The Spider — Verse 57

Advice to migrate and the Promise of Provision and a Goodly Reward Allah commands His believing servants to migrate from a land in which they are not able to establish Islam, to the spacious earth of Allah where they can do so, by declaring Allah to be One and worshipping Him as He has commanded. Allah says: يَعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِنَّ أَرْضِى وَاسِعَةٌ فَإِيَّاىَ فَاعْبُدُونِ (O My servants who believe! Certainly, spacious is My earth. Therefore worship Me.) When things became too difficult for the believers in Makkah who were in a weak position and were oppressed, they left and migrated to Ethiopia, where they were able to practice their religion. The Muslims found Ethiopia the best place for guest; where Ashamah, the Negus or king, may Allah have mercy on him, gave them refuge, helped them, supported them, and honored them in his land. Later, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his remaining Companions migrated to Al-Madinah, formerly known as Yathrib, may Allah protect it. Then Allah says: كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ (Everyone shall taste death. Then unto Us you shall be returned.) meaning, `wherever you are, death with catch up with you, so always obey Allah and be where Allah commands you to be, for this is better for you. Death is inevitable and there is no escape from it, and then you will return to Allah, and whoever was obedient to Him will have the best reward.' Allah says: وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَـتِ لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ مِّنَ الْجَنَّةِ غُرَفَاً تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ (And those who believe and do righteous good deeds, to them We shall surely give lofty dwellings in Paradise, underneath which rivers flow,) meaning, `We shall cause them to dwell in lofty homes in Paradise under which various kinds of rivers flow -- water, wine, honey and milk -- which they can direct and cause to flow wherever they wish.' خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَآ (to live therein forever.) means, they will remain there forever, never wanting to leave. نِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَـمِلِينَ (Excellent is the reward for the workers.) these rooms will be a blessed reward for the good deeds of the believers, الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ (Those who are patient,) in adhering to their religion, who migrated for the sake of Allah and fought the enemy, leaving behind their families and relatives to seek Allah's Face, and hoping for that which is with Him, believing His promise. Ibn Abi Hatim, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded from Abu Mu`aniq Al-Ash`ari that Abu Malik Al-Ash`ari told him that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ told him: «إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ غُرَفًا يُرَى ظَاهِرُهَا مِنْ بَاطِنِهَا، وَبَاطِنُهَا مِنْ ظَاهِرِهَا، أَعَدَّهَا اللهُ تَعَالَى لِمَنْ أَطْعَمَ الطَّعَامَ، وَأَطَابَ الْكَلَامَ، وَتَابَعَ الصَّلَاةَ وَالصِّيَامَ، وَقَامَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّاسُ نِيَام» (In Paradise there are rooms whose outside can be seen from the inside, and their inside can be seen from the outside; Allah has prepared them for those who feed others, who speak well, who pray and fast continually, and who stand in prayer at night while people are asleep.) وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ (and put their trust in their Lord.) in all their affairs, spiritual and worldly alike. Then Allah tells us that provision is not limited only to one place, but it is given to all His creatures no matter where they are. Indeed, when the Muhajirin migrated, their provision was greater and better than before, because after a short time they became rulers in the land, in all regions. Allah says: وَكَأَيِّن مِّن دَآبَّةٍ لاَّ تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا (And so many a moving creature carries not its own provision!) meaning, it does not have the ability to gather its provision and save it for tomorrow. اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ (Allah provides for it and for you.) means, Allah allots its provision to it even though it is weak, and makes it easy for it. He sends provision to every creature in the appropriate manner, even the ants in the depths of the earth, the birds in the air and the fish in the sea. Allah says: وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ (And no moving creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah. And He knows its dwelling place and its deposit. All is in a Clear Book.) (11:6) وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ (And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.) means, He hears all that His servants say and He knows their every movements.

Every soul shall taste death. Then to Us you shall be returned turja‘ūna; or yurja‘ūna ‘they shall be returned’ after resurrection.

كل نفس حية ذائقة الموت، ثم إلينا ترجعون للحساب والجزاء.

ثم قال تعالى: "كل نفس ذائقة الموت ثم إلينا ترجعون" أي أينما كنتم يدرككم الموت فكونوا في طاعة الله وحيث أمركم الله فهو خير لكم فإن الموت لابد منه ولا محيد عنه ثم إلى الله المرجع والمآب فمن كان مطيعا له جازاه أفضل الجزاء ووافاه أتم الثواب.

ثم رغبهم بأسلوب آخر فى الهجرة من الأرض الظالم أهلها ، بأن بين لهم بأن الموت سيدركهم فى كل مكان ، فقال - تعالى - : ( كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ الموت ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ ) .أى : كل نفس سواء أكانت فى وظنها الذى عاشت فيه أم فى غيره ، ذائقة لمرارة الموت ، ومتجرعة لكأسه ، ثم إلينا بعد ترجعون جميعاً لنحاسبكم على اعمالكم .

القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ (57)يقول تعالى ذكره للمؤمنين به من أصحاب نبيه: هاجِرُوا من أرض الشرك، من مكة إلى أرض الإسلام المدينة، فإن أرضي واسعة، فاصبروا على عبادتي، وأخلِصوا طاعتي، فإنكم ميتون وصائرون إليّ؛ لأن كل نفس حية ذائقة الموت، ثم إلينا بعد الموت تُرَدّون، ثم أخبرهم جلّ ثناؤه عما أعدّ للصابرين منهم على طاعته من كرامته عنده.

( كل نفس ذائقة الموت ) خوفهم بالموت ليهون عليهم الهجرة ، أي : كل واحد ميت أينما كان فلا تقيموا بدار الشرك خوفا من الموت ( ثم إلينا ترجعون ) فنجزيكم بأعمالكم ، وقرأ أبو بكر : " يرجعون بالياء " .

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ (57)اعتراض ثان بين الجملتين المتعاطفتين قصد منها تأكيد الوعيد الذي تضمنته جملة : { والذين ءامنوا بالباطل } [ العنكبوت : 52 ] إلى آخرها ، والوعد الذي تضمنته جملة : { والذين ءامنوا وعملوا الصالحات لنُبَوِّئَنَّهُم من الجنة غُرفاً } [ العنكبوت : 58 ] أي الموت مُدرك جميع الأنفس ثم يرجعون إلى الله . وقصد منها أيضاً تهوين ما يلاقيه المؤمنون من الأذى في الله ولو بلغ إلى الموت بالنسبة لما يترقبهم من فضل الله وثوابه الخالد ، وفيه إيذان بأنهم يترقبهم جهاد في سبيل الله .

والموت لا بد أن ينزل بكم ثم ترجعون إلى ربكم.

قوله تعالى : كل نفس ذائقة الموت ثم إلينا ترجعون تقدم في ( آل عمران ) . وإنما ذكره هاهنا تحقيرا لأمر الدنيا ومخاوفها ; كأن بعض المؤمنين نظر في عاقبة تلحقه في خروجه من وطنه من مكة أنه يموت أو يجوع أو نحو هذا ، فحقر الله شأن الدنيا ; أي أنتم لا محالة ميتون ومحشورون إلينا . فالبدار إلى طاعة الله والهجرة إليه وإلى ما يمتثل . ثم وعد المؤمنين العاملين بسكنى الجنة تحريضا منه تعالى ; وذكر الجزاء الذي ينالونه . ثم نعتهم بقوله : الذين صبروا وعلى ربهم يتوكلون . وقرأ أبو عمرو ويعقوب والجحدري وابن إسحاق وابن محيصن والأعمش وحمزة والكسائي وخلف : ( يا عبادي ) بإسكان الياء وفتحها الباقون . ( إن أرضي ) فتحها ابن عامر وسكنها الباقون . وروي أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال : من فر بدينه من أرض إلى أرض ولو قيد شبر استوجب الجنة وكان رفيق محمد وإبراهيم عليهما السلام .[ ص: 331 ] ثم إلينا ترجعون وقرأ السلمي وأبو بكر عن عاصم : ( يرجعون ) بالياء ; لقوله : كل نفس ذائقة الموت وقرأ الباقون بالتاء ; لقوله : يا عبادي الذين آمنوا وأنشد بعضهم :الموت في كل حين ينشد الكفنا ونحن في غفلة عما يراد بنا لا تركنن إلى الدنيا وزهرتهاوإن توشحت من أثوابها الحسنا أين الأحبة والجيران ما فعلواأين الذين همو كانوا لها سكنا سقاهم الموت كأسا غير صافيةصيرهم تحت أطباق الثرى رهنا

Sometimes a change is necessary in the mode of performing a task. This may require a change in the sphere of influence, in the way that the Hudaybiyah Pact shifted the scene of action from the battlefield to the field of missionary work. But more often, it requires a major step, like migration, for example, the migration of the Prophet from Makkah to Madinah. In these verses the faithful living in Makkah were told that if the people of Makkah were harassing them, they should leave Makkah, migrate to some other place, and carry on God’s worship there. This shows that the exercise of patience and trust means being steadfast in prayer and not persisting in clashing with enemies. Had it been God’s will that they should engage in hostilities under any circumstances, then the instructions would have been to continue fighting with their opponents and not in any event to move away.

The answer to this problem is given in the next verse: كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَائِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ (Every person has to taste death - 29:57) that is, no one has any escape from death anywhere in any situation. Therefore, it should not be the trait of a Muslim to be afraid of death, because despite all possible defenses one may arrange for himself, death will overcome him. And it is also part of a believer's faith that death cannot come before the time Allah has determined. Therefore, fear of death should not be an impediment in one's decision about his staying at a certain place or leaving it. If death comes during the course of following a command from Allah Ta’ ala, it would bring eternal blessings and comforts, which one will get in the Hereafter, as stated in the next two verses:

(Every soul) every creature possessed of a breath (will taste of death. Then unto Us you will be returned) after death and you will be rewarded according to your works.