An-Nahl (The Bee): Verses 110–111

Verse 110

There are several issues concerning this verse:

After mentioning the state of those who disbelieved after believing, and those who were coerced into disbelief (mentioning the utterance of disbelief while concealing true belief), God then mentions the state of those who migrated after being afflicted (fitnah): {Indeed, your Lord, for those who emigrated after they were persecuted...}

There are two main readings for the word futinū (persecuted/tested):

1. Ibn 'Amir's reading: Fatinū (with a fatḥa on the fā’), attributing the action to the subject (active voice).
   • Reason 1: It could mean that the prominent leaders of the polytheists who harmed the weak Muslims, if they repented, migrated, and persevered, God would accept their repentance.
   • Reason 2: Fatana and aftana mean the same thing, just as māna and amāna mean the same.
   • Reason 3: Since those weak individuals uttered the word of disbelief out of taqiyyah (dissimulation), it is as if they afflicted themselves, and this was deemed a fitnah because the concession allowing the utterance of disbelief had not yet been revealed at that time.

2. *The reading of the rest (with a ḍammah on the fā’):* Futinū (passive voice, the agent is unknown).
   • This is straightforward, as it refers to the oppressed believers who were forced by the strong polytheists to apostatize or revert from faith. God clarifies that if they migrate, strive (Jihad), and persevere, God will forgive them for uttering the word of disbelief.

The phrase {min ba‘di mā futinū} (after they were persecuted/tested) can imply several things:

1. They were physically tortured.
2. They were threatened with torture.
3. They actually apostatized (committed ridda). Al-Hasan said: These believers in Mecca faced a trial (fitnah), apostatized, doubted the Prophet (PBUH), and then repented and migrated; this verse was revealed concerning them.
4. It is also said that it was revealed concerning 'Abdullāh ibn Sa‘d ibn Abī Sarḥ, who apostatized. When the Conquest of Mecca occurred, the Prophet (PBUH) ordered his execution. 'Uthmān sought protection for him, and the Prophet granted it. He later embraced Islam and his Islam became good. This narration is only sound if we consider this Sūrah or this verse to be Medinan.

It is also possible that the meaning is that those weak, tortured individuals uttered the word of disbelief out of taqiyyah. Thus, {min ba‘di mā futinū} is open to all four interpretations, and the wording does not specify one over the others.

If the verse concerns those who outwardly expressed disbelief, it means that this act carries no sin, and their status, after migrating, striving, and persevering, is like those who were not coerced. If it concerns those who apostatized, it means that repentance and fulfilling subsequent obligations remove that punishment and secure forgiveness and mercy. The pronoun in {min ba‘dihā} (after it) refers back to the mentioned actions: migration, striving (Jihad), and patience.

Verse 111

Regarding the phrase {Yawma ta’tī kullu nafsin tujādilu ‘an nafsihā} (The Day every soul will come arguing for itself), there are discussions:

Al-Zajjāj stated that Yawma is in the accusative case for two reasons:

1. The meaning is: **{Indeed, your Lord, after it, is Forgiving, Merciful [on] the Day when every soul will come...}* meaning God grants mercy and forgiveness on that Day when a person is most in need of mercy and forgiveness.
2. The implied structure is: "And remind them, or mention the Day..." as the purpose of the Qur'an is often grandeur, warning, and reminder.

One might ask: A soul does not have another soul; what is the meaning of {kullu nafsin tujādilu ‘an nafsihā} (every soul arguing for itself)?

The Answer: The term Nafs (soul/self) can refer to the physical body, or it can refer to the essence and reality of a thing.

• The first Nafs refers to the physical body/person.
• The second Nafs refers to its very essence/self.

It is as if the verse means: The Day every human comes arguing for their own essence, unconcerned with the affairs of others. God says: {For every man among them that Day will be a matter that occupies him} (Abasa: 37). Some narrations state that Hellfire will let out a roar (a great sigh) such that no near angel or sent prophet will remain except kneeling, saying: "O Lord, myself, myself!" even Ibrāhīm (Abraham), the intimate friend of God, will do so.

The meaning of arguing for itself is offering excuses on its behalf, like their saying: {These misled us} (Al-A'rāf: 38) and {By God, our Lord, we were not polytheists} (Al-An'ām: 23).

{Wa wuffiyat kullu nafsin mā ‘amilat} (And every soul will be fully compensated for what it did): There is an implied object here. It means every soul will be fully compensated for the reward or punishment of its deeds, without any deficiency or reduction.

{wa hum lā yuẓlamūn} (and they will not be wronged): Al-Wāḥidī said this means they will not have their due revoked. Al-Qāḍī said: This verse is one of the strongest proofs for our position regarding divine threats (punishment), because it indicates that God delivers to everyone their due right without any reduction. If God were to remove the punishment of a sinner due to intercession, this would contradict the apparent meaning.

The Rebuttal: We do not dispute that the apparent meaning of general statements indicates your view. However, our doctrine is that relying on the apparent meanings of general statements does not yield certainty. Furthermore, the apparent meanings of threats are counterbalanced by the apparent meanings of promises. We have already explained in Sūrat Al-Baqarah (regarding the verse: {Nay, but whoever earns an evil and his sin encompasses him...} [Al-Baqarah: 81]) that the side of promise outweighs the side of threat in many respects. And God knows best.

Verse 112

And God sets forth a parable: a town that was secure and tranquil, receiving its provision abundantly from every place. But it denied the favors of God, so God made it taste the garment of hunger and fear because of what they used to do.