16.Sura al-Nahl
The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:
وَالَّذِينَ هَاجَرُواْ
فِي اللّهِ مِن
بَعْدِ مَا
ظُلِمُواْ ...
16: 41. To those who leave their homes in the Cause of Allah, after suffering oppression --
C2067. There is no merit in suffering exile (Hijrah) in itself. To have any merit, it must be;
- in the cause of Allah, and
- after such an oppression as forces the sufferer to choose between Allah and man.
When these conditions are fulfilled, the exiles are entitled to the highest honour, as having made a great sacrifice in the cause of Allah.
Such were the early Muslim exiles to Abyssinia; such were the later exiles to Madinah before the Prophet himself left his home in Makkah and went to Madinah; and such were the exiles who went with the Prophet or followed him.
At all these stages, his approval or advice was always obtained, either specifically or generally.
... لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً...
We will assuredly give a goodly home in this world:
... وَلَأَجْرُ الآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٤١﴾
but truly the reward of the Hereafter will be greater, if they only realize (this)!
الَّذِينَ
صَبَرُواْ
وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ
يَتَوَكَّلُونَ ﴿٤٢﴾
16: 42. (They are) those who persevere in patience, and put their trust on their Lord.
ثُمَّ إِنَّ
رَبَّكَ لِلَّذِينَ
هَاجَرُواْ
مِن بَعْدِ مَا
فُتِنُواْ...
16: 110. But verily thy Lord to those who leave their homes after trials and persecutions
C2147. I take this verse to refer to such men as were originally with the Pagans but afterwards joined Islam, suffered hardships and exile, and fought and struggled in the Cause, with patience and constance. Their past would be blotted out and forgiven. Men like Khalid ibn Walid were numbered with the foremost heroes of Islam.
In that case this verse would be a Madinah verse, though the Surah as a whole is Makkan.
Perhaps it would be better to read, with some Commentators, fatanu in the active voice rather than futinu in the passive voice, and translate "after inflicting trials and persecutions (on Muslim)."
Notice the parallelism in construction between this verse and verse 119 below.
... ثُمَّ جَاهَدُواْ وَصَبَرُواْ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ مِن بَعْدِهَا لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١١٠﴾
and who thereafter strive and fight for the faith and patiently persevere, thy Lord, after all this, is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Other versions:
16: 41
Asad Now as for those who forsake the domain of evil [see Asad note 41] in the cause of God, after having suffered wrong [on account of their faith] – We shall most certainly grant them a situation of good fortune in this world: but their reward in the life to come will be far greater yet. If they could but understand.
Yusuf Ali To those who leave their homes in the cause of Allah after suffering oppression We will assuredly give a goodly home in this world: but truly the reward of the Hereafter will be greater if they only realize (this)!
Pickthall And those who became fugitives for the cause of Allah after they had been oppressed, We verily shall give them goodly lodging in the world, and surely the reward of the Hereafter is greater, if they but knew;
Transliteration Wallazina ha_jaru_ filla_hi mim ba'di ma_ zulimu_ lanubawwi'annahum fid dunya_ hasanah(tan), wa la'ajrul a_khirati akbar(u), lau ka_nu_ ya'lamu_n(a),
16: 42
Yusuf Ali (They are) those who persevere in patience and put their trust on their Lord.
Pickthall Such as are steadfast and put their trust in Allah.
Transliteration Allazina sabaru_ wa 'ala_ rabbihim yatawakkalu_n(a).
16: 110
Asad And yet, behold, your Sustainer [grants His forgiveness] unto those who forsake the domain of evil after having succumbed to its temptation, and who thenceforth strive hard [in God’s cause] and are patient in adversity: behold, after such [repentance] your Sustainer is indeed much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace.
Yusuf Ali But verily thy Lord to those who leave their homes after trials and persecutions and who thereafter strive and fight for the faith and patiently persevere thy Lord after all this is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful.
Pickthall Then lo! thy Lord--for those who become fugitives after they had been persecuted, and then fought and were steadfast--lo! thy Lord afterward is (for them) indeed Forgiving, Merciful,
Transliteration Summa inna rabbaka lillazina ha_jaru_ mim ba'di ma_ futinu_ summa ja_hadu_ wa sabaru_, inna rabbaka mim ba'diha_ lagafu_rur rahim(un).