3. [al-I’Imran, medina 89, context of Uhud, the Archers leaving the battle-field and going after the booty. ]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَلَّوْاْ مِنكُمْ يَوْمَ الْتَقَى الْجَمْعَانِ إِنَّمَا اسْتَزَلَّهُمُ الشَّيْطَانُ بِبَعْضِ مَا كَسَبُواْ...

3: 155. Those of you who turned back on the day the two hosts met, it was Satan who caused them to fail, because of some (evil) they had done.

C468. It was the duty of all who were able to fight, to fight in the sacred cause at Uhud.

But a small section were timid; they were not quite as bad as those who railed against Allah, or those who thoughtlessly disobeyed orders. But they still failed in their duty.

It is our inner motives that Allah regards. These timorous people were forgiven by Allah. Perhaps they were given another chance: perhaps they rose to it and did their duty then.

...وَلَقَدْ عَفَا اللّهُ عَنْهُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ غَفُورٌ حَلِيمٌ ﴿١٥٥﴾

But Allah has blotted out (their fault): for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Forbearing.

Other Versions:

3: 155

Asad Behold, as for those of you who turned away [from their duty] on the day when the two hosts met in battle – Satan caused them to stumble only by means of something that they [themselves] had done [note 117]. But now God has effected this sin of theirs: verily, God is much-forgiving, forbearing.

Pickthall Lo! those of you who turned back on the day when the two hosts met, Satan alone it was who caused them to backslide, because of some of that which they have earned. Now Allah hath forgiven them. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Clement.

Transliteration Innal lazina tawallau yaumal taqal jam'a_n(i), innamastazallahumusy syaita_nu bi ba'di ma_ kasabu_, wa laqad 'afalla_hu'anhum, innalla_ha gafu_run halim(un).

[[ Asad’s notes 117: This is an illustration of a significant Quranic doctrine, which can be thus summarized: “Satan’s influence” on man is not the primary cause of sin but its first consequence: that is to say, a consequence of a person’s own attitude of mind which moments of moral crisis induces him to choose the easier, and seemingly more pleasant, of the alternatives open to him, and thus to become guilty of a sin, whether by commission or omission. Thus, God’s “causing” a person to commit a sin is conditional upon the existence, in the individual concerned, of an attitude of mind which makes him prone to commit such a sin: which, in its turn, presupposes man’s free will – that is, the ability to make, within certain limitations, a conscious choice between two or more possible courses of action.]]