33. Ahzab · verses 13–16

وَإِذۡ قَالَت طَّآئِفَةٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ يَٰٓأَهۡلَ يَثۡرِبَ لَا مُقَامَ لَكُمۡ فَٱرۡجِعُواْۚ وَيَسۡتَـٔۡذِنُ فَرِيقٞ مِّنۡهُمُ ٱلنَّبِيَّ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوۡرَةٞ وَمَا هِيَ بِعَوۡرَةٍۖ إِن يُرِيدُونَ إِلَّا فِرَارٗا

Waith qalat taifatun minhum ya ahla yathriba la muqama lakum fairjiAAoo wayastathinu fareequn minhumu alnnabiyya yaqooloona inna buyootana AAawratun wama hiya biAAawratin in yureedoona illa firaran

Behold! A party among them said: "Ye men of Yathrib! ye cannot stand (the attack)! therefore go back!" And a band of them ask for leave of the Prophet, saying, "Truly our houses are bare and exposed," though they were not exposed they intended nothing but to run away.

وَلَوۡ دُخِلَتۡ عَلَيۡهِم مِّنۡ أَقۡطَارِهَا ثُمَّ سُئِلُواْ ٱلۡفِتۡنَةَ لَأٓتَوۡهَا وَمَا تَلَبَّثُواْ بِهَآ إِلَّا يَسِيرٗا

Walaw dukhilat AAalayhim min aqtariha thumma suiloo alfitnata laatawha wama talabbathoo biha illa yaseeran

And if an entry had been effected to them from the sides of the (city), and they had been incited to sedition, they would certainly have brought it to pass, with none but a brief delay!

وَلَقَدۡ كَانُواْ عَٰهَدُواْ ٱللَّهَ مِن قَبۡلُ لَا يُوَلُّونَ ٱلۡأَدۡبَٰرَۚ وَكَانَ عَهۡدُ ٱللَّهِ مَسۡـُٔولٗا

Walaqad kanoo AAahadoo Allaha min qablu la yuwalloona aladbara wakana AAahdu Allahi masoolan

And yet they had already covenanted with Allah not to turn their backs, and a covenant with Allah must (surely) be answered for.

قُل لَّن يَنفَعَكُمُ ٱلۡفِرَارُ إِن فَرَرۡتُم مِّنَ ٱلۡمَوۡتِ أَوِ ٱلۡقَتۡلِ وَإِذٗا لَّا تُمَتَّعُونَ إِلَّا قَلِيلٗا

Qul lan yanfaAAakumu alfiraru in farartum mina almawti awi alqatli waithan la tumattaAAoona illa qaleelan

Say: "Running away will not profit you if ye are running away from death or slaughter; and even if (ye do escape), no more than a brief (respite) will ye be allowed to enjoy!"