Surah An Nisa Tafseer

The Prohibition of Residing Among the Disbelievers While Able to Emigrate

Allah says;

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَليِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ

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 الْمَليِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ

(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 الْمَليِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ

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

قَالُواْ فِيمَ كُنتُمْ

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

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

قَالُواْ كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الَارْضِ

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

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

قَالْوَاْ أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ اللّهِ وَاسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُواْ فِيهَا

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

فَأُوْلَـيِكَ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَسَاءتْ 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,

مَنْ جَامَعَ الْمُشْرِكَ وَسَكَنَ مَعَهُ فَإِنَّهُ مِثْلُه

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

Allah's statement,

إِلاَّ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاء وَالْوِلْدَانِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلً