Overall meaning : Allah, Glorified and Exalted be He, mentions that when the angels take the souls of those who have wronged themselves by disobeying Him for continuing to live in the land of unbelief where they cannot practise their religion freely and not emigrating for the sake of their faith even though they were able to migrate, they will rebukingly ask them, ‘Why did you remain in this place and not emigrate?’ ‘We were oppressed and could not migrate,’ they will reply. Thereupon the angels will reprovingly say to them, ‘Allah’s earth was indeed spacious enough for you to have migrated to some other place where you could worship Allah.’ Allah then shows that the abode of these people who have wronged themselves will be the Fire of Hell—an evil journey’s end and a terrible destination indeed!
Of these, Allah makes an exception for those who did not have any real chance of migrating: the truly helpless men, women and children who were unable to emigrate because they could not devise a plan or a ruse to rid them of the Arab idolaters and their oppression, nor did they know the way they could use to leave the land of evil to the land of Islam. Allah promises to pardon them and excuse them and will not call them to task for failing to emigrate, for Allah is All-Pardoning, All-Forgiving.
Then, urging the believers to emigrate in His cause, Allah Almighty states that whoever migrates in His cause and for the sake of His religion will surely find many a refuge where he can worship Him freely and without fear of persecution, as well as plentiful provision and abundant resources, promising that if anyone leaves his home for the sake of His religion, thereby seeking Allah’s good pleasure and following in the footsteps of His Messenger, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and is then overtaken by death before reaching the land of Islam, his reward becomes due and sure with Allah. Surely Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.