Surah Al-Anfal, Ayah 16 (8:16)

ٱلْأَنْفَال

وَمَن يُوَلِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ دُبُرَهُۥٓ إِلَّا مُتَحَرِّفًا لِّقِتَالٍ أَوْ مُتَحَيِّزًا إِلَىٰ فِئَةٍ فَقَدْ …

Quran 8:16 is ayah 16 of Surah Al-Anfal (“The Spoils of War”), a Medinan surah of 75 ayahs. It is in Juz 9, on page 178 of the Madani Mushaf.

8:16
وَمَنيُوَلِّهِمْيَوْمَئِذٍدُبُرَهُۥٓإِلَّامُتَحَرِّفًالِّقِتَالٍأَوْمُتَحَيِّزًاإِلَىٰفِئَةٍفَقَدْبَآءَبِغَضَبٍمِّنَٱللَّهِوَمَأْوَىٰهُجَهَنَّمُ ۖوَبِئْسَٱلْمَصِيرُ١٦
waman yuwallihim yawma-idhin duburahu illā mutaḥarrifan liqitālin aw mutaḥayyizan ilā fi-atin faqad bāa bighaḍabin mina l-lahi wamawāhu jahannamu wabi'sa l-maṣīru

And whoever turns his back to them on such a day, unless swerving [as a strategy] for war or joining [another] company, has certainly returned with anger [upon him] from Allāh, and his refuge is Hell - and wretched is the destination.(16)

Word by word

  1. وَمَنwamanAnd whoever
  2. يُوَلِّهِمْyuwallihimturns to them
  3. يَوْمَئِذٍyawma-idhinthat day
  4. دُبُرَهُۥٓduburahuhis back
  5. إِلَّاillāexcept
  6. مُتَحَرِّفًاmutaḥarrifan(as) a strategy
  7. لِّقِتَالٍliqitālinof war
  8. أَوْawor
  9. مُتَحَيِّزًاmutaḥayyizan(to) join
  10. إِلَىٰilāto
  11. فِئَةٍfi-atina group
  12. فَقَدْfaqadcertainly
  13. بَآءَbāa(he has) incurred
  14. بِغَضَبٍbighaḍabinwrath
  15. مِّنَminaof
  16. ٱللَّهِl-lahiAllah
  17. وَمَأْوَىٰهُwamawāhuand his abode
  18. جَهَنَّمُ ۖjahannamu(is) Hell
  19. وَبِئْسَwabi'saa wretched
  20. ٱلْمَصِيرُl-maṣīrudestination

Tafsir (commentary) of 8:16

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English · EnglishTafsir Ibn Kathir (Abridged) — Hafiz Ibn Kathir

This commentary explains ayahs 8:15–16 together.

Read the English tafsir of 8:15–16 →

Read the full Surah Al-Anfal