4. [an-Nisa, Medina 92 ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
إِنَّ
الَّذِينَ
تَوَفَّاهُمُ
الْمَلآئِكَةُ
ظَالِمِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ
قَالُواْ فِيمَ
كُنتُمْ ...
4: 97. When angels take the souls of those who die in sin against their souls, they say:
"In what (plight) were ye?"
C615. The immediate occasion for this passage was the question of migration (Hijrah) from places where Islam was being persecuted and suppressed.
Obviously the duty of Muslims was to leave such places, even if it involved forsaking their homes, and join and strengthen the Muslim community among whom they could live in peace and with whom they could help in fighting the evils around them.
But the meaning is wider.
Islam does not say: "Resist not evil." On the contrary it requires a constant, unceasing struggle against evil. For such struggle it may be necessary to forsake home and unite and organize and join our brethren in assaulting and overthrowing the fortress of evil.
For the Muslim's duty is not only to enjoin good but to prohibit evil.
To make our assault we must be prepared to put ourselves in a position from which such assault would be possible, and Allah's earth is spacious enough for the purpose.
"Position" includes not only local position, but moral and material position. For example, we must shun evil company where we cannot put it down, but organize a position from which we can put it down.
... قَالُواْ كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِي الأَرْضِ...
They reply: "Weak and oppressed were we in the earth."
... قَالْوَاْ أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ اللّهِ وَاسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُواْ فِيهَا...
They say: "Was not the earth of Allah spacious enough for you to move yourselves away (from evil)?"
... فَأُوْلَـئِكَ مَأْوَاهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَسَاءتْ مَصِيرًا ﴿٩٧﴾
Such men will find their abode in Hell, what an evil refuge!
إِلاَّ
الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ
مِنَ الرِّجَالِ
وَالنِّسَاء
وَالْوِلْدَانِ
لاَ يَسْتَطِيعُونَ
حِيلَةً وَلاَ
يَهْتَدُونَ
سَبِيلاً ﴿٩٨﴾
4: 98. Except those who are (really) weak and oppressed, men, women, and children who have no means in their power, nor (a guide-post) to direct their way.
C616. If through physical, mental, or moral incapacity, we are unable to fight the good fight, we must nevertheless guard ourselves from it.
Allah's gracious Mercy will recognise and forgive our weakness if it is real weakness, and not merely an excuse. (R).
4: 97
Asad Behold, those whom the angels gather in death while they are still sinning against themselves, [the angels] will ask, “What was wrong with you?” [note 123]. They will answer: “We were too weak on earth.” [The angels] will say: “Was, then, God’s earth not wide wnough for you to forsake the domain of evil?” [note 124]
Pickthall Lo! as for those whom the angels take (in death) while they wrong themselves, (the angels) will ask: In what were ye engaged? They will say : We were oppressed in the land. (The angels) will say: Was not Allah's earth spacious that ye could have migrated therein? As for such, their habitation will be hell, an evil journey's end;
Transliteration nnallazina tawaffa_humul mala_'ikatu za_limi anfusihim qa_lu_ fima kuntum, qa_lu_ kunna_ mustad'afina fil ard(i), qa_lu_ alam takun ardulla_hi wa_si'atan fa tuha_jiru_ fiha_, fa ula_'ika ma'wa_hum jahannam(u), wa sa_'at masira_(n).
4: 98
Pickthall Except the feeble among men, and the women, and the children, who are unable to devise a plan and are not shown a way.
Transliteration Illal mustad'afina minar rija_li wan nisa_'i wal wilda_ni la_ yastati'u_na hilataw wa la_ yahtadu_nasabila_(n).
[[ Ali’s notes - 615 The immediate occasion for this passage was the question of migration (hijrat) from places where Islam was being persecuted and suppressed. Obviously the duty of Muslims was to leave such places, even if it involved forsaking their homes, and join and strengthen the Muslim community among whom they could live in peace and with whom they could help in fighting the evils around them. But the meaning is wider. Islam does not say: "Resist not evil." On the contrary it requires a constant, unceasing struggle against evil. For such struggle it may be necessary to forsake home and unite and organize and join our brethren in assaulting and overthrowing the fortress of evil. For the Muslim's duty is not only to enjoin good but to prohibit evil. To make our assault we must be prepared to put ourselves in a position from which such assault would be possible, and Allah's earth is spacious enough for the purpose. "Position" includes not only local position, but moral and material position. For example, we must shun evil company where we cannot put it down, but organize a position from which we can put it down. (4.97)
616 If through physical, mental, or moral incapacity, we are unable to fight the good fight, we must nevertheless guard ourselves from it. Allah's gracious Mercy will recognize and forgive our weakness if it is real weakness, and not merely an excuse. (4.98) ]]
[[Asad’s note 124 - ……..in other words, a person who does not “migrate from evil unto God” cannot be considered a believer – which explains the conedemnation, in the next sentence, of all who are remiss in this respect.]]