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Tafsir

Scholarly commentary explaining a verse — its context, its meaning and how the scholars have understood it.

An-Nahl 16:41

Word by word

وَٱلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا۟ فِى ٱللَّهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا ظُلِمُوا۟ لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً ۖ وَلَأَجْرُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ

And those who emigrated for [the cause of] Allāh after they had been wronged - We will surely settle them in this world in a good place; but the reward of the Hereafter is greater, if only they could know.

Ibn Kathir (Abridged) English Ma'arif al-Qur'an English Tafsir Muyassar Arabic Tafsir Ibn Kathir Arabic All sources

Ibn Kathir (Abridged)

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

The Reward of the Muhajirin

Allah tells us about the reward of those who migrated for His sake, seeking His pleasure, those who left their homeland behind, brothers and friends, hoping for the reward of Allah. This may have been revealed concerning those who migrated to Ethiopia, those whose persecution at the hands of their own people in Makkah was so extreme that they left them and went to Ethiopia so that they would be able to worship their Lord. Among the most prominent of these migrants were `Uthman bin `Affan and his wife Ruqayyah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Ja`far bin Abi Talib, the cousin of the Messenger ﷺ, and Abu Salamah bin `Abdul-Asad, among a group of almost eighty sincere and faithful men and women, may Allah be pleased with them. Allah promised them a great reward in this world and the next. Allah said:لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ فِى الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَة(We will certainly give them good residence in this world,) Ibn `Abbas, Ash-Sha`bi and Qatadah said: (this means) "Al-Madinah." It was also said that it meant "good provision". This was the opinion of Mujahid.

There is no contradiction between these two opinions, for they left their homes and wealth, but Allah compensated them with something better in this world. Whoever gives up something for the sake of Allah, Allah compensates him with something that is better for him than that, and this is what happened. He gave them power throughout the land and caused them to rule over the people, so they became governors and rulers, and each of them became a leader of the pious. Allah tells us that His reward for the Muhajirin in the Hereafter is greater than that which He gave them in this world, as He says:وَلاّجْرُ الاٌّخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ(but indeed the reward of the Hereafter will be greater) meaning, greater than that which We have given you in this world.لَوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُونَ(if they but knew!) means, if those who stayed behind and did not migrate with them only knew what Allah prepared for those who obeyed Him and followed His Messenger .

Then Allah describes them as:الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ(those who remained patient, and put their trust in their Lord.) (16:42), meaning, they bore their people's persecution with patience, putting their trust in Allah Who made their end good in this world and the Hereafter.

Ma'arif al-Qur'an

Mufti Muhammad Shafi

Commentary

The verb: هَاجَرُ‌وا (hajaru) is a derivation from hijrat (pausal : hijrah) which literally means to leave one's homeland. The leaving of one's home-land done for the sake of Allah is an act of great obedience and worship in Islam. The Holy Prophet ﷺ said: اَلھِجرۃ تَھدَمُ مَا کَانَ قَبلَھَا ('Hijrah demolishes all sins that were before it' ).

This Hijrah is Farcl (obligatory) and Wajib (necessary) under some situations while it is recommended as desirable and better (Mustahabb) under some others. Related injunctions have appeared in details under comments on verse 97 of Surah An-Nisa' أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْ‌ضُ اللَّـهِ وَاسِعَةً (Was not the earth of Allah wide enough that you might have sought refuge in it? - 3:97) [ Ma` ariful-Qur'an, Volume II ] Mentioned here at this place are particular promises which Allah Ta’ ala has made to Muhajirin, those who do Hijrah, that is, leave their homeland for His sake.

How does Hijrah bring Better Life in the Present World?

In the verses cited above, two great promises have been made to Muhajirin subject to some conditions: (1) To give them a good place right here in this world, and (2) To bless them with the greater reward of the Hereafter which is limitless. The expression: 'a good place in the world' is highly comprehensive. It includes a good residence for the Muhajir (one who does Hijrah) as well as neighbours who are good. It also includes extended means of living, supremacy over hostile enemies, recognition and fair name among people, and honour which continues through the family, and progeny. (Qurtubi)The background of the revelation of the verse is basically the first Hijrah which the noble Companions made to Ethiopea. Then, the probability that it may include the Hijrah to Ethiopea as well as the Hijrah to al-Madinah al-Munawwarah which came after that. Mentioned here in this verse are the same Muhajirin to Ethiopea, or the Muhajirin to Madinah.

Therefore, some scholars have said that this promise was for these blessed Sahabah ؓ only, that is, those who had made their Hijrah to Ethiopea, or those who had later done it to Madinah. As for the promise of Allah, it stood already fulfilled within the present world, something witnessed openly. Everyone saw how Madinah was made for them the real good place to live. Instead of hostile neighbours, they lived among those who were sympathetic, sharing and sacrificing. Enemies were conquered and subdued. Within a short period of time since their Hijrah, doors of ample sustenance were thrown open for them. The poor and needy of yester years became wealthy citizens of the day. Many countries of the world came under their sway. Such were their achiements in moral greatness and beauty of conduct that they remain receiving words of praise from friends and foes alike even to this day. Allah Ta` ala blessed them with great honour, and their generations as well. These were things that were to take place in this world, which they did. Now, the promise of the Hereafter shall also be fulfilled.

But, says Abu Hayyan in his Tafslr Al-Bahr Al-Muhit:وَالَّذِینَ ھَاجَرُوا عَام فِی المُھَاجِرِینَ کَایٔنا مَّا کَانُوا فَیَشمَلُ اَوَّلَھُم وآخِرَھُمThe expression: الَّذِينَ هَاجَرُ‌وا (And those who migrated) is general and inclusive of all those who leave their homeland whatever their country or time. Therefore, this includes all Muhajirin, from the very first ones down to the last among them who do their Hijrah for the sake of Allah right upto the Last Day, the day of Al-Qiyamah. (v. 5, p. 492)This is also as required by the general exegetic rule under which a commentator relies on the general sense of the word, even though there be a particular event or group as the prime cause of the revelation of the verse. Therefore, included in this promise are Muhajirin of the whole world and of all times - and the fulfillment of both these promises for all Muhajirin is certain.

A similar promise has been made for Muhajirin in the following verse of Surah An-Nisa' وَمَن يُهَاجِرْ‌ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ يَجِدْ فِي الْأَرْ‌ضِ مُرَ‌اغَمًا كَثِيرً‌ا وَسَعَةً [ And whoever migrates in the way of Allah he shall find many a place to settle and wide dimension (of resources) - 4:100] particularly promised wherein are spatial abundance and extensive means. But, along with these promises, the Holy Qur'an has also put forth some qualifications of Muhajirin and some conditions of Hijrah as well. Therefore, those deserving of the fulfillment of these promises can only be the Muhajirin who possess these qualifications and who have satisfied the desired conditions.

Tafsir Muyassar

Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Saudi Arabia

والذين تركوا ديارهم مِن أجل الله، فهاجروا بعدما وقع عليهم الظلم، لنسكننهم في الدنيا دارًا حسنة، ولأجر الآخرة أكبر; لأن ثوابهم فيها الجنة. لو كان المتخلفون عن الهجرة يعلمون علم يقين ما عند الله من الأجر والثواب للمهاجرين في سبيله، ما تخلَّف منهم أحد عن ذلك.

Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Hafiz Ibn Kathir

خبر تعالى عن جزائه للمهاجرين في سبيله ابتغاء مرضاته ، الذين فارقوا الدار والإخوان والخلان رجاء ثواب الله وجزائه .ويحتمل أن يكون سبب نزول هذه الآية الكريمة في مهاجرة الحبشة الذين اشتد أذى قومهم لهم بمكة ، حتى خرجوا من بين أظهرهم إلى بلاد الحبشة ، ليتمكنوا من عبادة ربهم ، ومن أشرافهم : عثمان بن عفان ، ومعه زوجته رقية بنت رسول الله - صلى الله عليه وسلم - ، وجعفر بن أبي طالب ، ابن عم الرسول وأبو سلمة بن عبد الأسد في جماعة قريب من ثمانين ، ما بين رجل وامرأة ، صديق وصديقة ، رضي الله عنهم وأرضاهم . وقد فعل فوعدهم تعالى بالمجازاة الحسنة في الدنيا والآخرة فقال : ( لنبوئنهم في الدنيا حسنة ) قال ابن عباس والشعبي ، وقتادة : المدينة .

وقيل : الرزق الطيب ، قاله مجاهد .ولا منافاة بين القولين ، فإنهم تركوا مساكنهم وأموالهم فعوضهم الله خيرا منها في الدنيا ، فإن من ترك شيئا لله عوضه الله بما هو خير له منه وكذلك وقع فإنهم مكن الله لهم في البلاد وحكمهم على رقاب العباد ، فصاروا أمراء حكاما ، وكل منهم للمتقين إماما ، وأخبر أن ثوابه للمهاجرين في الدار الآخرة أعظم مما أعطاهم في الدنيا ، فقال : ( ولأجر الآخرة أكبر ) أي : مما أعطيناهم في الدنيا ( لو كانوا يعلمون ) أي : لو كان المتخلفون عن الهجرة معهم يعلمون ما ادخر الله لمن أطاعه واتبع رسوله ; ولهذا قال هشيم ، عن العوام ، عمن حدثه أن عمر بن الخطاب - رضي الله عنه - كان إذا أعطى الرجل من المهاجرين عطاءه يقول : خذ بارك الله لك فيه ، هذا ما وعدك الله في الدنيا ، وما ادخر لك في الآخرة أفضل ، ثم قرأ هذه الآية : ( لنبوئنهم في الدنيا حسنة ولأجر الآخرة أكبر لو كانوا يعلمون ) .

Tafsir is provided for educational reference. Paragraph breaks are added for readability — the wording of each commentary is unchanged. For religious guidance, consult a qualified scholar.