The Ruling on Disobeying the Commander’s Order in Battle

Question:
Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success. If a soldier wants to be in the front row, desiring to attain martyrdom and not desiring to show off, but he does not listen to his commander’s opinion to stay away from the battle, what is the ruling on that?

Answer:
That is forbidden and not permissible, because obedience to the commander is obligatory. So if the mujahid is placed in the guard, or placed in the rear, or placed in the front, or in the back according to the interest, he must obey. The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) said: And in another expedition, when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) placed the archers on the mountain and said to them, "Do not leave the mountain, whether we win or we are defeated," when the archers saw at first that the Muslims had won and began to collect the spoils, they wanted to leave the mountain. Their commander, Abdullah ibn Jubayr (may Allah be pleased with him), forbade them and reminded them of the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), "Do not leave the mountain."
But they disobeyed him and descended, so the punishment came upon everyone. A disaster befell the Muslims at the Battle of Uhud, which Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) mentioned, and that was due to this sin, because these people disobeyed the commander and left their place where they were ordered to stay. So defeat came upon the Muslims, and the disaster and severe wounds came upon the Muslims due to this sin. So it is not permissible to disobey the Muslim commander; wherever the soldier is placed, he must obey and comply. And this is what brings the reward. The reward is to do what he is placed to do. As for if they say, "I have a spirit for the front row for the sake of martyrdom," this is a sin, and he does not get any reward in it.