Zayd, the Prophet's servant, reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: ''If anyone says 'I ask forgiveness from Allah, there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence, and I turn to Him in repentance,' his sins will be forgiven even if he has fled from the battlefield."
Anyone who says "I ask forgiveness from Allah, there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Sustainer of existence, and I turn to Him in repentance," his sins will be forgiven even if he fled from fighting the infidels on the battlefield. It is known from a Hadīth that desertion is one of the seven major sins. The correct meaning of the present Hadīth is that one should repent from all sins, including desertion. Otherwise, seeking forgiveness while continuing to commit a certain sin is useless, unless one repents from it.