Tafsir of An-Nahl 16:110

(Then your Lord is for those who emigrated) to the abode of Islam, and they are ‘Ammār and his likes. That is, for them is guardianship and victory, not against them, as the apparent state of their previous actions might imply. Thus, the prepositional phrase is in the position of the predicate for Inna. It is also permitted that its predicate be omitted, due to the second Inna’s predicate indicating it, with the prepositional phrase being attached to that omitted predicate. Abū al-Baqā’ said: The predicate is the one that follows, and the second Inna and its noun are a repetition for emphasis, so do not seek a predicate from the perspective of syntax, and the prepositional phrase is attached to one of the two subjects [of the verbs] in terms of action. It is also said: it is attached to an omitted element by way of clarification, as if it were said: "I mean for those." [Meaning: forgiveness.] This is weak. It is also said: there is no predicate because this [sentence] is [connected] in wording, as the predicate of the second suffices for it; this is not good, as is not hidden.

Thumma (then) indicates the distance in rank between this state of theirs and the rank of their state which the exception [in the previous verse] implies—that is, merely moving out from the ruling of wrath and punishment, not the rank of the state of the disbelievers.

(After they were persecuted), meaning: they were tortured for their apostasy. The origin of fitna is putting gold into the fire so its purity from its dross becomes apparent. Then, it was used metaphorically for trials and human torment. Ibn ‘Āmir recited "fatanoo" (they persecuted) in the active voice, and the pronoun refers to the polytheists—according to one view—meaning: they tormented the believers, like the Hadrāmī who was forced by his master until he apostatized, then he accepted Islam and emigrated; or they fell into the fitna (trial), for fatana is used transitively and intransitively, and fitna is used for that from which torment results. Abū Hayyān said: The apparent meaning is that the pronoun refers to "those who emigrated," and the meaning is: they persecuted their own souls by giving the polytheists what they wanted in terms of speech, as ‘Ammār did. When they were steadfast in Islam and were tortured because of that, they became as if they had tortured themselves.

(Then struggled) against the disbelievers, (and were patient) with the hardships of struggle, or with the hardships that befell them in general. (Indeed, your Lord, after that)—that is, the aforementioned [events] of persecution, emigration, struggle, and patience—and this is an explicit statement of what was implied by basing the ruling on the relative noun [those who] due to the causality of the operative clause. It is permitted that the pronoun refers to the fitna understood from the previous verb, and that what was mentioned serves as an explanation that this does not invalidate the ruling. Ibn ‘Atiyyah said: It is permissible that it refers to repentance, and the speech implies it even if no explicit mention occurred.

(Is indeed Forgiving) for what they did previously, (Merciful) bestowing blessings upon them as a reward for what they accomplished afterwards. In utilizing the title of Lordship in both instances is an allusion to the cause of the ruling. Regarding the attribution of the Lord to His pronoun [your Lord], peace be upon him, while the effect is apparent in the aforementioned group, it is a demonstration of the perfection of gentleness toward him, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, in that the overflowing of the effects of Lordship upon them—of forgiveness and mercy—is through his mediation, peace be upon him, and because they are his followers.

This, and the fact that the verse is regarding ‘Ammār and his likes, may Allah be pleased with them, is something mentioned by more than one. Ibn Ishāq explicitly stated that it was revealed concerning him, ‘Ayyāsh ibn Abī Rabī‘ah, and al-Walīd ibn al-Walīd. Ibn ‘Atiyyah refuted this, stating that the mention of ‘Ammār in this regard is not sound, as he is of a higher rank than these, and these are people whose hearts were opened to disbelief, whereas Allah Almighty opened for them the door of repentance at the end of the verse. He mentioned that the verse is Medinan and that he does not know of any disagreement regarding this.

It is reported from Ibn ‘Abbās, may Allah be pleased with both of them, that it was revealed, and the Muslims wrote with it to those who had accepted Islam in Mecca, that Allah had made a way out for them. They departed, and the polytheists overtook them and fought them until some were saved and some were killed. Ibn Mardawayh reported this. In another narration, they departed, were followed, and fought, so it was revealed. Ibn al-Mundhir and others reported this from Qatādah. Thus, the meaning of "struggle" is their fighting those who pursued them. Ibn Jarīr reported from al-Hasan and ‘Ikrimah that it was revealed concerning ‘Abdullah ibn Abī Sarh, who used to write for the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, but Satan caused him to slip, and he joined the disbelievers. The Prophet, peace be upon him, ordered that he be killed on the day of the conquest of Mecca, but ‘Uthmān ibn ‘Affān, may Allah be pleased with him, sought protection for him, and the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, granted it. The intent is that it was revealed concerning him and those like him, as is explicitly stated in some narrations.

They interpreted "were persecuted" in this context as Satan seducing them and causing them to slip until they apostatized by their own choice. What Ibn ‘Atiyyah mentioned regarding those mentioned alongside ‘Ammār is not accepted, for Ibn Abī Hātim reported from Qatādah that ‘Ayyāsh, may Allah be pleased with him, was the maternal brother of Abū Jahl, and he used to beat him with a whip and his mount [to force him] to apostatize from Islam. In al-Tafsīr al-Khāzinī, it is mentioned that ‘Ayyāsh was the brother of Abū Jahl through breastfeeding—it is also said: through his mother—and [along with] Abū Jandal ibn Suhayl ibn ‘Amr, Salamah ibn Hishām, al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah, and ‘Abdullāh ibn Salamah al-Thaqafī, the polytheists persecuted them and tortured them, so they gave them some of what they wanted to be safe from their evil. Then, after that, they emigrated and struggled, and the verse was revealed concerning them. And Allah Almighty knows the reality of the situation.