Surah Ahzab ayat 15 Tafsir Quran 33:15

﴿وَلَقَدْ كَانُوا عَاهَدُوا اللَّهَ مِن قَبْلُ لَا يُوَلُّونَ الْأَدْبَارَ ۚ وَكَانَ عَهْدُ اللَّهِ مَسْئُولًا﴾
[ الأحزاب: 15]

33:15 And they had already promised Allah before not to turn their backs and flee. And ever is the promise to Allah [that about which one will be] questioned.

Though they had assuredly pledged to God before that that they would not turn their backs to flee; and a pledge given to God must be answered for regarding whether it was fulfilled or not.

Yet they had already given their solemn promise to Allah never to defect, desert or flee the enemy. They failed to realize that an engagement entered into with Allah is indeed an immense responsibility

يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوْرَةٌ وَمَا هِىَ بِعَوْرَةٍ إِن يُرِيدُونَ إِلاَّ فِرَاراً ( "Truly, our homes lie open." And they lay not open.
They but wished to flee. ) If the enemy had entered upon them from every side of Al-Madinah and from every direction, then demanded that they become disbelievers, they would have promptly done so.
They would not have adhered to their faith or remained steadfast in it if they were faced with the slightest fear.
This is how it was interpreted by Qatadah, `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd and Ibn Jarir.
This is a condemnation of them in the clearest terms.
Then Allah reminds them of the promise they had made to Him before this fear struck them, that they would not turn their backs or flee from the battlefield. وَكَانَ عَهْدُ اللَّهِ مَسْئُولاً ( and a covenant with Allah must be answered for. ) means, Allah will inevitably ask them about that covenant.
Then Allah tells them that fleeing from battle will not delay their appointed demise or make their lives any longer; on the contrary, it may be the cause of their being taken sooner, and in a sudden manner.
Allah says: وَإِذاً لاَّ تُمَتَّعُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً ( and then you will enjoy no more than a little while! ) meaning, `after you run away and flee from battle.' قُلْ مَتَـعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالاٌّخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنِ اتَّقَى ( Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this world.
The Hereafter is better for him who have Taqwa" ) ( 4:77 ).
Then Allah says: قُلْ مَن ذَا الَّذِى يَعْصِمُكُمْ مِّنَ اللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ سُوءاً أَوْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ رَحْمَةً وَلاَ يَجِدُونَ لَهُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيّاً وَلاَ نَصِيراً ( Say: "Who is he who can protect you from Allah if He intends to harm you, or intends mercy on you" And they will not find, besides Allah, for themselves any protector or any helper. ) meaning, they have no one else except Allah to respond to their cries.

(33:15) They had earlier covenanted with Allah that they would not turn their backs in flight. And a covenant made with Allah must needs be answered for. *27

And they had already promised Allah before meaning

*27) That is, " They had felt regret at the weakness they had shown on the occasion of the Battle of Uhud and pledged to Allah that they would compensate for their error in any trial that they would confront in the future.
But Allah cannot be deceived by empty words.
He puts to one or the other test everyone who makes a pledge with Him so that his sincerity of intention or otherwise is found out.
Therefore, just after two years of the Battle of Uhud, He made them confront an even more serious danger and discovered how far they were sincere in their pledge. "
 

يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ بُيُوتَنَا عَوْرَةٌ وَمَا هِىَ بِعَوْرَةٍ إِن يُرِيدُونَ إِلاَّ فِرَاراً ( "Truly, our homes lie open." And they lay not open.
They but wished to flee. ) If the enemy had entered upon them from every side of Al-Madinah and from every direction, then demanded that they become disbelievers, they would have promptly done so.
They would not have adhered to their faith or remained steadfast in it if they were faced with the slightest fear.
This is how it was interpreted by Qatadah, `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd and Ibn Jarir.
This is a condemnation of them in the clearest terms.
Then Allah reminds them of the promise they had made to Him before this fear struck them, that they would not turn their backs or flee from the battlefield. وَكَانَ عَهْدُ اللَّهِ مَسْئُولاً ( and a covenant with Allah must be answered for. ) means, Allah will inevitably ask them about that covenant.
Then Allah tells them that fleeing from battle will not delay their appointed demise or make their lives any longer; on the contrary, it may be the cause of their being taken sooner, and in a sudden manner.
Allah says: وَإِذاً لاَّ تُمَتَّعُونَ إِلاَّ قَلِيلاً ( and then you will enjoy no more than a little while! ) meaning, `after you run away and flee from battle.' قُلْ مَتَـعُ الدُّنْيَا قَلِيلٌ وَالاٌّخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِّمَنِ اتَّقَى ( Say: "Short is the enjoyment of this world.
The Hereafter is better for him who have Taqwa" ) ( 4:77 ).
Then Allah says: قُلْ مَن ذَا الَّذِى يَعْصِمُكُمْ مِّنَ اللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ سُوءاً أَوْ أَرَادَ بِكُمْ رَحْمَةً وَلاَ يَجِدُونَ لَهُمْ مِّن دُونِ اللَّهِ وَلِيّاً وَلاَ نَصِيراً ( Say: "Who is he who can protect you from Allah if He intends to harm you, or intends mercy on you" And they will not find, besides Allah, for themselves any protector or any helper. ) meaning, they have no one else except Allah to respond to their cries.

( And verily they had already sworn unto Allah ) before the battle of the Ditch, on the occasion of the battle of the Clans ( that they would not turn their backs ) fleeing from the idolaters. ( An oath to Allah ) the one who breaks his oath to Allah ( must he answered for ) will be asked about it on the Day of Judgement.

And indeed they had already made a covenant with Allah not to turn their backs, and a covenant with Allah must be answered for.

Page 419 English transliteration