His saying, the Most High: "Indeed, those whom the angels take in death while they are wronging themselves, they will say, 'In what were you?' They will say, 'We were weak in the land.' They will say, 'Was not the earth of Allah spacious so that you could have migrated therein?' So those, their refuge is Hell, and wretched is the destination." "Except for the weak among men, women, and children who are unable to devise a plan and are not guided to a way." "So it is likely that Allah will pardon them, and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." "And whoever migrates in the cause of Allah will find on the earth many places of refuge and abundance. And whoever leaves his home as a migrant to Allah and His Messenger, then death overtakes him, his reward has already become incumbent upon Allah, and Allah is Forgiving and Merciful." The intended meaning of this verse, regarding His saying: "destination," is a group from the people of Mecca who had embraced Islam and showed faith in the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him. When the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, migrated, they remained with their people, and a group among them was tempted and fell into temptation. When the matter of Badr occurred, a group among them went out with the disbelievers and were killed at Badr. Thus, the verse was revealed concerning them. Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him, said: There was a group from the people of Mecca who had embraced Islam and were concealing their Islam. The polytheists expelled them on the day of Badr, and some of them were affected. The Muslims said: Our companions were Muslims and were coerced, so seek forgiveness for them. Then the verse was revealed: "Indeed, those whom the angels take in death..." The verse was written to those who remained in Mecca from the Muslims with this verse that there is no excuse for them. They left, and the polytheists caught up with them and subjected them to temptation, and this other verse was revealed concerning them: "And among the people are some who say, 'We have believed in Allah,' but when they are harmed in the cause of Allah, they consider the trial of the people as the punishment of Allah." [Al-Ankabut: 10] The Muslims wrote to them about this, so they left and despaired of all good. Then this was revealed concerning them: "Then indeed, your Lord, for those who emigrated after they had been tempted, then strove and were patient, indeed, your Lord, after that, is Forgiving and Merciful." [An-Nahl: 110] They wrote to them with this that Allah has made for you a way out, so they left, and the polytheists caught up with them and fought them until those who were saved escaped and those who were killed were killed. And Ikrimah said: This verse was revealed concerning five who were killed at Badr, and they are: Qays ibn al-Fakih ibn al-Mughira, al-Harith ibn Zam'ah ibn al-Aswad, Qays ibn al-Walid ibn al-Mughira, Abu al-Aas ibn Munabbih ibn al-Hajjaj, and Ali ibn Umayyah ibn Khalaf. Al-Naqqash said: There were others who embraced Islam and then went out to Badr, and when they saw the fewness of the Muslims, they said: 'The religion of these people has deceived them.' The judge Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

Al-Abbas was among those who went out with the disbelievers, but he escaped and was captured. He was one of those who provided food during the Battle of Badr. Al-Suddi said: "When Al-Abbas, Aqil, and Nufail were captured, the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said to Al-Abbas: 'Ransom yourself and your nephew.' Al-Abbas replied: 'O Messenger of Allah, did we not pray towards your qiblah and bear witness to your testimony?' He said: 'O Al-Abbas, you have disputed and thus you have been defeated.' Then he recited this verse to him: 'Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to emigrate in it?' Al-Suddi said: On the day this verse was revealed, whoever embraced Islam but did not emigrate is a disbeliever until he emigrates, except for one who cannot find a way or is unable to do so.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: There is consideration in what Al-Suddi said. What aligns with the principles is that whoever died from those after accepting the fitnah and apostatized is a disbeliever, and his abode is Hell in terms of eternity. This is the apparent matter regarding that group. And if we assume that among them is one who died as a believer and was compelled to leave, or died in Makkah, then he is merely a sinner for abandoning emigration. His abode is Hell due to disobedience without eternity. However, since it has not been established that any of them died upon faith, it is not permissible to mention them among the companions, nor is what was known of them previously taken into account. There is no evidence for the Mu'tazilah regarding any of these in their declaring them disbelievers due to sins. As for Al-Abbas, Ibn Abd al-Barr, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned that he embraced Islam before Badr. Therefore, the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, said on the day of Badr: 'Whoever meets Al-Abbas, let him not kill him, for he was brought out unwillingly.'

It was mentioned that he only embraced Islam while being a prisoner when the Prophet, blessings and peace be upon him, mentioned to him the matter of the wealth he left with Umm al-Fadl. It was mentioned that he embraced Islam in the year of Khaybar. He used to write to the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, with news of the polytheists, and he wished to emigrate. 'So the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, wrote to him: 'Stay in Makkah, for your staying there is more beneficial for us.'

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said: However, the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace be upon him, dealt with him when he was captured according to the apparent matter of him.

And His saying, the Exalted, 'He takes their souls' can be understood as a past action that does not depend on a feminine marker, as the femininity of the word angels is not literal. It can also be understood as a future action meaning: 'He will take their souls,' with one of the two tā's being omitted, and the phrase indicates what will come of this meaning in the future after the revelation of the verse. Ibrahim read: 'He will take their souls' with a dammah on the tā. Abu al-Fath said: It is as if they are being handed over to the angels and are accounted for against them. And 'He takes their souls' with a fatḥah on the tā means: He seizes their souls. Ibn Furak narrated from Al-Hasan that the meaning is: 'He gathers them to the Fire.'

'And those who are wronging themselves' is in the accusative case, meaning: those who wrong themselves by abandoning migration. Al-Zajjaj said: The noon has been omitted from 'wrongdoers' for ease, as in His saying: 'reaching the Kaaba' [Al-Ma'idah: 95]. And the saying of the angels: 'What were you in?' is a confirmation and reproach. And the saying of these: 'We were oppressed in the land' is an incorrect excuse, as they were able to find ways and guide themselves. Then the angels confronted them about their sin by saying: 'Was not the earth of Allah spacious?' And the earth in the saying of these is specifically the land of Mecca, while the earth of Allah is the earth in general. The intended meaning is: 'So you should migrate in it to a place of safety?' This statement is only after the angels took the souls of these, indicating that they died as Muslims. Otherwise, if they had died as disbelievers, nothing of this would have been said to them. And they were omitted from mention in the companions due to the severity of what they encountered, and due to the lack of determination of any one of them in faith, and the possibility of their apostasy. And Allah, glorified and exalted is He, threatened them that their abode is Hell, then He exempted from them those whose oppression was genuine: from the time of men and the weakness of women and children, like 'Ayyash ibn Abi Rabiah, and Al-Walid ibn Al-Hisham and others. Ibn Abbas said: 'I and my mother were among the oppressed; she is among the women, and I am among the children.' And 'the means' is a general term for the causes of various forms of escape, and 'the way' is the way of the city, as mentioned by Mujahid, Al-Suddi, and others. The correct view is that it is general in all ways. Then Allah, glorified and exalted is He, gave hope to these for forgiveness, and 'perhaps' from Allah is obligatory, as it indicates the weight of the matter that is forgiven. Al-Hasan said: 'Perhaps' from Allah is obligatory. Others said: It is like a promise, as He does not inform of 'perhaps' out of doubt or expectation, and this returns to obligation. Others said: It is based on human belief, meaning: your assumption of one in this condition is hoping for Allah's forgiveness concerning him. And 'the means of escape' is the shifting and the way, as said by Ibn Abbas, Al-Dahhak, Al-Rabi', and others. From it is the saying of Al-Nabighah Al-Ja'di: 'Like a mountain that is sought for its corners, the precious means of escape and way.' And the saying of another: 'To a land that is not nearby, far from the means of escape and the disturbed.' And Mujahid said: 'The means of escape' is the one who shifts away from what is disliked. And Ibn Zayd said: 'The means of escape' is the migrant. And Al-Suddi said: 'The means of escape' is the one seeking livelihood. The judge Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

And all of this is interpretation by meaning. As for the specific regarding the wording, then the [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: muraghamah] is the place of [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: muraghamah]. It is that each one of the disputants forces the other’s nose by overpowering him in his intention. The disbelievers of Quraysh forced the noses of the imprisoned in Mecca. If a migrant among them were to migrate to the land of Allah, he would have forced the noses of Quraysh by his presence in a place of protection from them. That protection is the place of [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: muraghamah]. Likewise, the mountain that was mentioned by [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: al-Nabighah], whoever climbs it in front of a seeker of it and relies upon it has forced the nose of that seeker. [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: Nubaikh] and [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: al-Jarrah] and [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: al-Hasan ibn Imran] read: "[UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: marghaman]" with the opening of the meem and the silence of the ra without an alif. Abu al-Fath said: This is only due to the omission of the excess from "[UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: raghamah]", and the majority are on "[UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: muragham]". Ibn Abbas, [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: al-Rabi'] and [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: al-Dahhak] and others said: The expansiveness here is the expansiveness in provision. And [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: Qatadah] said: The meaning is an expansiveness from misguidance to guidance, and from poverty to richness. And [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: Malik] said: The expansiveness is the expansiveness of the land.

The judge, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

And the resemblance to the eloquence of the Arabs is that he means the expansiveness of the earth and the abundance of strongholds. By this, the expansiveness is in provision, and the widening of the chest for his concerns and thoughts and other aspects of joy. And similar to this meaning is the saying of the poet:

"If only I had a vast expanse in the land of length and breadth."

And from it is the saying of another:

"And if my friend sought to cut me off, I found my way wide and spacious."

And this meaning is evident from His saying, the Most High: "Did not the earth of Allah be wide?" And [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: Malik ibn Anas], may Allah be pleased with him, said: The verse indicates that every Muslim should leave the lands where the Sunnah is altered and where falsehood is practiced.

And His saying, the Most High: "And whoever leaves his house..." is a ruling that remains in jihad and walking to prayer and pilgrimage and similar matters. However, it is not said that by his very leaving and intention he has attained the rank of one who has fulfilled that obligation or worship in general. But it is said: He has received a great reward for that. It has been narrated that this verse was revealed because of a man from Kinana, and it was said: From Khuzah from Banu Lays, and it was said: In Jundah when he heard the saying of Allah, the Exalted: "They cannot devise a plan, nor can they find a way." He said: I have wealth and servants - and he was ill - so he said: Take me out to the city. He was carried out on a litter and death overtook him at [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: al-Tan‘im]. So the verse was revealed because of him. There is disagreement about his name. [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: al-Tabari] narrated from [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: Ibn Jubayr] that he is [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: Damrah ibn al-‘Iys], or [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: al-‘Iys ibn Damrah ibn Zinba‘], and it was narrated from [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: al-Suddi] that he is [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: Damrah ibn Jundub], and it was narrated from [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: ‘Ikrimah] that he is [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: Jundub ibn Damrah al-Jundahi], and it was also narrated from [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: Ibn Jubayr] that he is [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: Damrah ibn Baghid] who is from Banu Lays. And [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: Abu ‘Umar ibn Abd al-Barr] narrated that he is [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: Damrah ibn al-‘Iys], and [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: al-Mahdawi] said that he is [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: Damrah ibn Nu‘aym], and it was said: [UNTRANSLATED-LATIN: Damrah ibn Khuzah].

And the group read "Then death will overtake him" with certainty, in connection with "he will go out." And Talhah ibn Sulayman and Ibrahim al-Nakha'i, as mentioned by Abu Amr, read "it will overtake him" with the raising of the 'kaf.' Abu al-Fath said: This is a raising based on the fact that it is the news of a subject that is omitted, meaning: Then he will be overtaken by death. So he connected the sentence of the subject and the news to the verb that is certain with its doer. Thus, they are a sentence together, as if he connected a sentence to a sentence. And on this, Yunus ibn Habib understood the words of al-A'sha:

If you ride, then riding horses is our custom ∗∗∗ or if you descend, then we are a group that descends.

The intended meaning is: And you descend. And upon this is the saying of another:

If you commit sins, then your remnant will come to me ∗∗∗ so I have no fault with you in your sins.

The meaning is: Then you will come to me, and this is more appropriate than to interpret it with the words of the other:

Did the news not come to you and the reports grow... ∗∗∗....................

And al-Hasan ibn Abi al-Hasan, Qatadah, Nubaih, and al-Jarrah read "Then it will overtake him" with the 'kaf' in the accusative, and that is based on the implied "that" as in the words of al-A'sha:

We have a high place where humiliation does not descend in its midst ∗∗∗ and the one seeking refuge will come to it and be protected.

He meant: that he will be protected. Abu al-Fath said: And this is not easy, and its place is poetry, not the Qur'an. And Ibn Zayd recited:

I will leave my home for the Banu Tamim ∗∗∗ and I will join the Hijaz to find rest.

And the verse is stronger than this due to the precedence of the condition before the connected statement.

Qadi Abu Muhammad, may Allah have mercy on him, said:

And from this verse, some scholars saw that whoever dies among the Muslims while having gone out as a warrior has his share of the spoils of war. They drew an analogy to the reward, and the meaning of migration has already been mentioned previously. And "it occurred" is an expression of permanence and strength of necessity, and likewise is "it is obligatory," because occurrence and obligation are a descent in the realities with strength. Thus, the necessary meanings are likened to that, and the rest of the verse is clear.