Based on what has been discussed so far, we can conclude that a Muslim who prevents himself from gaining awareness of religious duties and distances himself from Islamic society, is - within the context portrayed in the Holy Qur’an - a “mutaarib” - or a Bedouin. That vilification which is found in the Holy Qur’an targets such people even though they live within towns and cities [and not in deserts]1.

3.1: Was not God's earth wide enough?

It is noted in history that a group of people from the Muslim community, among whom were Qais bin Al-Kaffa and Qias bin Al-Waleed, did not migrate from Mecca to Medina even though they were able to do so. These so-called Muslims, who apparently declared their submission to Islam, disobeyed the order of the prophet (S) and chose to remain in Mecca due to their love and attachment to their land and wealth. Those “Muslims”, when it came to the battle of Badr, had to fight alongside the Quraish against the Prophet. This is because anyone who refused to do so was threatened by the leaders of Quraish with the destruction of their home and confiscation of their wealth.

The battle saw what is commonly narrated as being 313 Muslim fighters face 1000 or so fighters from the enemy side. Yet they appeared to their eyes to be twice that number and so doubt entered the hearts of the enemies and they were killed by the swords of the Muslims while fighting for the disbelievers. The following Verses were revealed concerning them2:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَوَفَّىٰهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ ظَالِمِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا۟ فِيمَ كُنتُمْ قَالُوا۟ كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ قَالُوٓا۟ أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٰسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُوا۟ فِيهَا فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مَأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَسَآءَتْ مَصِيرًا

And those the angels take, while still they are wronging themselves -- the angels will say, 'In what circumstances were you?' They will say, 'We were abased in the earth.' The angels will say, 'But was not God's earth wide, so that you might have emigrated in it?' Such men, their refuge shall be Gehenna -- an evil homecoming! (Holy Qur’an, 4:97).

Sayyid Tabatabai mentions Verse 16:28 alongside the aforementioned Verse in his exegesis Tafsir Al-Mizan3:

ٱلَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّىٰهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ ظَالِمِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ فَأَلْقَوُا۟ ٱلسَّلَمَ مَا كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ مِن سُوٓءٍۭ بَلَىٰٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

Those whom the angels take while still they are wronging themselves.' Then they will offer surrender: 'We were doing nothing evil. 'Nay; but surety God has knowledge of the things you did. (Holy Qur’an, 16:28).

Sayyid Tabatabai explains that the meaning of “wronging themselves”, is, as reinforced by 4:97, deviating from the religion of Allah (SwT), and leaving Islamic rituals because of being amongst non-believers. Living in such an environment where the strength is with the non-religious, and the believers are the weaker population, results in one being unable to seek guidance or perform one’s religious obligations. They will be asked: 'In what circumstances were you?' And they will answer, 'We were abased in the earth.' (4:97).

Sayyid Tabatabai then goes on to say that the rebuke by the Angels – “But was not God's earth wide, so that you might have emigrated in it?” belies the response of those people in question, those who claim to have not been able to perform their duties or learn their religion. For, unless the entire world was commanded by polytheists and non-believers, they should have been able to migrate. But they chose not to. They chose to stay. And an ill choice it was.

For further discussion on the meaning of “abased” (المستضعف), readers may refer to the exegesis of this verse in Tafsir Al-Mizan4.

The following is another verse where the vastness of the world is mentioned:

قُلْ يَـٰعِبَادِ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا۟ فِى هَـٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةٌ وَأَرْضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٰسِعَةٌ إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى ٱلصَّـٰبِرُونَ أَجْرَهُم بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ

Say: 'My servants who believe, fear your Lord. For those who do good in this world good, and God's earth is wide. Surely the patient will be paid their wages in full without reckoning.' (Holy Qur’an 39:10).

In this verse, after commanding that a believer must have “taqwa” of the Lord (SwT), and promising the reward of pious deeds in this world, it is stated that the earth Allah (SwT) has created is indeed wide!

According to Sheikh Naser Makarem Shirazi in his Exegesis Al-Amthal5, this portion of the verse is a response to those who claim weakness and find excuses, and say that they are unable to perform their duties because of the environment and government where they live.

In this verse, those who lived in Mecca under the governorship of the polytheists are told that if Mecca is not suitable for their faith, they should migrate to Medina. Indeed, not only Medina, but the entire earth is available for them to find a place to live where they can practice their obligations.

Sheikh Makarem Shirazi then states that one must migrate in order to be able to practice one’s faith, and one must also migrate in order to be able to spread the faith.

With regards to 4:97, he emphasises that a believer who is capable of migrating in the way of Allah (SwT) - and does not - will in fact have no excuse when facing Allah (SwT) on the Day of Judgement6.

3.2: Migration is not easy

Towards the end of Verse 39:10, there is an acknowledgement of the difficulty of migrating – ‘Surely the patient will be paid their wages in full without reckoning!’

Migrating is not an easy task. It takes a significant amount of psychological motivation and financial capability to successfully migrate from one land to another. Patience, perseverance and strong will are also essential.

When one decides to migrate to another country, especially from “western civilisation” to “eastern civilisation”, many friends and family members will likely exert their utmost effort to prevent the migrator from doing so. They will express huge concerns, present various statistics, and instil fear with regards to their children’s future, their own future, financial losses, the inability to return and many other such issues.

Despite all these concerns, the duty of the individual is to their own self and their own family:

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ قُوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَـٰٓئِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ لَّا يَعْصُونَ ٱللَّهَ مَآ أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ

Believers, guard yourselves and your families against a Fire whose fuel is men and stones, and over which are harsh, terrible angels who disobey not God in what He commands them and do what they are commanded. (Holy Qur’an 66:6).

3.3: What of those who do not migrate?

As for those who believe, but have decided to remain behind, there is no obligation of “wilayah” to them - as described in the following Verse:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَهَاجَرُوا۟ وَجَـٰهَدُوا۟ بِأَمْوَٰلِهِمْ وَأَنفُسِهِمْ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاوَوا۟ وَّنَصَرُوٓا۟ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَلَمْ يُهَاجِرُوا۟ مَا لَكُم مِّن وَلَـٰيَتِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ حَتَّىٰ يُهَاجِرُوا۟ وَإِنِ ٱسْتَنصَرُوكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ فَعَلَيْكُمُ ٱلنَّصْرُ إِلَّا عَلَىٰ قَوْمٍۭ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُم مِّيثَـٰقٌ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ

Those who believe, and have emigrated and struggled with their possessions and their selves in the way of God, and those who have given refuge and help -- those are friends one of another. And those who believe, but have not emigrated -- you have no duty of friendship towards them till they emigrate; yet if they ask you for help, for religion's sake, it is your duty to help them, except against a people between whom and you there is a compact; and God sees the things you do. (Holy Qur’an, 8:72).

This verse and verse 75 of the same Surah describe the interactions between four groups of believers:

1. Those who are believers and migrated [in this case from Mecca to Medina.]

2. Those who are believers accepting those migrating to them [in this case dwellers of Yathrib].

3. Those who believed but did not migrate [in this case remained in Mecca].

4. And those who believed thereafter and migrated.

The first two groups have a loyalty towards each other and an obligation to each other. As for the third group, however, no loyalty or “wilayah” is prescribed towards them unless they migrate afterwards, or they need assistance when attacked. However, if attacked by an enemy that the migrators have a contract with – the contract takes priority!!7

The fourth group is referred to in Verse 75:

وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَهَاجَرُوا۟ وَجَـٰهَدُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَاوَوا۟ وَّنَصَرُوٓا۟ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ حَقًّا لَّهُم مَّغْفِرَةٌ وَرِزْقٌ كَرِيمٌ

And those who have believed afterwards and emigrated, and struggled with you -- they belong to you; but those related by blood are nearer to one another in the Book of God; surely God has knowledge of everything. (Holy Qur’an, 8:75).

Admittedly, those who were the first to migrate have a unique status with Allah. However, those who embraced Islam later on and migrated and struggled for the cause, are considered to be part of the same group8.

3.4: Is Migration Obligatory?

The jurists have used the following verses to deduce that migration is obligatory9:

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ تَوَفَّىٰهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ ظَالِمِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ قَالُوا۟ فِيمَ كُنتُمْ قَالُوا۟ كُنَّا مُسْتَضْعَفِينَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ قَالُوٓا۟ أَلَمْ تَكُنْ أَرْضُ ٱللَّهِ وَٰسِعَةً فَتُهَاجِرُوا۟ فِيهَا فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ مَأْوَىٰهُمْ جَهَنَّمُ وَسَآءَتْ مَصِيرًا

And those the angels take, while still they are wronging themselves -- the angels will say, 'In what circumstances were you?' They will say, 'We were abased in the earth.' The angels will say, 'But was not God's earth wide, so that you might have emigrated in it?' Such men, their refuge shall be Gehenna -- an evil homecoming! (Holy Qur’an, 4:97).

إِلَّا ٱلْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ مِنَ ٱلرِّجَالِ وَٱلنِّسَآءِ وَٱلْوِلْدَٰنِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ حِيلَةً وَلَا يَهْتَدُونَ سَبِيلًا

Except the men, women, and children who, being abased, can devise nothing and are not guided to a way (Holy Qur’an, 4:98).

These verses have already been mentioned and discussed.

Another verse which has been used to prove that migration is obligatory, is found in Chapter 29:

يَـٰعِبَادِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِنَّ أَرْضِى وَٰسِعَةٌ فَإِيَّـٰىَ فَٱعْبُدُونِ

O My servants who believe, surely My earth is wide; therefore, Me do you serve! (Holy Qur’an, 29:56).

This verse follows verses that describe the challenges and pressures of living as a minority group of Muslims amongst non-believers. It does not only apply to the believers of Mecca, but is rather, a general statement to anyone who does not have the freedom of practicing their religion. To live in that place would be to live in humiliation, and “far from us are those who humiliate”10, and loss and adversity. In this way, migration to a place where there is freedom to practice one’s faith becomes a necessity11.

After all, if the primary goal of mankind is worship12, then what is the purpose of living if one cannot reach this goal? In order to fulfil one’s purpose, one must not be a slave of nationalism, or attachment to loved ones. These all have their rightful places and Islam has clear guidelines concerning them - but not at the expense of attaining the ultimate goal of worship and servitude to the All-Mighty (SwT). And in order to attain this, migration may be the only option13.

3.5: For those who fear migration

وَمَن يُهَاجِرْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّـهِ يَجِدْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُرَاغَمًا كَثِيرًا وَسَعَةً وَمَن يَخْرُجْ مِن بَيْتِهِ مُهَاجِرًا إِلَى اللَّـهِ وَرَسُولِهِ ثُمَّ يُدْرِكْهُ الْمَوْتُ فَقَدْ وَقَعَ أَجْرُهُ عَلَى اللَّـهِ وَكَانَ اللَّـهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

Whoso emigrates in the way of God will find in the earth many refuges and plenty; whoso goes forth from his house an emigrant to God and His Messenger, and then death overtakes him, his wage shall have fallen on God; surely God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate. (Holy Qur’an, 4:100).

This Verse has already been discussed. Those who believe, and struggle, and migrate, will find plenty of opportunities if they look hard enough.

And:

وَٱلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ثُمَّ قُتِلُوٓا۟ أَوْ مَاتُوا۟ لَيَرْزُقَنَّهُمُ ٱللَّهُ رِزْقًا حَسَنًا وَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَهُوَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰزِقِينَ

And those who emigrated in God's way and were slain, or died, God shall provide them with a fair provision; and surely God is the best of providers. (Holy Qur’an, 22:58).

That is, to perish in the way of Allah (SwT) when migrating, be it by natural death or by being killed, is tantamount to becoming a martyr, being provided for with certainty a provision that is the best of provisions14.

And:

وَٱلَّذِينَ هَاجَرُوا۟ فِى ٱللَّهِ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا ظُلِمُوا۟ لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَلَأَجْرُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ لَوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ

Those who migrate for the sake of Allah after they have been wronged, We will surely settle them in a good place in the world, and the reward of the Hereafter is surely greater, had they known (Holy Qur’an, 16:41).

ٱلَّذِينَ صَبَرُوا۟ وَعَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

Those who are patient, and put their trust in their Lord. (Holy Qur’an, 16:42).

Migration in this Verse means to leave your homes and country and family to protect your religion from those who are oppressive15, and away from non-believers16 in the way of the Prophet (S) and in the way of Allah (SwT).

The points that can be taken from these verses are as follows:

Firstly, those who migrate because they wish to spread the religion or because of the need to protect their own faith, will be rewarded.

Secondly, if one is unable to resist the oppression and pressures of the enemy governing the state, one must migrate.

Thirdly, migration, patience, and trust in Allah (SwT) are the three secrets of defeating the enemy; and it is only trust in Allah (SwT) which will lead to the ultimate victory.

And finally, the fourth point is that without this test of migration and all its difficulties, comfort and ease cannot be obtained, so instead of fear one must put full trust in Allah (SwT)17.

• 1. ‘At-Ta’arrub Badul Hijra - Series 14 for the Series of Repentance Week’.
• 2. Shirazi, Al-Amthal Fi Tafseer Kitab Allah Al-Munzal. Vol 3. P. 267.
• 3. Allamah Tabataba’i, Tafsir Al-Mizan. Vol 5. P. 50.
• 4. Allamahh Tabataba’i, Tafsir Al-Mizan. Vol 5. P. 53.
• 5. Shirazi, Al-Amthal Fi Tafseer Kitab Allah Al-Munzal. Vol. 11 P. 377.
• 6. Shirazi. Vol. 11 P. 478.
• 7. Shirazi. Vol. 5 P. 127.
• 8. Shirazi. Vol. 5. P. 127.
• 9. ‘At-Ta’arrub Badul Hijra - Series 14 for the Series of Repentance Week’.
• 10. Far from us are those who humiliate – الذله من هيهات – Imam Husayn (‘a).
• 11. Shirazi, Al-Amthal Fi Tafseer Kitab Allah Al-Munzal. Vol. 12 P. 438.
• 12. See Verse 51:56 of the Holy Qur’an.
• 13. Shirazi, Al-Amthal Fi Tafseer Kitab Allah Al-Munzal. Vol. 12 P. 438.
• 14. Qara’ati, Tafsir Noor. Vol. 6 P. 62.
• 15. Shaykh Tabarsi, Majma‘ al-Bayan Fi-Tafsir al-Qur’an. Vol. 6 P. 557.
• 16. al Bahrani, Al- Burhan Fi Tafsir al-Qur’an. Vol. 3 P. 422.
• 17. Qara’ati, Tafsir Noor. Vol. 4 P. 524.