سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ

Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 97

The Women · Medinan · Juz 5 · Page 94

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إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَوَفَّىٰهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ ظَالِمِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا۟ فِيمَ كُنتُمْ ۖ قَالُوا۟ كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ قَالُوٓا۟ أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٰسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُوا۟ فِيهَا ۚ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مَأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ ۖ وَسَآءَتْ مَصِيرًا ﴿97﴾

Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali

Verily! As for those whom the angels take (in death) while they are wronging themselves (as they stayed among the disbelievers even though emigration was obligatory for them), they (angels) say (to them): "In what (condition) were you?" They reply: "We were weak and oppressed on the earth." They (angels) say: "Was not the earth of Allâh spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?" Such men will find their abode in Hell - What an evil destination!

Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning

إِنَّ inna Indeed
ٱلَّذِينَ alladhīna those whom
تَوَفَّىٰهُمُ tawaffāhumu take them (in death)
ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ l-malāikatu the Angels
ظَالِمِىٓ ẓālimī (while) they (were) wronging
أَنفُسِهِمْ anfusihim themselves
قَالُوا۟ qālū they say
فِيمَ fīma In what (condition)
كُنتُمْ ۖ kuntum were you
قَالُوا۟ qālū They said
كُنَّا kunnā We were
مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ mus'taḍʿafīna oppressed
فِى fī in
ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ l-arḍi the earth
قَالُوٓا۟ qālū They said
أَلَمْ alam Not
تَكُنْ takun was
أَرْضُ arḍu (the) earth
ٱللَّهِ l-lahi (of) Allah
وَٰسِعَةًۭ wāsiʿatan spacious (enough)
فَتُهَاجِرُوا۟ fatuhājirū so that you (could) emigrate
فِيهَا ۚ fīhā in it
فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ fa-ulāika Then those
مَأْوَىٰهُمْ mawāhum (will have) their abode
جَهَنَّمُ ۖ jahannamu (in) Hell
وَسَآءَتْ wasāat and it is an evil
مَصِيرًا maṣīran destination

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi

Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

(Ayah 97) ➊ { اِنَّ الَّذِيْنَ تَوَفّٰىهُمُ الْمَلٰٓىِٕكَةُ ظَالِمِيْۤ اَنْفُسِهِمْ:} This verse was revealed about those people who had become Muslims in Mecca and its surrounding areas but avoided migrating by leaving their ancestral land and families (even though there was no obstacle for them in migration). Whereas a very emphatic command had already been given to gather the strength of the Muslims in one place through migration, therefore, those who did not act upon the command of migration have been declared wrongdoers here, and their abode has been described as Hell. From this, firstly, it is understood that according to circumstances and context, some commands of Islam become equivalent to disbelief or Islam. For example, at this time, migration was considered equivalent to Islam, and avoiding it was considered equivalent to disbelief. Secondly, it is understood that it is obligatory to migrate from such a land of disbelief where practicing the teachings of Islam is difficult and living there encourages disbelief and the people of disbelief.

➋ {قَالُوْا فِيْمَ كُنْتُمْ … :} That is, the angels ask them in a scolding manner whether they were Muslims or disbelievers, or what they used to do while living in the land of disbelief, and why they did not migrate towards Madinah? From this, it is understood that such people, despite being Muslims, die the death of wrongdoers due to abandoning migration without excuse. The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: [ مَنْ جَامَعَ الْمُشْرِكَ وَ سَكَنَ مَعَهُ فَإِنَّهُ مِثْلُهُ ] [ أبو داوٗد ، الجھاد، باب فی الإقامۃ بأرض الشرک : ۲۷۸۷، عن سمرۃ بن جندب رضی اللہ عنہ ] "Whoever stays together with a polytheist and resides with him, then surely he is just like him."

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf

Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

97. 1. This verse was revealed about those people who had become Muslims in Mecca and its surrounding areas but avoided migrating by leaving their ancestral land and families. Since Muslims had already been given a very emphatic command to migrate in order to consolidate the strength of the Muslims in one place, those who did not act upon the command of migration have been called wrongdoers here. Their abode has been described as Hell, from which it is understood, firstly, that according to circumstances, some commands of Islam become equivalent to disbelief or Islam itself, as in this case migration was considered equivalent to Islam and avoiding it was considered equivalent to disbelief. Secondly, it is understood that it is obligatory to migrate from such a land of disbelief where practicing the teachings of Islam is difficult and living there encourages disbelief and its people.

97. 2. Here, by "land" (ارض), in terms of the context of revelation, is meant Mecca and its surroundings, and further ahead, by "Allah's land" (ارض اللہ) is meant Medina. But in terms of the ruling, it is general, i.e., the first place refers to the land of the disbelievers where practicing Islam is difficult, and "Allah's land" refers to any place where a person migrates for the purpose of practicing Allah's religion.

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani

Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.

97. Indeed, those who wronged themselves [134], when the angels take their souls, they will ask: "What was your condition?" They will reply, "We were oppressed and helpless in the land." The angels will say, "Was not Allah’s earth spacious enough for you to emigrate therein?" Such people will have their abode in Hell—what an evil destination!

[134]
Jihad is Not a Condition for Entering Paradise:

This verse concerns those Muslims who, despite being able to migrate, did not do so and hesitated to leave their homes and go to the land of migration (Madinah). And this was their wrongdoing against themselves. Their wrongdoing against the Muslims was that, at the time of battle, they had to side with the polytheists, and the polytheists would use the trick of placing such Muslims at the front of their ranks so that they would serve as a shield and defense for them. Now, this became a great dilemma for the Muslim army: if they fought, shot arrows, or wielded swords, their own Muslim brothers would be killed, and if they held back, they themselves would suffer harm. Thus, Sayyiduna Ibn Abbas ؓ says regarding the reason for the revelation of this verse: “Among the (Meccan) Muslims, there were some who sided with the polytheists and increased their numbers at the time of confrontation. Then, if an arrow from the Muslims struck them or someone was hit by a sword, they would be wounded or killed. It was about such people that Allah revealed this verse.” [بخاري، كتاب التفسير]

The Loss of Not Migrating:

From the warning given in this verse for such Muslims, it is also incidentally understood that such weak faith is not acceptable to Allah. Therefore, if the polytheists use them as shields, for the collective interest of the Muslims, they should be killed without hesitation, and Allah has not accepted the excuse of their weakness, because this was not weakness but rather love for home and greed for wealth and property, due to which they did not migrate, or else it will be considered cowardice.
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