Ibn Kathir (Abridged)
Hafiz Ibn KathirAllah Accepts the Supplication of Men of Understanding
Allah said, فَاسْتَجَابَ لَهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ (So their Lord accepted of them), answered their invocation. Sa`id bin Mansur recorded that Salamah, a man from the family of Umm Salamah said, "Umm Salamah said, `O Messenger of Allah! Allah does not mention women in connection with Hijrah (Migration).' Allah sent down the Ayah, فَاسْتَجَابَ لَهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ أَنِّى لاَ أُضِيعُ عَمَلَ عَامِلٍ مِّنْكُمْ مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَى(So their Lord accepted of them (their supplication and answered them), "Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female.) The Ansar say that Umm Salamah was the first woman to migrate to them." Al-Hakim collected this Hadith in his Mustadrak, and said, "It is Sahih according to the criteria of Al-Bukhari but they Al-Bukhari and Muslim did not collect it". Allah's statement, أَنِّى لاَ أُضِيعُ عَمَلَ عَامِلٍ مِّنْكُمْ مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَى("Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female,) explains the type of answer Allah gave them, stating that no deed of any person is ever lost with Him.
Rather, He will completely reward each person for his or her good deeds. Allah's statement, بَعْضُكُم مِّن بَعْضٍ(You are (members) one of another) means, you are all equal in relation to gaining My reward. Therefore, فَالَّذِينَ هَـجَرُواْ(those who emigrated), by leaving the land of Shirk and migrating to the land of faith, leaving behind their loved ones, brethren, friends and neighbors, وَأُخْرِجُواْ مِن دِيَـرِهِمْ (and were driven out from their homes), when the Mushriks tormented them and forced them to migrate, وَأُوذُواْ فِى سَبِيلِى (and suffered harm in My cause), for their only wrong, to the people, was that they believed in Allah Alone. In similar Ayat, Allah said, يُخْرِجُونَ الرَّسُولَ وَإِيَّـكُمْ أَن تُؤْمِنُواْ بِاللَّهِ رَبِّكُمْ(and have driven out the Messenger and yourselves because you believe in Allah your Lord!) 60:1, and, وَمَا نَقَمُواْ مِنْهُمْ إِلاَّ أَن يُؤْمِنُواْ بِاللَّهِ الْعَزِيزِ الْحَمِيدِ (And they had no fault except that they believed in Allah, the Almighty, Worthy of all praise!) 85:8 .
Allah's statement, وَقَـتَلُواْ وَقُتِلُواْ (and who fought and were killed (in My cause),) 3:195 refers to the highest rank there is, that one fights in the cause of Allah and dies in the process, with his face covered in dust and blood. It is recorded in the Sahih that a man said, يا رسول الله، أرأيت إن قتلت في سبيل الله صابرًا محتسبًا مقبلًا غير مدبر، أيكفر الله عني خطاياي؟ قال:«نَعَم»ثُمَّ قَالَ:«كَيْفَ قُلْتَ؟» فأعاد عليه ما قال، فقال: «نَعَمْ، إِلَّا الدَّيْنَ، قَالَهُ لِي جِبْرِيلُ آنِفًا» ('O Messenger of Allah!
If I was killed in Allah's cause, observing patience, awaiting Allah's reward, attacking, not retreating, would Allah forgive my sins' The Prophet said, `Yes.' The Prophet then asked the man, `What did you ask' When the man repeated the question, the Prophet said, `Yes, except for the debt, for Jibril conveyed this to me right now'.) This is why Allah said here, لأُكَفِّرَنَّ عَنْهُمْ سَيِّئَـتِهِمْ وَلأدْخِلَنَّهُمْ جَنَّـتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ (verily, I will expiate from them their evil deeds and admit them into Gardens under which rivers flow), within Paradise, where there are rivers of various drinks: milk, honey, wine and fresh water. There is what no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard and no heart has ever imagined of delights in Paradise. Allah's statement, ثَوَاباً مِّن عِندِ اللَّهِ (a reward from Allah) testifies to His might, for the Mighty and Most Great only gives tremendous rewards. Allah's statement, وَاللَّهُ عِندَهُ حُسْنُ الثَّوَابِ (and with Allah is the best of rewards.") for those who perform good deeds.