Surah Al-'Ankabut 29:58

Advice to migrate and the Promise of Provision and a Goodly Reward

Allah commands His believing servants to migrate from a land in which they are not able to establish Islam, to the spacious earth of Allah where they can do so, by declaring Allah to be One and worshipping Him as He has commanded. Allah says:

يَعِبَادِىَ الَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ إِنَّ أَرْضِى وَاسِعَةٌ فَإِيَّاىَ فَاعْبُدُونِ

(O My servants who believe! Certainly, spacious is My earth. Therefore worship Me.) When things became too difficult for the believers in Makkah who were in a weak position and were oppressed, they left and migrated to Ethiopia, where they were able to practice their religion. The Muslims found Ethiopia the best place for guest; where Ashamah, the Negus or king, may Allah have mercy on him, gave them refuge, helped them, supported them, and honored them in his land. Later, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and his remaining Companions migrated to Al-Madinah, formerly known as Yathrib, may Allah protect it. Then Allah says:

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ الْمَوْتِ ثُمَّ إِلَيْنَا تُرْجَعُونَ

(Everyone shall taste death. Then unto Us you shall be returned.) meaning, `wherever you are, death with catch up with you, so always obey Allah and be where Allah commands you to be, for this is better for you. Death is inevitable and there is no escape from it, and then you will return to Allah, and whoever was obedient to Him will have the best reward.' Allah says:

وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّـلِحَـتِ لَنُبَوِّئَنَّهُمْ مِّنَ الْجَنَّةِ غُرَفَاً تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا الاٌّنْهَـرُ

(And those who believe and do righteous good deeds, to them We shall surely give lofty dwellings in Paradise, underneath which rivers flow,) meaning, `We shall cause them to dwell in lofty homes in Paradise under which various kinds of rivers flow -- water, wine, honey and milk -- which they can direct and cause to flow wherever they wish.'

خَـلِدِينَ فِيهَآ

(to live therein forever.) means, they will remain there forever, never wanting to leave.

نِعْمَ أَجْرُ الْعَـمِلِينَ

(Excellent is the reward for the workers.) these rooms will be a blessed reward for the good deeds of the believers,

الَّذِينَ صَبَرُواْ

(Those who are patient,) in adhering to their religion, who migrated for the sake of Allah and fought the enemy, leaving behind their families and relatives to seek Allah's Face, and hoping for that which is with Him, believing His promise. Ibn Abi Hatim, may Allah have mercy on him, recorded from Abu Mu`aniq Al-Ash`ari that Abu Malik Al-Ash`ari told him that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ told him:

«إِنَّ فِي الْجَنَّةِ غُرَفًا يُرَى ظَاهِرُهَا مِنْ بَاطِنِهَا، وَبَاطِنُهَا مِنْ ظَاهِرِهَا، أَعَدَّهَا اللهُ تَعَالَى لِمَنْ أَطْعَمَ الطَّعَامَ، وَأَطَابَ الْكَلَامَ، وَتَابَعَ الصَّلَاةَ وَالصِّيَامَ، وَقَامَ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّاسُ نِيَام»

(In Paradise there are rooms whose outside can be seen from the inside, and their inside can be seen from the outside; Allah has prepared them for those who feed others, who speak well, who pray and fast continually, and who stand in prayer at night while people are asleep.)

وَعَلَى رَبِّهِمْ يَتَوَكَّلُونَ

(and put their trust in their Lord.) in all their affairs, spiritual and worldly alike. Then Allah tells us that provision is not limited only to one place, but it is given to all His creatures no matter where they are. Indeed, when the Muhajirin migrated, their provision was greater and better than before, because after a short time they became rulers in the land, in all regions. Allah says:

وَكَأَيِّن مِّن دَآبَّةٍ لاَّ تَحْمِلُ رِزْقَهَا

(And so many a moving creature carries not its own provision!) meaning, it does not have the ability to gather its provision and save it for tomorrow.

اللَّهُ يَرْزُقُهَا وَإِيَّاكُمْ

(Allah provides for it and for you.) means, Allah allots its provision to it even though it is weak, and makes it easy for it. He sends provision to every creature in the appropriate manner, even the ants in the depths of the earth, the birds in the air and the fish in the sea. Allah says:

وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الاٌّرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا كُلٌّ فِى كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ

(And no moving creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah. And He knows its dwelling place and its deposit. All is in a Clear Book.) (11:6)

وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

(And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower.) means, He hears all that His servants say and He knows their every movements.

Ayat ini menerangkan ganjaran yang akan diperoleh orang-orang yang beriman kepada Allah, karena telah hijrah untuk kepentingan agama-Nya. Mereka melepaskan diri dari orang-orang yang menyekutukan Allah dan berani menanggung segala resiko akibat dari hijrah itu.

Janji Allah itu ialah memberi ganjaran orang-orang yang beriman dan beramal saleh surga yang penuh kenikmatan. Di dalamnya terdapat taman-taman yang indah dengan sungai-sungai yang mengalir di bawahnya. Mereka kekal di dalam surga itu selama-lamanya.

Mengenai gambaran surga itu, diterangkan oleh hadis Nabi saw, di mana beliau bersabda:

"Sesungguhnya penghuni surga saling melihat penghuni tempat yang tinggi di atas mereka, seperti kamu melihat bintang-bintang gemerlapan yang lewat di ufuk, baik dari timur maupun dari barat, karena perbedaan derajat yang ada pada mereka." Para sahabat berkata, "Ya Rasulullah, itu adalah tempat-tempat para nabi, manusia yang lain tidak akan sampai ke sana." Rasulullah menjawab, "Bisa saja, demi Allah yang jiwaku berada di tangan- Nya, itu adalah tempat-tempat yang beriman kepada Allah dan membenarkan para rasul." (Riwayat Muslim dari Sahl bin Sa'd)

Dalam hadis yang lain Nabi bersabda:

"Sesungguhnya di dalam surga ada tempat-tempat yang tinggi, di belakangnya dapat dilihat tembus dari hadapannya dan hadapannya dapat dilihat tembus dari belakangnya." Lalu seseorang Arab Badui berdiri dan bertanya, "Untuk siapa tempat-tempat itu, ya Rasulullah?" Rasulullah menjawab, "Tempat-tempat itu untuk orang-orang yang baik perkataannya, memberi makan (orang miskin), selalu berpuasa dan salat karena Allah di malam hari sedang orang lain tidur." (Riwayat at-Tirmidzi dari 'Ali bin Abi thalib)

Demikianlah surga yang dijanjikan Allah kepada orang-orang yang beriman, mengerjakan amal saleh, bersabar, dan bertawakal kepada-Nya.

Pada ayat ini diterangkan bahwa Allah berjanji akan memberikan ganjaran kepada orang-orang yang beriman. Janji Allah itu dikuatkan dengan kalimat sumpah. Hal ini adalah untuk menenteramkan hati kaum Muslimin, agar langkah mereka mantap dalam menempuh jalan yang lurus dan sulit, seperti hijrah dan sebagainya.