An-Nisa': 99

Ayah

Word by Word

فَأُوْلَٰٓئِكَ

Then those

عَسَى

may be

ٱللَّهُ

Allah

أَن

will

يَعۡفُوَ

pardon

عَنۡهُمۡۚ

[on] them

وَكَانَ

and is

ٱللَّهُ

Allah

عَفُوًّا

Oft-Pardoning

غَفُورٗا

Oft-Forgiving

Translation

For these, there is hope that Allah will forgive: For Allah doth blot out (sins) and forgive again and again.

Tafsir

The Prohibition of Residing Among the Disbelievers While Able to Emigrate

Allah says;

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الۡمَليِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنۡفُسِهِمۡ

Verily, as for those whom the angels take (in death) while they are wronging themselves,

Al-Bukhari recorded that Muhammad bin Abdur-Rahman, Abu Al-Aswad, said,

""The people of Al-Madinah were forced to prepare an army (to fight against the people of Ash-Sham during the Khilafah of Abdullah bin Az-Zubayir at Makkah), and I was enlisted in it.

Then I met Ikrimah, the freed slave of Ibn Abbas, and informed him (about it), and he forbade me strongly from doing so (i.e., to enlist in that army), and then he said to me,

`Ibn Abbas told me that some Muslims used to go out with the idolators increasing the size of their army against the Messenger of Allah. Then, an arrow would hit one of them and kill him, or he would be struck on his neck (with a sword) and killed, and Allah sent down the Ayah,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الۡمَليِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنۡفُسِهِمۡ

(Verily, as for those whom the angels take (in death) while they are wronging themselves).""'

Ad-Dahhak stated that;

this Ayah was revealed about some hypocrites who did not join the Messenger of Allah but remained in Makkah and went out with the idolators for the battle of Badr.

They were killed among those who were killed. Thus, this honorable Ayah was revealed about those who reside among the idolators, while able to perform Hijrah and unable to practice the faith.

Such people will be committing injustice against themselves and falling into a prohibition according to the consensus and also according to this Ayah,

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الۡمَليِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنۡفُسِهِمۡ

(Verily, as for those whom the angels take (in death) while they are wronging themselves), by refraining from Hijrah.

قَالُواۡ فِيمَ كُنتُمۡ

They (angels) say (to them):""In what (condition) were you!""

meaning, why did you remain here and not perform Hijrah!

قَالُواۡ كُنَّا مُسۡتَضۡعَفِينَ فِي الَارۡضِ

They reply:""We were weak and oppressed on the earth.""

meaning, we are unable to leave the land or move about in the earth.

قَالۡوَاۡ أَلَمۡ تَكُنۡ أَرۡضُ اللّهِ وَاسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُواۡ فِيهَا

They (angels) say:""Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to emigrate therein!""

فَأُوۡلَـيِكَ مَأۡوَاهُمۡ جَهَنَّمُ وَسَاءتۡ مَصِيرًا

Such men will find their abode in Hell - what an evil destination!

Abu Dawud recorded that;

Samurah bin Jundub said that the Messenger of Allah said,

مَنۡ جَامَعَ الۡمُشۡرِكَ وَسَكَنَ مَعَهُ فَإِنَّهُ مِثۡلُه

Whoever mingles with the idolator and resides with him, he is just like him.

Allah's statement,

إِلاَّ الۡمُسۡتَضۡعَفِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاء وَالۡوِلۡدَانِ لَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً وَلَا يَهۡتَدُونَ سَبِيلً

Except the weak ones among men, women and children who cannot devise a plan, nor are they able to direct their way.

is an excuse that Allah gives for this type of people not to emigrate, because they are unable to free themselves from the idolators. And even if they did, they would not know which way to go.

This is why Allah said,

لَا يَسۡتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً وَلَا يَهۡتَدُونَ سَبِيلاً

(Who cannot devise a plan, nor are they able to direct their way),

meaning, they do not find the way to emigrate, as Mujahid, Ikrimah and As-Suddi stated.

Allah's statement

فَأُوۡلَـيِكَ عَسَى اللّهُ أَن يَعۡفُوَ عَنۡهُمۡ

These are they whom Allah is likely to forgive them,

means, pardon them for not migrating, and here, `likely' means He shall,

وَكَانَ اللّهُ عَفُوًّا غَفُورًا

and Allah is Ever Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving.

Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said,

""While the Messenger of Allah was praying `Isha', he said, `Sami` Allahu Liman Hamidah.' He then said before he prostrated,

اللَّهُمَّ أَنۡجِ عَيَّاشَ بۡنَ أبِي رَبِيعَةَ اللَّهُمَّ أَنۡجِ سَلَمَةَ بۡنَ هِشَامٍ اللَّهُمَّ أَنۡجِ الۡوَلِيدَ بۡنَ الۡوَلِيدِ اللَّهُمَّ أَنۡجِ الۡمُسۡتَضۡعَفِينَ مِنَ الۡمُوۡمِنِينَ اللَّهُمَّ اشۡدُدۡ وَطۡأَتَكَ عَلَى مُضَرَ اللَّهُمَّ اجۡعَلۡهَا سِنِينَ كَسِنِي يُوسُف

O Allah! Save Ayyash bin Abi Rabi`ah. O Allah! Save Salamah bin Hisham. O Allah! Save Al-Walid bin Al-Walid. O Allah! Save the weak Muslims. O Allah! Be very hard on Mudar tribe. O Allah! Afflict them with years (of famine) similar to the (famine) years of the time of Prophet Yusuf.)""

Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu An-Nu`man said that Hammad bin Zayd said that Ayub narrated that Ibn Abi Mulaykah said that Ibn Abbas commented on the verse,

إِلاَّ الۡمُسۡتَضۡعَفِينَ

(Except the weak ones among men),

""I and my mother were among those (weak ones) whom Allah excused.""

Allah's statement

وَمَن يُهَاجِرۡ فِي سَبِيلِ اللّهِ يَجِدۡ فِي الَارۡضِ مُرَاغَمًا كَثِيرًا وَسَعَةً

He who emigrates in the cause of Allah, will find on earth many dwelling places and plenty to live by.

this encourages the believers to perform Hijrah and abandon the idolators, for wherever the believer emigrates, he will find a safe refuge to resort to.

Mujahid said that,

مُرَاغَمًا كَثِيرًا

(many dwelling places) means,

he will find a way out of what he dislikes.

Allah's statement,

وَسَعَةً

(and plenty to live by).

refers to provision.

Qatadah also said that,

يَجِدۡ فِي الَارۡضِ مُرَاغَمًا كَثِيرًا وَسَعَةً

(...will find on earth many dwelling places and plenty to live by) means,

Allah will take him from misguidance to guidance and from poverty to richness.

Allah's statement,

وَمَن يَخۡرُجۡ مِن بَيۡتِهِ مُهَاجِرًا إِلَى اللّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ يُدۡرِكۡهُ الۡمَوۡتُ فَقَدۡ وَقَعَ أَجۡرُهُ عَلى اللّهِ

And whosoever leaves his home as an emigrant unto Allah and His Messenger, and death overtakes him, his reward is then surely, incumbent upon Allah.

means, whoever starts emigrating and dies on the way, he will acquire the reward of those who emigrate for Allah.

The Two Sahihs, along with the Musnad and Sunan compilers, recorded that Umar bin Al-Khattab said that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّمَا الاَۡعۡمَالُ بِالنِّــيَّاتِ وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امۡرِىءٍ مَا نَوَى فَمَنۡ كَانَتۡ هِجۡرَتُهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجۡرَتُهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَمَنۡ كَانَتۡ هِجۡرَتُهُ إِلى دُنۡيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوِ امۡرَأَةٍ يَتَزَوَّجُهَا فَهِجۡرَتُهُ إِلى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيۡه

The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions, and every person will be rewarded according to what he has intended. So, whoever emigrated to Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger. And whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration is for what he emigrated for.

This Hadith is general, it applies to Hijrah as well as every other deed.

In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that;

a man killed ninety-nine people and completed the number one hundred when he killed a worshipper. He then asked a scholar if he has a chance to repent. The scholar said, ""What prevents you from repentance!"" The scholar told the killer to emigrate from his land to another land where Allah is worshipped.

When he left his land and started on the migration to the other land, death overtook him on the way.

The angels of mercy and the angels of torment disputed about the man, whereas the former said that he went out in repentance, while the latter said that he did not arrive at his destination.

They were commanded to measure the distance between the two lands and to whichever land he is closer to, he will be considered part of that land.

Allah commanded that the righteous land to move closer and the land of evil to move farther. The angels found that he died closer to the land that he intended to emigrate to by a hand-span, and thus the angels of mercy captured his soul.

In another narration, when death came to that man, he moved his chest towards the righteous village that he emigrated to.

وَكَانَ اللّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

And Allah is Ever Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Salat Al-Qasr, Shortening the Prayer

Allah said,

وَإِذَا ضَرَبۡتُمۡ فِي الَارۡضِ

And when you Darabtum in the land,

meaning if you travel in the land.

In another Ayah, Allah said,

أَن سَيَكُونُ مِنكُمۡ مَّرۡضَى وَءَاخَرُونَ يَضۡرِبُونَ فِى الاٌّرۡضِ يَبۡتَغُونَ مِن فَضۡلِ اللَّهِ وَءَاخَرُونَ

He knows that there will be some among you sick, others Yadribuna (traveling) through the land, seeking of Allah's bounty...). (73:20)

Allah's statement,

فَلَيۡسَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَقۡصُرُواۡ مِنَ الصَّلَةِ

there is no sin on you if you shorten the Salah (prayer),

by reducing (the units of the prayer) from four to two.

Allah's statement,

إِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ أَن يَفۡتِنَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواۡ

if you fear that the disbelievers may put you in trial (attack you),

refers to the typical type of fear prevalent when this Ayah was revealed.

In the beginning of Islam, and after the Hijrah, Muslims used to experience fear during most of their travels. Rather, they restricted their movements to large or short military expeditions. During that era, most areas were areas of combatant enemies of Islam and its people. But when the prevalent circumstances cease, or a new situation is prevalent, decrees of this nature may not be understood, as Allah said;

وَلَا تُكۡرِهُواۡ فَتَيَـتِكُمۡ عَلَى الۡبِغَأءِ إِنۡ أَرَدۡنَ تَحَصُّناً

And force not your slave girls to prostitution, if they desire chastity. (24:33)

And His saying;

وَرَبَايِبُكُمُ اللَّتِي فِي حُجُورِكُم مِّن نِّسَأيِكُمُ

(And your stepdaughters, under your guardianship, born of your wives whom you have gone into) (24:23)

Imam Ahmad recorded that Ya`la bin Umayyah said,

""I asked `Umar bin Al-Khattab about the verse:

فَلَيۡسَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ جُنَاحٌ أَن تَقۡصُرُواۡ مِنَ الصَّلَةِ

إِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ أَن يَفۡتِنَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواۡ

(there is no sin on you if you shorten the prayer. If you fear that the disbelievers may put you in trial), `Allah granted Muslims safety now.'

Umar said to me, `I wondered about the same thing and asked the Messenger of Allah about it and he said,

صَدَقَــةٌ تَصَدَّقَ اللهُ بِهَا عَلَيۡكُمۡ فَاقۡبَلُوا صَدَقَتَه

A gift that Allah has bestowed on you, so accept His gift.""

Muslim and the collectors of Sunan recorded this Hadith.

At-Tirmidhi said, ""Hasan Sahih"".

Ali bin Al-Madini said, ""This Hadith is Hasan Sahih from the narration of Umar, and it is not preserved by any other route besides this one, and its narrators are all known.""

Abu Bakr Ibn Abi Shaybah recorded that Abu Hanzalah Al-Hadha' said,

""I asked Ibn Umar about the Qasr prayer and he said,

`It consists of two Rak`ahs.'

I said, what about Allah's statement,

إِنۡ خِفۡتُمۡ أَن يَفۡتِنَكُمُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواۡ

(if you fear that the disbelievers may put you in trial (attack you), `We are safe now.'

He said, `This is the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah.""'

Al-Bukhari recorded that Anas said,

""We went out with the Messenger of Allah from Al-Madinah to Makkah; he used to pray two Rak`ahs until we went back to Al-Madinah.""

When he was asked how long they remained in Makkah, he said, ""We remained in Makkah for ten days.""

This was recorded by the Group.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Harithah bin Wahb Al-Khuza`i said,

""I prayed behind the Prophet for the Zuhr and `Asr prayers in Mina, when the people were numerous and very safe, and he prayed two Rak`ahs.""

This was recorded by the Group, with the exception of Ibn Majah.

Al-Bukhari's narration of this Hadith reads,

""The Prophet led us in the prayer at Mina during the peace period by offering two Rak`ahs.""

Allah's statement,

إِنَّ الۡكَافِرِينَ كَانُواۡ لَكُمۡ عَدُوًّا مُّبِينًا

verily, the disbelievers are ever unto you open enemies."