His statement, “the abode of a believing people,” means: O abode of a people; what is meant by “abode” here is its inhabitants, just as in Allah’s saying, “Ask the town” [Joseph: 82], meaning its inhabitants.

His statement, “and, if Allah wills, we shall join you”: join you in what respect?

The answer is that if we say, “We shall join you in death,” an objection arises: why is this made contingent upon Allah’s will when it is certain? What is certain does not need to be made contingent upon His will. Making something contingent upon Allah’s will applies to a matter whose outcome is unknown and is therefore entrusted to Allah, the Most High. Allah says, “Indeed, the death from which you flee will surely meet you” [al-Jumu‘ah: 8]. He did not say, “It will surely catch up with you,” because one who follows may catch up and may not, whereas one who meets inevitably reaches the other.

The following explanations have been offered to resolve this objection:

1. What is meant is joining them in faith; thus, it is a spiritual rather than physical joining, as indicated by the words, “the abode of a believing people, and, if Allah wills, we shall join you.” In that case, making it contingent upon Allah’s will is legislated.

2. What is meant is joining them in death itself, but the contingency expresses causation; that is, our joining you will occur by the will of Allah.

3. The contingency here does not relate to death itself, but to the time of death. It is as though he said: And when Allah wills—that is, whenever He wills—we shall join you. In other words, we shall join you at the time Allah wills us to join you. Here, making it contingent upon Allah’s will is clear.