(36) باب مَا جَاءَ فِي الْفِرَارِ مِنَ الزَّحْفِ
Narrated Ibn 'Umar:
"The Messenger of Allah sent us on a military expedition, and the people turned to escape. So we arrived in Al-Madinah and concealed ourselves in it and we said: 'We are ruined.' Then we went to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and we said: 'O Messenger of Allah! We are those who fled.' He said: 'Rather you are Al-'Akkarun (those who are regrouping) and I am your reinforcement.[Abu 'Eisa said:] This Hadith is Hasan Gharib. We do not know of it except as a narration of Yazid bin Abi Ziyad. And the meaning of his saying: "The people turned to escape" is that they fled from the fighting. As for the meaning of his saying: "Rather you are Al-'Akkarun," the 'Akkar is the one who flees to his Imam in order that he may help him, it does not mean fleeing from the advancing army.
Reference: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 1716
In-book reference: Book 23, Hadith 50
English translation: Vol. 3, Book 21, Hadith 1716