The Prohibition of Residing Among the Disbelievers While Able to Emigrate
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 ﷺ . 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 تَوَفَّـهُمُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ ظَـلِمِى أَنفُسِهِمْ
(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 ﷺ 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 تَوَفَّـهُمُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ ظَـلِمِى أَنفُسِهِمْ
(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 فِى الاٌّرْضِ
(They reply: "We were weak and oppressed on the earth.") meaning, we are unable to leave the land or move about in the earth,
قَالْواْ أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَسِعَةً
(They (angels) say: "Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you). Abu Dawud recorded that Samurah bin Jundub said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ 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
(Except the weak) until the end of the Ayah, is an excuse that Allah gives for this type of people not to emigrate, because they are unable to free themselves from the idolators. And even if they did, they would not know which way to go. This is why Allah said,
لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً وَلاَ يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلاً
(Who cannot devise a plan, nor are they able to direct their way), meaning, they do not find the way to emigrate, as Mujahid, `Ikrimah and As-Suddi stated. Allah's statement,
فَأُوْلَـئِكَ عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَعْفُوَ عَنْهُمْ
(These are they whom Allah is likely to forgive them,) means, pardon them for not migrating, and here, `likely' means He shall,
وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَفُوّاً غَفُوراً
(and Allah is Ever Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving). Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "While the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was praying `Isha', he said, `Sami` Allahu Liman Hamidah.' He then said before he prostrated,
«اللَّهُمَّ أَنْجِ عَيَّاشَ بْنَ أبِي رَبِيعَةَ، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْجِ سَلَمَةَ بْنَ هِشَامٍ، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْجِ الْوَلِيدَ بْنَ الْوَلِيدِ، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْجِ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، اللَّهُمَّ اشْدُدْ وَطْأَتَكَ عَلَى مُضَرَ، اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهَا سِنِينَ كَسِنِي يُوسُف»
(O Allah! Save `Ayyash bin Abi Rabi`ah. O Allah! Save Salamah bin Hisham. O Allah! Save Al-Walid bin Al-Walid. O Allah! Save the weak Muslims. O Allah! Be very hard on Mudar tribe. O Allah! Afflict them with years (of famine) similar to the (famine) years of the time of Prophet Yusuf.)" Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu An-Nu`man said that Hammad bin Zayd said that Ayyub narrated that Ibn Abi Mulaykah said that Ibn `Abbas commented on the verse,
إِلاَّ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ
(Except the weak ones among men), "I and my mother were among those (weak ones) whom Allah excused." Allah's statement,
وَمَن يُهَاجِرْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يَجِدْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مُرَاغَماً كَثِيراً وَسَعَةً
(He who emigrates in the cause of Allah, will find on earth many dwelling places and plenty to live by.) this encourages the believers to perform Hijrah and abandon the idolators, for wherever the believer emigrates, he will find a safe refuge to resort to. Mujahid said that,
مُرَاغَماً كَثِيراً
(many dwelling places) means, he will find a way out of what he dislikes. Allah's statement,
وَسِعَةً
(and plenty to live by.) refers to provision. Qatadah also said that,
يَجِدْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مُرَاغَماً كَثِيراً وَسَعَةً
(...will find on earth many dwelling places and plenty to live by.) means, Allah will take him from misguidance to guidance and from poverty to richness. Allah's statement,
وَمَن يَخْرُجْ مِن بَيْتِهِ مُهَـجِراً إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ يُدْرِكْهُ الْمَوْتُ فَقَدْ وَقَعَ أَجْرُهُ عَلىَ اللَّهِ
(And whosoever leaves his home as an emigrant unto Allah and His Messenger, and death overtakes him, his reward is then surely, incumbent upon Allah. ) means, whoever starts emigrating and dies on the way, he will acquire the reward of those who emigrate for Allah. The Two Sahihs, along with the Musnad and Sunan compilers, recorded that `Umar bin Al-Khattab said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّــيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِىءٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلى دُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا، أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَتَزَوَّجُهَا، فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْه»
(The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions, and every person will be rewarded according to what he has intended. So, whoever emigrated to Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger. And whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration is for what he emigrated for.) This Hadith is general, it applies to Hijrah as well as every other deed. In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that a man killed ninety-nine people and completed the number one hundred when he killed a worshipper. He then asked a scholar if he has a chance to repent. The scholar said, "What prevents you from repentance" The scholar told the killer to emigrate from his land to another land where Allah is worshipped. When he left his land and started on the migration to the other land, death overtook him on the way. The angels of mercy and the angels of torment disputed about the man, whereas the former said that he went out in repentance, while the latter said that he did not arrive at his destination. They were commanded to measure the distance between the two lands and to whichever land he is closer to, he will be considered part of that land. Allah commanded that the righteous land to move closer and the land of evil to move farther. The angels found that he died closer to the land that he intended to emigrate to by a hand-span, and thus the angels of mercy captured his soul. In another narration, when death came to that man, he moved his chest towards the righteous village that he emigrated to.
Except the oppressed among the men women and children who are unable to devise a plan having no strength to emigrate and no substance and are not guided to a way a means of going to the land of emigration.
Except the oppressed among the men, that is, those of strong preparedness, those whose concupiscent and irascible faculties have been strengthened while their preparedness has also been strong but who have not been able to curb these by wayfaring along the path of truth; nor have they turned to their estimative and imaginative faculties and invalidated their preparednesses with corrupt beliefs. They have thus remained captive in their corporeal faculties, their preparedness illuminated by the light of knowledge but unable to remove their fetters in order to wayfare; women, those whose preparedness falls short of the level of perfection of knowledge and wayfaring along the path of realisation, those of weak faculties and the simple-minded regarding whom it was said, 'The majority of the inhabitants of Paradise shall be those simple souls'; and children, that is, the deficient who fall short of attaining the degree of perfection because of a jealousy (ghayra) on the part of the attributes of the soul that affects them; who are unable to devise a plan, because of their inability and incapacity to break the attributes of the soul or curb caprice through spiritual discipline, and are not guided to a way, because they do not know how to wayfare and because of their being deprived of the light of the guidance of the religious law.
Except the oppressed among the men, that is, those of strong preparedness, those whose concupiscent and irascible faculties have been strengthened while their preparedness has also been strong but who have not been able to curb these by wayfaring along the path of truth; nor have they turned to their estimative and imaginative faculties and invalidated their preparednesses with corrupt beliefs. They have thus remained captive in their corporeal faculties, their preparedness illuminated by the light of knowledge but unable to remove their fetters in order to wayfare; women, those whose preparedness falls short of the level of perfection of knowledge and wayfaring along the path of realisation, those of weak faculties and the simple-minded regarding whom it was said, 'The majority of the inhabitants of Paradise shall be those simple souls'; and children, that is, the deficient who fall short of attaining the degree of perfection because of a jealousy (ghayra) on the part of the attributes of the soul that affects them; who are unable to devise a plan, because of their inability and incapacity to break the attributes of the soul or curb caprice through spiritual discipline, and are not guided to a way, because they do not know how to wayfare and because of their being deprived of the light of the guidance of the religious law.
Except the oppressed among the men women and children who are unable to devise a plan and are not guided to a way. As for such perhaps God will pardon them for God is ever Pardoning Forgiving. This alludes to those who are overwhelmed and annihilated by meanings maʿānī and then continue on as those who act on His behalf.97 They do not have power or strength [of their own] and what appears to them are [the decrees] He ������ causes to flow over them. After the return of their selves through the reality of the Real ḥaqq al-ḥaqq they are effaced from themselves and are not guided to anything other than Him as a way and do not take so much as a breath for anything other than Him. In accordance with the outward aspect of the verse it is said that per- haps the Real ������ will grant His pardon to those whose excuses held them back from choosing [to emigrate].
Except the oppressed among the men women and children who are unable to devise a plan and are not guided to a way. As for such perhaps God will pardon them for God is ever Pardoning Forgiving. This alludes to those who are overwhelmed and annihilated by meanings maʿānī and then continue on as those who act on His behalf.97 They do not have power or strength [of their own] and what appears to them are [the decrees] He ������ causes to flow over them. After the return of their selves through the reality of the Real ḥaqq al-ḥaqq they are effaced from themselves and are not guided to anything other than Him as a way and do not take so much as a breath for anything other than Him. In accordance with the outward aspect of the verse it is said that per- haps the Real ������ will grant His pardon to those whose excuses held them back from choosing [to emigrate].
ويعذر من ذاك المصير العجزة من الرجال والنساء والصغار الذين لا يقدرون على دفع القهر والظلم عنهم، ولا يعرفون طريقًا يخلصهم مما هم فيه من المعاناة.
وقوله إلا المستضعفين إلى آخر الآية هذا عذر من الله لهؤلاء في ترك الهجرة وذلك أنهم لا يقدرون على التخلص من أيدي المشركين ولو قدروا ما عرفوا يسلكون الطريق ولهذا قال لا يستطيعون حيلة ولا يهتدون سبيلا قال مجاهد وعكرمة والسدي يعني طريقا.
ثم استثنى - سبحانه - من هذا المصير السئ لمن ظلموا أنفسهم ثلاثة أصناف من الناس فقال : ( إِلاَّ المستضعفين مِنَ الرجال والنسآء والولدان ) .أى : أن هذا المصير السئ والعذاب المهين هو للذين ظلموا أنفسهم بترك الهجرة إلى المسلمين مع قدرتهم عليها ، لكن هناك طوائف من الناس خارجون من هؤلاء الذين ظلموا أنفسهم ومن هذا المصير الأليم ، وهم أولئك الرجال الذين عجزوا حقا عن الهجرة لضعفهم أو مرضهم أو شيخوختهم . . . أو النساء اللائى لا يستطعن الخروج وحدهن خشية من الاعتداء عليهن أو الوالدان الذين لم يبلغوا الحلم بعد ، أو بلغوا بلوغا قريبا لكنهم لا يستطيعون الهجرة بمفردهم لقلة ذات يدهم أو لغير ذلك من الأعذار الصحيحة .وقوله ( لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً وَلاَ يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلاً ) جملة مستأنفة موضحة لمعنى الاستضعاف .حتى لا يتوهم متوهم أن استضعاف هؤلاء كالاستضعاف الذى تذرع به أولئك الذين ظلموا أنفسهم عندما قالوا - كما حكى القرآن عنهم - ( كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الأرض ) . ويصح أن تكون حالا من المستضعفين .أى : ليس مندرجا مع الذين ظلموا أنفسهم فاستحقوا المصير السئ أولئك الضعفاء من الرجال والنساء والولدان؛ لأنهم ( لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً ) فى الخروج؛ إذ لا قوة لهم على الخروج ولا نفقة معهم توصلهم مبتغاهم ( وَلاَ يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلاً ) أى : ولا يعرفون الطريق التى توصلهم إلى دار هجرتهم .قال القرطبى : والحيلة : لفظ عام لأنواع أسباب التخلص . والسبيل : سبيل المدينة . فيما ذكر مجاهد والسدى وغيرهما والصواب أنه عام فى جميع السبل .والاستثناء فى قوله ( إِلاَّ المستضعفين ) منقطع - على الصحيح - لأن هؤلاء الذين قعدوا عن الجرة لعجزهم ، خارجون من أولئك الذين ظلموا أنفسهم بقعودهم عن الهجرة مع قدرتهم على ذلك .وفى ذكر الوالدان مبالغة فى أمر الهجرة حتى لكأنها لو استطاعها غير المكلفين لقاموا بها ، وإشعار بأن على أوليائهم أن يهاجروا بهم معهم متى تمكنوا من ذلك .
ثم استثنى جل ثناؤه المستضعفين الذين استضعفهم المشركون=" من الرجال والنساء والولدان "، وهم العجزة عن الهجرة= بالعُسْرة، وقلّة الحيلة، وسوء البصر والمعرفة بالطريق= من أرضهم أرضِ الشرك إلى أرض الإسلام، من القوم الذين أخبر جل ثناؤه أن مأواهم جهنم: أن تكون جهنم مأواهم، للعذر الذي هم فيه، على ما بينه تعالى ذكره. (32)* * *ونصب " المستضعفين " على الاستثناء من " الهاء " و " الميم " اللتين في قوله: " فأولئك مأواهم جهنم ". (33)--------------------الهوامش :(32) سياق هذه الجملة: "ثم استثنى الله المستضعفين ... وهم العجزة عن الهجرة ... من أرضهم ... ، من القوم ... أن تكون جهنم مأواهم" ، كثر فيها تعلق حروف الجر بما سلف ، فخشيت أن يتعب القارئ!!(33) انظر معاني القرآن للفراء 1: 284. هذا ، وقد خالف أبو جعفر نهجه هذا ، وأخر الكلام في قوله: "إن الذين توفاهم الملائكة" إلى آخر تفسير الآية ص: ...
ثم استثنى أهل العذر منهم ، فقال : ( إلا المستضعفين من الرجال والنساء والولدان لا يستطيعون حيلة ) لا يقدرون على حيلة ولا على نفقة ولا قوة للخروج منها ، ( ولا يهتدون سبيلا ) أي : لا يعرفون طريقا إلى الخروج . وقال مجاهد : لا يعرفون طريق المدينة .
وقوله : { إلاّ المستضعفين } استثناء من الوعيد ، والمعنى إلاّ المستضعفين حقّاً ، أي العاجزين عن الخروج من مكة لقلّة جهد ، أو لإكراه المشركين إيّاهم وإيثاقهم على البقاء : مثل عيّاش بن أبي ربيعة المتقدّم خبره في قوله تعالى : { وما كان لمؤمن أن يقتل مؤمناً إلاّ خطئاً } [ النساء : 92 ] ، ومثل سلمة بن هشام ، والوليد بن الوليد . وفي «البخاري» أنّ رسول الله كان يدعو في صلاة العشاء : «اللهمّ نجّ عيّاش بن أبي ربيعة اللهمّ نجّ الوليد بن الوليد ، اللهمّ نجّ سلمة بن هشام اللهمّ نجّ المستضعفين من المؤمنين» . وعن ابن عباس : كنتُ أنا وأميّ من المستضعفين .والتبيين بقوله : { من الرجال والنساء والولدان } لقصد التعميم . والمقصد التنبيه على أنّ من الرجال مستضعفين ، فلذلك ابتدىء بذكرهم ثم ألحق بذكرهم النساء والصبيان لأنّ وجودهم في العائلة يكون عذراً لوليّهم إذا كان لا يجد حيلة . وتقدّم ذكرهم بقوله تعالى : { وما لكم لا تقاتلون في سبيل الله والمستضعفين من الرجال والنساء والولدان } [ النساء : 75 ] ، وإعادة ذكرهم هنا ممّا يؤكّد أن تكون الآيات كلّها نزلت في التهيئة لفتح مكة .وجملة : { لا يستطيعون حيلة ولا يهتدون سبيلاً } حال من المستضعفينَ موضّحة للاستضعاف ليظهر أنّه غير الاستضعاف الذي يقوله الذين ظلموا أنفسهم { كُنَا مستضعفين في الأرض } ، أي لا يستطيعون حيلة في الخروج إمّا لمنع أهل مكة إيّاهم ، أو لفقرهم : { ولا يهتدون سبيلاً } أي معرفة للطريق كالأعمى .
ثم استثنى المستضعفين على الحقيقة، الذين لا قدرة لهم على الهجرة بوجه من الوجوه { وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلًا }
وقوله تعالى : لا يستطيعون حيلة الحيلة لفظ عام لأنواع أسباب التخلص . والسبيل سبيل المدينة ؛ فيما ذكر مجاهد والسدي وغيرهما ، والصواب أنه عام في جميع السبل .
A believer naturally wants a free environment where his believing personality may find full opportunities to express itself. If he finds the environment unfavourable, he had better change his surroundings. This change of place is called hijrah (emigration). Thus, in the real spirit of hijrah, one should remove oneself from an unfavourable to a favourable situation. Let us take the example of a person who is associated with an organisation which is dominated by certain personalities. He realises that he may exist there only as a glorifier of those personalities and not as a glorifier of God. Now, if for the sake of self-interest he compromises with that atmosphere and fails to proclaim the truth as he sees it, and then, still in the same state, he breathes his last, it might be said that in that case, he had perpetrated an injustice against his soul.
The third verse (96) too recounts the same degrees of precedence that the Mujahidin have over others.
Ruling
Jihad is not obligatory on the lame, the crippled, the blind, the sick and on others who are excusable under the Islamic law.
Allah then showed who had an excuse, saying: (Except the feeble among men) the elderly and the weak, (and the women, and the children, who are unable to devise a plan) for leaving Mecca (and are not shown a way) they do not know how to leave.
The Prohibition of Residing Among the Disbelievers While Able to Emigrate
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 ﷺ . 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 تَوَفَّـهُمُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ ظَـلِمِى أَنفُسِهِمْ
(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 ﷺ 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 تَوَفَّـهُمُ الْمَلَـئِكَةُ ظَـلِمِى أَنفُسِهِمْ
(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 فِى الاٌّرْضِ
(They reply: "We were weak and oppressed on the earth.") meaning, we are unable to leave the land or move about in the earth,
قَالْواْ أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ اللَّهِ وَسِعَةً
(They (angels) say: "Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you). Abu Dawud recorded that Samurah bin Jundub said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ 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
(Except the weak) until the end of the Ayah, is an excuse that Allah gives for this type of people not to emigrate, because they are unable to free themselves from the idolators. And even if they did, they would not know which way to go. This is why Allah said,
لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً وَلاَ يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلاً
(Who cannot devise a plan, nor are they able to direct their way), meaning, they do not find the way to emigrate, as Mujahid, `Ikrimah and As-Suddi stated. Allah's statement,
فَأُوْلَـئِكَ عَسَى اللَّهُ أَن يَعْفُوَ عَنْهُمْ
(These are they whom Allah is likely to forgive them,) means, pardon them for not migrating, and here, `likely' means He shall,
وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَفُوّاً غَفُوراً
(and Allah is Ever Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving). Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Hurayrah said, "While the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was praying `Isha', he said, `Sami` Allahu Liman Hamidah.' He then said before he prostrated,
«اللَّهُمَّ أَنْجِ عَيَّاشَ بْنَ أبِي رَبِيعَةَ، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْجِ سَلَمَةَ بْنَ هِشَامٍ، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْجِ الْوَلِيدَ بْنَ الْوَلِيدِ، اللَّهُمَّ أَنْجِ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، اللَّهُمَّ اشْدُدْ وَطْأَتَكَ عَلَى مُضَرَ، اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْهَا سِنِينَ كَسِنِي يُوسُف»
(O Allah! Save `Ayyash bin Abi Rabi`ah. O Allah! Save Salamah bin Hisham. O Allah! Save Al-Walid bin Al-Walid. O Allah! Save the weak Muslims. O Allah! Be very hard on Mudar tribe. O Allah! Afflict them with years (of famine) similar to the (famine) years of the time of Prophet Yusuf.)" Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu An-Nu`man said that Hammad bin Zayd said that Ayyub narrated that Ibn Abi Mulaykah said that Ibn `Abbas commented on the verse,
إِلاَّ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ
(Except the weak ones among men), "I and my mother were among those (weak ones) whom Allah excused." Allah's statement,
وَمَن يُهَاجِرْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ يَجِدْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مُرَاغَماً كَثِيراً وَسَعَةً
(He who emigrates in the cause of Allah, will find on earth many dwelling places and plenty to live by.) this encourages the believers to perform Hijrah and abandon the idolators, for wherever the believer emigrates, he will find a safe refuge to resort to. Mujahid said that,
مُرَاغَماً كَثِيراً
(many dwelling places) means, he will find a way out of what he dislikes. Allah's statement,
وَسِعَةً
(and plenty to live by.) refers to provision. Qatadah also said that,
يَجِدْ فِى الاٌّرْضِ مُرَاغَماً كَثِيراً وَسَعَةً
(...will find on earth many dwelling places and plenty to live by.) means, Allah will take him from misguidance to guidance and from poverty to richness. Allah's statement,
وَمَن يَخْرُجْ مِن بَيْتِهِ مُهَـجِراً إِلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ يُدْرِكْهُ الْمَوْتُ فَقَدْ وَقَعَ أَجْرُهُ عَلىَ اللَّهِ
(And whosoever leaves his home as an emigrant unto Allah and His Messenger, and death overtakes him, his reward is then surely, incumbent upon Allah. ) means, whoever starts emigrating and dies on the way, he will acquire the reward of those who emigrate for Allah. The Two Sahihs, along with the Musnad and Sunan compilers, recorded that `Umar bin Al-Khattab said that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said,
«إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّــيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِىءٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلَى اللهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إِلى دُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا، أَوِ امْرَأَةٍ يَتَزَوَّجُهَا، فَهِجْرَتُهُ إِلى مَا هَاجَرَ إِلَيْه»
(The reward of deeds depends upon the intentions, and every person will be rewarded according to what he has intended. So, whoever emigrated to Allah and His Messenger, then his emigration is for Allah and His Messenger. And whoever emigrated for worldly benefits or for a woman to marry, his emigration is for what he emigrated for.) This Hadith is general, it applies to Hijrah as well as every other deed. In the Two Sahihs, it is recorded that a man killed ninety-nine people and completed the number one hundred when he killed a worshipper. He then asked a scholar if he has a chance to repent. The scholar said, "What prevents you from repentance" The scholar told the killer to emigrate from his land to another land where Allah is worshipped. When he left his land and started on the migration to the other land, death overtook him on the way. The angels of mercy and the angels of torment disputed about the man, whereas the former said that he went out in repentance, while the latter said that he did not arrive at his destination. They were commanded to measure the distance between the two lands and to whichever land he is closer to, he will be considered part of that land. Allah commanded that the righteous land to move closer and the land of evil to move farther. The angels found that he died closer to the land that he intended to emigrate to by a hand-span, and thus the angels of mercy captured his soul. In another narration, when death came to that man, he moved his chest towards the righteous village that he emigrated to.
Except the oppressed among the men women and children who are unable to devise a plan having no strength to emigrate and no substance and are not guided to a way a means of going to the land of emigration.
Except the oppressed among the men, that is, those of strong preparedness, those whose concupiscent and irascible faculties have been strengthened while their preparedness has also been strong but who have not been able to curb these by wayfaring along the path of truth; nor have they turned to their estimative and imaginative faculties and invalidated their preparednesses with corrupt beliefs. They have thus remained captive in their corporeal faculties, their preparedness illuminated by the light of knowledge but unable to remove their fetters in order to wayfare; women, those whose preparedness falls short of the level of perfection of knowledge and wayfaring along the path of realisation, those of weak faculties and the simple-minded regarding whom it was said, 'The majority of the inhabitants of Paradise shall be those simple souls'; and children, that is, the deficient who fall short of attaining the degree of perfection because of a jealousy (ghayra) on the part of the attributes of the soul that affects them; who are unable to devise a plan, because of their inability and incapacity to break the attributes of the soul or curb caprice through spiritual discipline, and are not guided to a way, because they do not know how to wayfare and because of their being deprived of the light of the guidance of the religious law.
Except the oppressed among the men, that is, those of strong preparedness, those whose concupiscent and irascible faculties have been strengthened while their preparedness has also been strong but who have not been able to curb these by wayfaring along the path of truth; nor have they turned to their estimative and imaginative faculties and invalidated their preparednesses with corrupt beliefs. They have thus remained captive in their corporeal faculties, their preparedness illuminated by the light of knowledge but unable to remove their fetters in order to wayfare; women, those whose preparedness falls short of the level of perfection of knowledge and wayfaring along the path of realisation, those of weak faculties and the simple-minded regarding whom it was said, 'The majority of the inhabitants of Paradise shall be those simple souls'; and children, that is, the deficient who fall short of attaining the degree of perfection because of a jealousy (ghayra) on the part of the attributes of the soul that affects them; who are unable to devise a plan, because of their inability and incapacity to break the attributes of the soul or curb caprice through spiritual discipline, and are not guided to a way, because they do not know how to wayfare and because of their being deprived of the light of the guidance of the religious law.
Except the oppressed among the men women and children who are unable to devise a plan and are not guided to a way. As for such perhaps God will pardon them for God is ever Pardoning Forgiving. This alludes to those who are overwhelmed and annihilated by meanings maʿānī and then continue on as those who act on His behalf.97 They do not have power or strength [of their own] and what appears to them are [the decrees] He ������ causes to flow over them. After the return of their selves through the reality of the Real ḥaqq al-ḥaqq they are effaced from themselves and are not guided to anything other than Him as a way and do not take so much as a breath for anything other than Him. In accordance with the outward aspect of the verse it is said that per- haps the Real ������ will grant His pardon to those whose excuses held them back from choosing [to emigrate].
Except the oppressed among the men women and children who are unable to devise a plan and are not guided to a way. As for such perhaps God will pardon them for God is ever Pardoning Forgiving. This alludes to those who are overwhelmed and annihilated by meanings maʿānī and then continue on as those who act on His behalf.97 They do not have power or strength [of their own] and what appears to them are [the decrees] He ������ causes to flow over them. After the return of their selves through the reality of the Real ḥaqq al-ḥaqq they are effaced from themselves and are not guided to anything other than Him as a way and do not take so much as a breath for anything other than Him. In accordance with the outward aspect of the verse it is said that per- haps the Real ������ will grant His pardon to those whose excuses held them back from choosing [to emigrate].
ويعذر من ذاك المصير العجزة من الرجال والنساء والصغار الذين لا يقدرون على دفع القهر والظلم عنهم، ولا يعرفون طريقًا يخلصهم مما هم فيه من المعاناة.
وقوله إلا المستضعفين إلى آخر الآية هذا عذر من الله لهؤلاء في ترك الهجرة وذلك أنهم لا يقدرون على التخلص من أيدي المشركين ولو قدروا ما عرفوا يسلكون الطريق ولهذا قال لا يستطيعون حيلة ولا يهتدون سبيلا قال مجاهد وعكرمة والسدي يعني طريقا.
ثم استثنى - سبحانه - من هذا المصير السئ لمن ظلموا أنفسهم ثلاثة أصناف من الناس فقال : ( إِلاَّ المستضعفين مِنَ الرجال والنسآء والولدان ) .أى : أن هذا المصير السئ والعذاب المهين هو للذين ظلموا أنفسهم بترك الهجرة إلى المسلمين مع قدرتهم عليها ، لكن هناك طوائف من الناس خارجون من هؤلاء الذين ظلموا أنفسهم ومن هذا المصير الأليم ، وهم أولئك الرجال الذين عجزوا حقا عن الهجرة لضعفهم أو مرضهم أو شيخوختهم . . . أو النساء اللائى لا يستطعن الخروج وحدهن خشية من الاعتداء عليهن أو الوالدان الذين لم يبلغوا الحلم بعد ، أو بلغوا بلوغا قريبا لكنهم لا يستطيعون الهجرة بمفردهم لقلة ذات يدهم أو لغير ذلك من الأعذار الصحيحة .وقوله ( لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً وَلاَ يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلاً ) جملة مستأنفة موضحة لمعنى الاستضعاف .حتى لا يتوهم متوهم أن استضعاف هؤلاء كالاستضعاف الذى تذرع به أولئك الذين ظلموا أنفسهم عندما قالوا - كما حكى القرآن عنهم - ( كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الأرض ) . ويصح أن تكون حالا من المستضعفين .أى : ليس مندرجا مع الذين ظلموا أنفسهم فاستحقوا المصير السئ أولئك الضعفاء من الرجال والنساء والولدان؛ لأنهم ( لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً ) فى الخروج؛ إذ لا قوة لهم على الخروج ولا نفقة معهم توصلهم مبتغاهم ( وَلاَ يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلاً ) أى : ولا يعرفون الطريق التى توصلهم إلى دار هجرتهم .قال القرطبى : والحيلة : لفظ عام لأنواع أسباب التخلص . والسبيل : سبيل المدينة . فيما ذكر مجاهد والسدى وغيرهما والصواب أنه عام فى جميع السبل .والاستثناء فى قوله ( إِلاَّ المستضعفين ) منقطع - على الصحيح - لأن هؤلاء الذين قعدوا عن الجرة لعجزهم ، خارجون من أولئك الذين ظلموا أنفسهم بقعودهم عن الهجرة مع قدرتهم على ذلك .وفى ذكر الوالدان مبالغة فى أمر الهجرة حتى لكأنها لو استطاعها غير المكلفين لقاموا بها ، وإشعار بأن على أوليائهم أن يهاجروا بهم معهم متى تمكنوا من ذلك .
ثم استثنى جل ثناؤه المستضعفين الذين استضعفهم المشركون=" من الرجال والنساء والولدان "، وهم العجزة عن الهجرة= بالعُسْرة، وقلّة الحيلة، وسوء البصر والمعرفة بالطريق= من أرضهم أرضِ الشرك إلى أرض الإسلام، من القوم الذين أخبر جل ثناؤه أن مأواهم جهنم: أن تكون جهنم مأواهم، للعذر الذي هم فيه، على ما بينه تعالى ذكره. (32)* * *ونصب " المستضعفين " على الاستثناء من " الهاء " و " الميم " اللتين في قوله: " فأولئك مأواهم جهنم ". (33)--------------------الهوامش :(32) سياق هذه الجملة: "ثم استثنى الله المستضعفين ... وهم العجزة عن الهجرة ... من أرضهم ... ، من القوم ... أن تكون جهنم مأواهم" ، كثر فيها تعلق حروف الجر بما سلف ، فخشيت أن يتعب القارئ!!(33) انظر معاني القرآن للفراء 1: 284. هذا ، وقد خالف أبو جعفر نهجه هذا ، وأخر الكلام في قوله: "إن الذين توفاهم الملائكة" إلى آخر تفسير الآية ص: ...
ثم استثنى أهل العذر منهم ، فقال : ( إلا المستضعفين من الرجال والنساء والولدان لا يستطيعون حيلة ) لا يقدرون على حيلة ولا على نفقة ولا قوة للخروج منها ، ( ولا يهتدون سبيلا ) أي : لا يعرفون طريقا إلى الخروج . وقال مجاهد : لا يعرفون طريق المدينة .
وقوله : { إلاّ المستضعفين } استثناء من الوعيد ، والمعنى إلاّ المستضعفين حقّاً ، أي العاجزين عن الخروج من مكة لقلّة جهد ، أو لإكراه المشركين إيّاهم وإيثاقهم على البقاء : مثل عيّاش بن أبي ربيعة المتقدّم خبره في قوله تعالى : { وما كان لمؤمن أن يقتل مؤمناً إلاّ خطئاً } [ النساء : 92 ] ، ومثل سلمة بن هشام ، والوليد بن الوليد . وفي «البخاري» أنّ رسول الله كان يدعو في صلاة العشاء : «اللهمّ نجّ عيّاش بن أبي ربيعة اللهمّ نجّ الوليد بن الوليد ، اللهمّ نجّ سلمة بن هشام اللهمّ نجّ المستضعفين من المؤمنين» . وعن ابن عباس : كنتُ أنا وأميّ من المستضعفين .والتبيين بقوله : { من الرجال والنساء والولدان } لقصد التعميم . والمقصد التنبيه على أنّ من الرجال مستضعفين ، فلذلك ابتدىء بذكرهم ثم ألحق بذكرهم النساء والصبيان لأنّ وجودهم في العائلة يكون عذراً لوليّهم إذا كان لا يجد حيلة . وتقدّم ذكرهم بقوله تعالى : { وما لكم لا تقاتلون في سبيل الله والمستضعفين من الرجال والنساء والولدان } [ النساء : 75 ] ، وإعادة ذكرهم هنا ممّا يؤكّد أن تكون الآيات كلّها نزلت في التهيئة لفتح مكة .وجملة : { لا يستطيعون حيلة ولا يهتدون سبيلاً } حال من المستضعفينَ موضّحة للاستضعاف ليظهر أنّه غير الاستضعاف الذي يقوله الذين ظلموا أنفسهم { كُنَا مستضعفين في الأرض } ، أي لا يستطيعون حيلة في الخروج إمّا لمنع أهل مكة إيّاهم ، أو لفقرهم : { ولا يهتدون سبيلاً } أي معرفة للطريق كالأعمى .
ثم استثنى المستضعفين على الحقيقة، الذين لا قدرة لهم على الهجرة بوجه من الوجوه { وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلًا }
وقوله تعالى : لا يستطيعون حيلة الحيلة لفظ عام لأنواع أسباب التخلص . والسبيل سبيل المدينة ؛ فيما ذكر مجاهد والسدي وغيرهما ، والصواب أنه عام في جميع السبل .
A believer naturally wants a free environment where his believing personality may find full opportunities to express itself. If he finds the environment unfavourable, he had better change his surroundings. This change of place is called hijrah (emigration). Thus, in the real spirit of hijrah, one should remove oneself from an unfavourable to a favourable situation. Let us take the example of a person who is associated with an organisation which is dominated by certain personalities. He realises that he may exist there only as a glorifier of those personalities and not as a glorifier of God. Now, if for the sake of self-interest he compromises with that atmosphere and fails to proclaim the truth as he sees it, and then, still in the same state, he breathes his last, it might be said that in that case, he had perpetrated an injustice against his soul.
The third verse (96) too recounts the same degrees of precedence that the Mujahidin have over others.
Ruling
Jihad is not obligatory on the lame, the crippled, the blind, the sick and on others who are excusable under the Islamic law.
Allah then showed who had an excuse, saying: (Except the feeble among men) the elderly and the weak, (and the women, and the children, who are unable to devise a plan) for leaving Mecca (and are not shown a way) they do not know how to leave.