Quran 16:41 — Surah An-Nahl Ayah 41 | Arabic, Translation & Tafsir

إِنَّمَا قَوْلُنَا لِشَىْءٍ إِذَآ أَرَدْنَٰهُ أَن ...

16:41

An-Nahl

ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا۟ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُ...

وَٱلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا۟ فِى ٱللَّهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا ظُلِمُوا۟ لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةًۭ ۖ وَلَأَجْرُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ

Wallazeena haajaroo fil laahi mim ba'di maa zulimoo lanubawwi' annahum fiddunyaa hasanatanw wa la ajrul Aakhirati akbar; law kaanoo ya'lamoon

And those who emigrated for [the cause of] Allah after they had been wronged - We will surely settle them in this world in a good place; but the reward of the Hereafter is greater, if only they could know.

Related Tafsir

Ibn Kathir

The Reward of the Muhajirin

Allah tells us about the reward of those who migrated for His sake, seeking His pleasure, those who left their homeland behind, brothers and friends, hoping for the reward of Allah. This may have been revealed concerning those who migrated to Ethiopia, those whose persecution at the hands of their own people in Makkah was so extreme that they left them and went to Ethiopia so that they would be able to worship their Lord. Among the most prominent of these migrants were `Uthman bin `Affan and his wife Ruqayyah, the daughter of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, Ja`far bin Abi Talib, the cousin of the Messenger ﷺ, and Abu Salamah bin `Abdul-Asad, among a group of almost eighty sincere and faithful men and women, may Allah be pleased with them. Allah promised them a great reward in this world and the next. Allah said:

لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ فِى الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَة

(We will certainly give them good residence in this world,) Ibn `Abbas, Ash-Sha`bi and Qatadah said: (this means) "Al-Madinah." It was also said that it meant "good provision". This was the opinion of Mujahid. There is no contradiction between these two opinions, for they left their homes and wealth, but Allah compensated them with something better in this world. Whoever gives up something for the sake of Allah, Allah compensates him with something that is better for him than that, and this is what happened. He gave them power throughout the land and caused them to rule over the people, so they became governors and rulers, and each of them became a leader of the pious. Allah tells us that His reward for the Muhajirin in the Hereafter is greater than that which He gave them in this world, as He says:

وَلاّجْرُ الاٌّخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ

(but indeed the reward of the Hereafter will be greater) meaning, greater than that which We have given you in this world.

لَوْ كَانُواْ يَعْلَمُونَ

(if they but knew!) means, if those who stayed behind and did not migrate with them only knew what Allah prepared for those who obeyed Him and followed His Messenger . Then Allah describes them as:

الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

(those who remained patient, and put their trust in their Lord.) (16:42), meaning, they bore their people's persecution with patience, putting their trust in Allah Who made their end good in this world and the Hereafter.

View Full Tafsir: The Reward of the MuhajirinAyahs 41–42

"We emigrated with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), seeking the Face of Allah. So our reward is with Allah. Among us were those who died and did not consume any of the rewards (in this life), and among us were those who lived to see its fruits and tend to them. Verily, Musab bin 'Umair died without leaving anything behind but a garment. When they covered his head with it, his feet would become exposed, and when they covered his feet with it, his head will become exposed. So the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Cover his head and place Al-Idhkir over his feet."

Sahih al-Bukhari #3751Narrated Khabbab:

We migrated with Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) seeking Allah's Countenance, so our rewards became due and sure with Allah. Some of us passed away without eating anything of their rewards in this world. One of these was Mus`ab bin `Umar who was martyred on the day of the battle of Uhud. We did not find anything to shroud his body with except a striped cloak. When we covered his head with it, his feet remained uncovered, and when we covered his feet with it, his head remained uncovered. So Allah's Apostle ordered us to cover his head with it and put some Idhkhir (i.e. a kind of grass) over his feet. And there are some amongst us whose fruits have ripened and they are collecting them (i.e. they have received their rewards in this world).

Sahih al-Bukhari #3877Narrated Khabbab bin Al-Art:

We migrated in the company of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), seeking Allah's Pleasure. So our reward became due and sure with Allah. Some of us have been dead without enjoying anything of their rewards (here), and one of them was Mus'ab bin 'Umar who was martyred on the day of the battle of Uhud, and did not leave anything except a Namira (i.e. a sheet in which he was shrouded). If we covered his head with it, his feet became naked, and if we covered his feet with it, his head became naked. So the Prophet (ﷺ) said to us, "Cover his head with it and put some Idhkhir (i.e. a kind of grass) over his feet or throw Idhkhir over his feet." But some amongst us have got the fruits of their labor ripened, and they are collecting them.

Sunan an-Nasa'i #1908Khabbab said:

"We emigrated with the Messenger of Allah, seeking the Face of Allah, the Most High, so our reward became due from Allah. Some of us died without enjoying anything of his reward (in this world) among them is Mus'ab bin Umair. He was matyred on the day of Uhud and we could not find anything to shroud him in except a Namirah; if we covered his head with it, his feet were uncovered, and if we covered his feet with it, his head became uncovered. The Messenger of Allah told us to cover his head with it and to put Idhkhir over his feet. And for some of us, the fruits of our labor have ripened and we are gathering them." This is the wording of Isma'il

Sahih al-Bukhari #3734Narrated Abu Wail:

We visited Khabbaba who said, "We migrated with the Prophet (ﷺ) for Allah's Sake, so our reward became due and sure with Allah. Some of us passed away without taking anything of their rewards (in this world) and one of them was Mus`ab bin `Umar who was martyred on the day (of the battle) of Uhud leaving a striped woolen cloak. When we covered his head with it, his feet became naked, and when covered his feet, his head became naked. So Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) ordered us to cover his head and put some Idhkhir (i.e. a special kind of grass) on his feet. (On the other hand) some of us have had their fruits ripened (in this world) and they are collecting them."