Tafseer of The Women · An-Nisaa · 4:100
And whoever emigrates for the cause of Allah will find on the earth many [alternative] locations and abundance. And whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him - his reward has already become incumbent upon Allah. And Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The discourse on the explanation of His statement: وَمَنْ يُهَاجِرْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يَجِدْ فِي الأَرْضِ مُرَاغَمًا كَثِيرًا وَسَعَةً وَمَنْ يَخْرُجْ مِنْ بَيْتِهِ مُهَاجِرًا إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ يُدْرِكْهُ الْمَوْتُ فَقَدْ وَقَعَ أَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللَّهِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَحِيمًا (100) ("And whoever emigrates in the way of Allah will find on earth ample refuge and abundance. And whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him, his reward has surely fallen upon Allah; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful") (4:100).
Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted means by His statement "and whoever emigrates in the way of Allah": and whoever leaves the land of shirk and its inhabitants, fleeing with his religion from that land and from them, to the land of Islam and its believing inhabitants = "in the way of Allah," that is to say: upon the course of the religion of Allah and His way which He has prescribed for His creatures, and that is the right religion = "will find on earth ample refuge," He says: this emigrant in the way of Allah will find = "ample refuge (murāghaman kathīran)," and that is the place to dwell in the lands and the way of refuge.
* * *
From this it is said: "rāghama fulānun qawmahu murāghaman wa-murāghamatan," as a verbal noun; and from this is the saying of Nābigha of the Banū Jaʿda:
Like a mountaintop from whose pillars protection is sought,
mighty of refuge and escape.
And His statement "and abundance (saʿatan)": this may refer to the spaciousness in the matter of their religion at Mecca, namely their being prevented by them from professing their religion openly and worshipping their Lord openly.
* * *
Then the Exalted informed concerning whoever goes forth as an emigrant from the land of shirk, fleeing with his religion to Allah and to His Messenger, that if his death reaches him before he reaches the land of Islam and the abode of emigration, He said: whoever is thus = "his reward has surely fallen upon Allah," and that is the recompense of his deed and the reward of his emigration and his leaving his homeland and his kinsmen for the abode of Islam and the people of his religion. He, exalted is His mention, says: and whoever goes forth as an emigrant from his house to Allah and to His Messenger has surely earned the reward of his emigration = if he does not reach his abode of emigration because death snatches him away before he reaches it = with his Lord = "and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful," He says: and Allah, exalted is His mention, is ever = "Forgiving," that is to say: covering the sins of His believing servants by remitting the punishment for them = "Merciful," toward them, gentle.
* * *
It has been mentioned that this verse was revealed concerning someone who was residing at Mecca and was a Muslim, who went forth when there had reached him the news that Allah had revealed the two verses before it, namely His statement: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ up to His statement: "and Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving" ("Verily, those whom the angels take while they were wronging themselves"), and he died on his way before he reached Medina.
Mention of the reports transmitted concerning that:
10282- Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm related to me, saying: Hushaym related to us, on the authority of Abū Bishr, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr concerning His statement: "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger," he said: there was a man of Khuzāʿa, named Ḍamra ibn al-ʿĪṣ — or: al-ʿĪṣ ibn Ḍamra ibn Zinbāʿ — he said: when emigration was enjoined upon them, he was sick, and he commanded his household to spread out for him upon his bed and to carry him to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He said: they did that, and death overtook him while he was at al-Tanʿīm, and this verse was revealed.
10283- Muḥammad ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Muḥammad ibn Jaʿfar related to us, saying: Shuʿba related to us, on the authority of Abū Bishr, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr that he said: this verse "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him, his reward has surely fallen upon Allah" was revealed concerning Ḍamra ibn al-ʿĪṣ ibn al-Zinbāʿ = or: so-and-so ibn Ḍamra ibn al-ʿĪṣ ibn al-Zinbāʿ = when he reached al-Tanʿīm he died, and it was revealed concerning him.
10284- Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAmr ibn ʿAwn related to us, saying: Hushaym related to us, on the authority of al-ʿAwwām al-Taymī, in the manner of the narration of Yaʿqūb, on the authority of Hushaym, he said: and he was a man of Khuzāʿa.
10285- Bishr ibn Muʿādh related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: "and whoever emigrates in the way of Allah will find on earth ample refuge and abundance," the verse, he said: when Allah revealed these verses, while a man of the believers, named "Ḍamra," was at Mecca, he said: "By Allah, I possess of my wealth enough to convey me to Medina and beyond, and I am indeed knowledgeable of the way! Take me out!" — and he was at that moment sick. When he had passed beyond the sacred precinct (al-Ḥaram), Allah took him away and he died, and Allah, blessed and exalted is He, revealed: "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah," the verse.
10286- Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Maʿmar informed us, on the authority of Qatāda, he said: when there was revealed: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ ("Verily, those whom the angels take while they were wronging themselves"), a man of the Muslims, while he was sick, said on that day: "By Allah, I have no excuse; I am indeed a guide upon the way, and I am well-off, so carry me!" — and they carried him, and death reached him on the way, and concerning him was revealed: "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger."
10287- Al-Ḥasan ibn Yaḥyā related to us, saying: ʿAbd al-Razzāq informed us, saying: Ibn ʿUyayna informed us, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Dīnār, he said: I heard ʿIkrima say: when Allah revealed: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ ("Verily, those whom the angels take while they were wronging themselves"), the two verses, a man of the Banū Ḍamra, who was sick, said: "Take me out into the fresh air!" — and they took him out, until, when he was at al-Ḥaṣḥāṣ, he died, and concerning him was revealed: "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger," the verse.
10288- Ibn Wakīʿ related to us, saying: my father related to us, on the authority of al-Mundhir ibn Thaʿlaba, on the authority of ʿIlbāʾ ibn Aḥmar al-Yashkurī concerning His statement: "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him, his reward has surely fallen upon Allah," he said: this was revealed concerning a man of Khuzāʿa.
10289- Muḥammad ibn Bashshār related to us, saying: Abū ʿĀmir related to us, saying: Qurra related to us, on the authority of al-Ḍaḥḥāk concerning the statement of Allah, mighty and exalted is He: "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him, his reward has surely fallen upon Allah," he said: when a man of the inhabitants of Mecca heard that the Banū Kināna had been struck by the angels upon their faces and their backs, he said to his household: "Take me out!" — while he was already at the point of death. He said: he was carried until he reached a mountain pass which he named, and he died, and Allah revealed: "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger," the verse.
10290- Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, he said: when this was heard — namely His statement: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ up to His statement: "and Allah is Pardoning, Forgiving" — Ḍamra ibn Jundub al-Ḍamrī said to his household, while he was sick: "Saddle my mount, for the two Akhshab mountains have constricted me!" — he means: the two mountains of Mecca — "perhaps I may go forth and refreshment may reach me!" He set himself upon his mount, then he turned toward Medina, and he died on the way, and Allah revealed: "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him, his reward has surely fallen upon Allah." And when he had turned toward Medina, he said: "O Allah, I am an emigrant to You and to Your Messenger."
10291- Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of ʿIkrima, he said: when this verse was revealed — namely His statement: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ ("Verily, those whom the angels take") — Jundub ibn Ḍamra al-Jundaʿī said: "O Allah, You have reached the utmost in excuse and proof, and I have no excuse nor proof!" He said: then he went forth, while he was an aged old man, and he died somewhere on the way. The Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: he died before he emigrated, so we do not know whether he is in a state of friendship (with Allah) or not! And then was revealed: "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him, his reward has surely fallen upon Allah."
10292- It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn ibn al-Faraj, he said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd ibn Sulaymān related to us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say: when Allah revealed concerning those who were killed together with the polytheists of Quraysh at Badr: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ ("Verily, those whom the angels take while they were wronging themselves"), the verse, a man of the Banū Layth heard what Allah had revealed concerning them — he had embraced the religion of the Prophet ﷺ and was residing at Mecca, and he was among those whom Allah excused, for he was very aged, afflicted by prolonged illness — and he said to his household: "I will not pass this night at Mecca!" — and he was taken out, until, when he reached al-Tanʿīm on the road to Medina, death reached him, and concerning him was revealed: "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah," the verse.
10293- Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His statement: "and whoever emigrates in the way of Allah will find on earth ample refuge and abundance," he said: a man of the Banū Kināna emigrated, on his way to the Prophet ﷺ, and he died on the way. His people mocked him and ridiculed him and said: he has neither attained what he sought, nor has he remained with his household who would tend to him and bury him! He said: and then the Qurʾān descended: "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him, his reward has surely fallen upon Allah."
10294- Aḥmad ibn Manṣūr al-Ramādī related to us, saying: Abū Aḥmad al-Zubayrī related to us, saying: Sharīk related to us, on the authority of ʿAmr ibn Dīnār, on the authority of ʿIkrima, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās, he said: this verse was revealed: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ ("Verily, those whom the angels take while they were wronging themselves"); and there was at Mecca a man, named "Ḍamra," of the Banū Bakr, and he was sick, and he said to his household: "Take me out of Mecca, for I find it hot there." They said: where shall we take you out to? And he pointed with his hand toward Medina, and then this verse was revealed: "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger," to the end of the verse.
10295- Al-Ḥārith ibn Abī Usāma related to me, saying: ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz ibn Abān related to us, saying: Qays related to us, on the authority of Sālim al-Afṭas, on the authority of Saʿīd ibn Jubayr, he said: when this verse was revealed: لا يَسْتَوِي الْقَاعِدُونَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ غَيْرُ أُولِي الضَّرَرِ ("The ones who sit back among the believers, other than those with an injury, are not equal"), he said: a group of the Muslims at Mecca who had an impediment took this as a relief, until the excellence of the fighters over those who sit back was revealed. Then they said: Allah has made clear the excellence of the fighters over those who sit back and has given relief to the people with an impediment! — until there was revealed: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ تَوَفَّاهُمُ الْمَلائِكَةُ ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ up to His statement: وَسَاءَتْ مَصِيرًا ("and an evil destination is that"); then they said: this is binding! — until there was revealed: إِلا الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الرِّجَالِ وَالنِّسَاءِ وَالْوِلْدَانِ لا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً وَلا يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلا ("Except the oppressed among the men, women, and children who can find no means and can find no way"). Then Ḍamra ibn al-ʿĪṣ al-Zuraqī, one of the Banū Layth, said — and he was afflicted in his eyesight: "I am indeed one who has a way out; I have wealth and I have slaves (raqīq), so carry me!" He went forth while he was sick, and death reached him at al-Tanʿīm, and he was buried at the mosque of al-Tanʿīm, and concerning him was revealed this verse: "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him," the verse.
* * *
The people of interpretation differed concerning the explanation of "al-murāgham."
Some of them said: it is the moving from one land to another.
*Mention of who said that:
10296- Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās concerning His statement: "ample refuge," he said: "al-murāgham" is the moving from one land to another.
10297- It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn ibn al-Faraj, he said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd ibn Sulaymān informed us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning His statement: "ample refuge," he says: a place to move about in.
10298- Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ concerning His statement: "will find on earth ample refuge," he said: a place to move about in.
10299- Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to me, saying: Abū Sufyān related to us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of al-Ḥasan or Qatāda: "ample refuge," he said: a place to move about in.
10300- Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr related to me, saying: Abū ʿĀṣim related to us, on the authority of ʿĪsā, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid concerning the statement of Allah, mighty and exalted is He: "will find on earth ample refuge," he said: room (to escape) from what he detests.
* * *
10301- Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Abū Ḥudhayfa related to us, saying: Shibl related to us, on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, he said: "ample refuge," he said: a place of withdrawal away from what he detests.
10302- Al-Qāsim related to us, saying: al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Ḥajjāj related to us, on the authority of Ibn Jurayj, on the authority of Mujāhid: "ample refuge," he said: a place of withdrawal away from what he detests.
And others said: a place to seek a livelihood.
*Mention of who said that:
10303- Muḥammad ibn al-Ḥusayn related to us, saying: Aḥmad ibn al-Mufaḍḍal related to us, saying: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī: "will find on earth ample refuge," he says: a place to seek a livelihood.
* * *
And others said: "al-murāgham" is the abode of emigration.
*Mention of who said that:
10304- Yūnus related to me, saying: Ibn Wahb informed us, saying: Ibn Zayd said concerning His statement: "a refuge," "al-murāgham" is the abode of emigration.
* * *
Abū Jaʿfar said: We have already set forth previously the soundest of the statements concerning that.
* * *
They likewise differed concerning the meaning of "al-saʿa" (the abundance) which Allah mentioned in this place, for He said: "and abundance." Some of them said: it is the spaciousness in livelihood.
*Mention of who said that:
10305- Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Ṣāliḥ related to us, saying: Muʿāwiya related to me, on the authority of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭalḥa, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās: "ample refuge and abundance," he said: the spaciousness in livelihood.
10306- Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Isḥāq related to us, saying: ʿAbd Allāh ibn Abī Jaʿfar related to us, on the authority of his father, on the authority of al-Rabīʿ concerning His statement: "ample refuge and abundance," he said: the spaciousness in livelihood.
10307- It was related to me on the authority of al-Ḥusayn ibn al-Faraj, he said: I heard Abū Muʿādh say: ʿUbayd ibn Sulaymān informed us, saying: I heard al-Ḍaḥḥāk say concerning His statement: "and abundance," he says: spaciousness in livelihood.
* * *
And others said concerning it what:-
10308- Bishr ibn Muʿādh related to us, saying: Yazīd related to us, saying: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda: "will find on earth ample refuge and abundance," that is to say, by Allah, from misguidance to guidance, and from poverty to wealth.
Abū Jaʿfar said: The soundest of the statements concerning that is that one says: Allah informed that whoever emigrates in His way will find on earth a place to dwell and a spaciousness. In "al-saʿa" (the abundance) there may be included the spaciousness in livelihood, and wealth after poverty; and in it there may also be included the spaciousness after the constriction of care and grief in which the people of faith in Allah found themselves among the polytheists at Mecca, and other meanings of "al-saʿa" which have the meaning of relief and deliverance from the detestable thing that Allah detested for the believers. Allah has given no indication that He intended by His statement "and abundance" a particular one of the meanings of "al-saʿa" which we have described. So all the meanings of "al-saʿa" which have the meaning of relief and deliverance from that in which they were of the constriction of existence, and the grief of neighboring the people of shirk, and the constriction of the breast through the impossibility of professing faith in Allah openly and purely affirming His oneness and dissociating from the peers and the idols — all of that is included therein.
A group of the people of knowledge have interpreted this verse — namely His statement: "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger and then death overtakes him, his reward has surely fallen upon Allah" — as applying to the ruling concerning the warrior who goes forth to fight and whom death reaches after he has gone forth from his house and has detached himself, so that he dies: that he has his share of the war spoils (maghnam), even though he did not witness the encounter, as:-
10309- Al-Muthannā related to me, saying: Yūsuf ibn ʿAdī related to us, saying: Ibn al-Mubārak informed us, on the authority of Ibn Lahīʿa, on the authority of Yazīd ibn Abī Ḥabīb: that the people of Medina said: "whoever goes forth detaching himself, for him his share is due," and they interpreted the statement of Him, blessed and exalted is He, thus: "and whoever leaves his home as an emigrant to Allah and His Messenger."
