Tafsir of Surah Al-Hajj - Verse 60

The Great Reward for Those Who migrate in the Cause of Allah

Allah tells us that those who migrate for the sake of Allah, seeking to earn His pleasure and that which is with Him, leaving behind their homelands, families and friends, leaving their countries for the sake of Allah and His Messenger to support His religion, then they are killed, i.e., in Jihad, or they die, i.e., they pass away without being involved in fighting, they will have earned an immense reward. As Allah says:

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) 4:100

لَيَرْزُقَنَّهُمُ اللَّهُ رِزْقاً حَسَناً

(surely, Allah will provide a good provision for them.) means, He will reward them from His bounty and provision in Paradise with that which will bring them joy.

وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَزِقِينَ

لَيُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ مُّدْخَلاً يَرْضَوْنَهُ

(And verily, it is Allah Who indeed is the Best of those who make provision. Truly, He will make them enter an entrance with which they shall be well-pleased,) This means Paradise, as Allah says elsewhere:

فَأَمَّآ إِن كَانَ مِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ - فَرَوْحٌ وَرَيْحَانٌ وَجَنَّـتُ نَعِيمٍ

(Then, if he be of those brought near (to Allah), rest and provision, and a Garden of Delights.) 56:88-89. Allah tells us that He will grant him rest and provision and a Garden of Delights, as He tells us here:

لَيَرْزُقَنَّهُمُ اللَّهُ رِزْقاً حَسَناً

(surely, Allah will provide a good provision for them.) Then He says:

لَيُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ مُّدْخَلاً يَرْضَوْنَهُ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَلِيمٌ

(Truly, He will make them enter an entrance with which they shall be well-pleased, and verily, Allah indeed is All-Knowing,) meaning, He is All-Knowing about those who migrate and strive in Jihad for His sake and who deserve that (reward).

حَلِيمٌ

(Most Forbearing,) means, He forgives and overlooks their sins, and He accepts as expiation for their sins, their migration (Hijrah) and their putting their trust in Him. Concerning those who are killed for the sake of Allah, whether they are Muhajirs (migrants) or otherwise, they are alive with their Lord and are being provided for, as Allah says:

وَلاَ تَحْسَبَنَّ الَّذِينَ قُتِلُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ أَمْوَتاً بَلْ أَحْيَاءٌ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ يُرْزَقُونَ

(Think not of those as dead who are killed in the way of Allah. Nay, they are alive, with their Lord, and they have provision) 3:169. There are many Hadiths on this topic, as stated previously. With regard to those who die for the sake of Allah, whether they are emigrants or not. This Ayah and the Sahih Hadiths guarantee that they will be well provided for and that Allah will show them kindness. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Shurahbil bin As-Simt said: "We spent a long time besieging a stronghold in the land of the Romans. Salman Al-Farisi, may Allah be pleased with him, passed by me and said, `I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:

«مَنْ مَاتَ مُرَابِطًا أَجْرَى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ الْأَجْرِ، وَأَجْرَى عَلَيْهِ الرِّزْقَ، وَأَمِنَ مِنَ الفَتَّانِينَ، وَاقْرَؤُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ:

وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ قُتِلُواْ أَوْ مَاتُواْ لَيَرْزُقَنَّهُمُ اللَّهُ رِزْقاً حَسَناً وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَهُوَ خَيْرُ الرَزِقِينَ - لَيُدْخِلَنَّهُمْ مُّدْخَلاً يَرْضَوْنَهُ وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَلِيمٌ حَلِيمٌ »

(Whoever dies guarding the borders of Islam, Allah will give him a reward like that reward (of martyr) and will provide for him and keep him safe from trials. Recite, if you wish: (Those who emigrated in the cause of Allah and after that were killed or died, surely, Allah will provide a good provision for them. And verily, it is Allah Who indeed is the Best of those who make provision. Truly, He will make them enter an entrance with which they shall be well-pleased, and verily, Allah indeed is All-Knowing, Most Forbearing))" He also recorded that `Abdur-Rahman bin Jahdam Al-Khawlani was with Fadalah bin `Ubayd when they accompanied with two funerals, at (an island of) sea one of whom had been struck by a catapult, and the other had passed away. Fadalah bin `Ubayd sat by the grave of the man who had passed away and someone said to him, "Are you neglecting the martyr and not sitting by his grave" He said, "I would not mind which of these two graves Allah would resurrect me from, for Allah says:

وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُواْ فِى سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ قُتِلُواْ أَوْ مَاتُواْ لَيَرْزُقَنَّهُمُ اللَّهُ رِزْقاً حَسَناً

(Those who emigrated in the cause of Allah and after that were killed or died, surely, Allah will provide a good provision for them.)" And he recited these two Ayat, then said, "What should I seek, O you servant, if I were to enter an entrance to His pleasure, and be provided good provisions By Allah, I would not mind which of these two graves Allah would resurrect me from."

ذلِكَ وَمَنْ عَاقَبَ بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبَ بِهِ

(That is so. And whoever has retaliated with the like of that which he was made to suffer....) Muqatil bin Hayan and Ibn Jurayj mentioned that this was revealed about a skirmish in which the Companions encountered some of the idolators. The Muslims urged them not to fight during the Sacred Months, but the idolators insisted on fighting and initiated the aggression. So the Muslims fought them and Allah granted them victory.

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ

(Verily, Allah indeed is Oft-Pardoning, Oft-Forgiving.)

Commentary

In an earlier verse it has been mentioned that Allah Ta’ ala helps those who are wronged unjustly وَإِنَّ اللَّـهَ عَلَىٰ نَصْرِ‌هِمْ لَقَدِيرٌ‌ (Allah is powerful to give them victory - 22:39) Some people bear their sufferings patiently and do not seek vengeance from their oppressors, but there are others who retaliate and serve a full measure of retribution on their oppressors which should, therefore, place them both on even terms as being quits. But if the oppressor, incensed at the retaliation, attacks him again, then this person once again becomes the victim of oppression. This verse promises Allah's help for such a person also. On the other hand there are several verses which promise Allah's goodwill to those Muslims who bear their sufferings with patience and equanimity and do not seek vengeance from their oppressors. Some of these verses are:

فَمَنْ عَفَا وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَجْرُ‌هُ عَلَى اللَّـهِ

But whoso pardons and puts things right, his wage falls upon Allah - 42:40.

وَلَمَن صَبَرَ‌ وَغَفَرَ‌ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ لَمِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ‌

And that you forgive is closer to Taqwa - 2:237.

But surely he who bears patiently and forgives - surely that is true constancy - 42:43.

In all these verses it is encouraged not to retaliate for revenge and rather forgive and forget, which is a magnanimous way of dealing with fellow human beings. This is the way Qur'anic teachings stand and call it a supreme and superior trait. Thus it may perhaps be argued that the person who retaliates against the wrongs done to him and conducts himself contrary to the course of action preferred by Allah Ta’ ala will be deprived of His support and help. But this doubt has been allayed in the final part of this verseإِنَّ اللَّـهَ لَعَفُوٌّ غَفُورٌ‌ (22:60) that is, Allah will not punish him for this lapse and will help him if he is subjected to injustice by his oppressors ever again. (Ruh-ul-Ma’ ani)

The people of faith were enjoined to adopt the ways of God who is forgiving and merciful, in that He repeatedly overlooks the excesses of the people and forgives them. Therefore, the respected companions (of the Prophet) were adherents of this divine code of ethics. They were subjected to atrocities, but they tolerated them. Provocative language was used against them, but they overlooked it. Yet, it happened that when some excess was committed against some Muslims, they gave way to a sudden emotional outburst, and retaliated. Harm was inflicted on them, so they inflicted harm in return. Their opponents, taking advantage of this, started vigorous propaganda against the Muslims. Forgetting their own persecution and, treating trivial actions on the part of the Muslims as an atrocity, they started defaming them. Such action shows the worst type of meanness. Those who indulge in such meanness are in reality challenging the honour of God. Apparently they are trying to prove a Muslim to be an oppressor: in reality they are themselves the worst oppressors and can bring no harm to the people of faith by their false propaganda. In consequence, they will meet with the severest punishment for their transgression.