messenger of Allah saw Ubayy's neck exposed between the shields and helmet, stabbed him with his spear, and Ubayy fell from his horse to the ground. However, no blood spilled from his wound. His people came and carried him away while he was moaning like an ox.

They said to him, `Why are you so anxious, it is only a flesh wound!'

Ubayy mentioned to them the Prophet's vow, `Rather, I shall kill Ubayy', then commented, `By He in Whose Hand is my soul! If what hit me hits the people of Dhul-Majaz (a popular pre-Islamic marketplace), they would all have perished.' He then died and went to the Fire,

فَسُحْقًا لاًّصْحَـبِ السَّعِيرِ

So, away with the dwellers of the blazing Fire! (67;11)"

This was collected by Musa bin Uqbah from Az-Zuhri from Sa`id bin Al-Musayyib.

It is recorded in the Two Sahih that;

when he was asked about the injuries the Messenger sustained (in Uhud), Sahl bin Sa`d said,

"The face of Allah's Messenger was injured, his front tooth was broken and his helmet was smashed on his head. Therefore, Fatimah, the daughter of Allah's Messenger washed off the blood while Ali was pouring water on her hand. When Fatimah saw that the bleeding increased more by the water, she took a mat, burnt it, and placed the ashes in the wound of the Prophet and the blood stopped oozing out."

Allah said next,

فَأَثَابَكُمْ غُمَّاً بِغَمٍّ

There did Allah give you one distress after another,

He gave you grief over your grief.

Ibn Abbas said,

The first grief was because of the defeat, especially when it was rumored that Muhammad was killed.

The second grief was when the idolators went up the mount and The Messenger of Allah said, "O Allah! It is not for them to rise above us."

Abdur-Rahman bin Awf said,

"The first distress was because of the defeat and the second when a rumor started that Muhammad was killed, which to them, was worse than defeat."

Ibn Marduwyah recorded both of these.

Mujahid and Qatadah said,

"The first distress was when they heard that Muhammad was killed and the second when they suffered casualties and injury."

It has also been reported that Qatadah and Ar-Rabi bin Anas said that;

it was the opposite (order).

As-Suddi said that;

the first distress was because of the victory and booty that they missed and the second because of the enemy rising above them (on the mount).

Allah said,

لِّكَيْلَ تَحْزَنُواْ عَلَى مَا فَاتَكُمْ

by way of requital to teach you not to grieve for that which had escaped you,

for that you missed the booty and triumph over your enemy.

وَلَا مَا أَصَابَكُمْ

nor for what struck you,

Ibn Abbas, Abdur-Rahman bin Awf, Al-Hasan, Qatadah and As-Suddi stated,

of injury and fatalities.

Allah said next,

وَاللّهُ خَبِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ



And Allah is Well-Aware of all that you do.

all praise is due to Him, and thanks, there is no deity worthy of worship except Him, the Most High, Most Honored