@explaining.quran: "Whoever says: أستغفر الله العظيم الذي لا إله إلا هو الحي القيوم وأتوب إليه Astaghfirullāhal-'Aẓīm alladhī lā ilāha illā Huwa, al-Ḥayyul-Qayyūm, wa atūbu ilayh. 'I seek forgiveness from Allah, the Magnificent, besides whom there is no god, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer, and I repent to Him,' will be forgiven, even if he fled from the battlefield." This hadith is reported in Sunan al-Tirmidhi and Sunan Abi Dawud. Many scholars, including Al-Albani, graded it as authentic (sahih). The phrase "even if he fled from the battlefield" emphasizes the immense mercy of Allah. Fleeing from a lawful battle is mentioned in the Qur'an as a major sin, yet this hadith highlights that sincere repentance and seeking Allah's forgiveness can erase even very great sins. The key is that the person says it sincerely, with genuine repentance and the intention to turn back to Allah.