4262 - My father narrated to us, Ahmad ibn 'Abd al-Rahman narrated to us, 'Abd Allah ibn Abi Ja'far narrated to us, from his father, from al-Rabi' regarding His saying: "Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels?" This was on the day of Uhud, when what befell them of wounds and killing occurred, and they cried out concerning the Prophet of Allah, saying: "He has been killed." And some of them said: "If he were a prophet, he would not have been killed."

And some of the companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "Fight for that which your Prophet fought for, until Allah grants you victory or you join him." So Allah the Exalted revealed: "Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels?" He says: If your Prophet dies or is killed, will you revert as disbelievers after you have believed? It has been narrated from Qatadah similar to the saying of al-Rabi'.

4263 - Muhammad ibn al-'Abbas narrated to us, Junayj narrated to us, Salamah narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Ishaq said: "Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels?" Meaning: The people were saying, "Muhammad has been killed," and their defeat at that time, and their turning away from their enemy. Meaning: "So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back" i.e., return from your religion as disbelievers just as you were, and abandon the jihad against your enemy, and the Book of Allah, and what His Prophet left with you and among you? For He has already clarified to you in that which he brought to you from Me that he is to die and depart from you.

His saying, the Exalted: "And whoever turns back on his heels"

4264 - Hajjaj ibn Hamzah narrated to us, Shababah narrated to us, Warqa' narrated to us, from Ibn Abi Najih, from Mujahid regarding His saying: "And whoever turns back on his heels" He said: He apostatizes.

4265 - Muhammad ibn 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abd al-Hakam informed us by way of reading, Ibn Wahb reported to us, he said: Khalid ibn Humayd informed me, from Khalid ibn Yazid, from Habib ibn Sandar, from 'Abd Allah ibn Dam'aj, that he heard 'Abd Allah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As saying: "I shall inform you of the one who turns back on his heels: it is he who takes the stipend and fights in the cause of Allah, then abandons that and takes to the land for the jizya (tribute) and the provision—that is the one who turns back on his heels."

His saying, the Exalted: "Then he will not harm Allah at all"

4266 - Muhammad ibn al-'Abbas narrated to us, Junayj narrated to us, Salamah narrated to us, Muhammad ibn Ishaq said: "Then he will not harm Allah at all" i.e., that will not diminish Allah's might, nor His dominion, nor His authority, nor His power.