سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 97
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."
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."
