Surah Al-Baqarah 2:284-286 - Quran Translation Commentary

(2:284) To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth. And, whether you reveal what is in your hearts⁶¹⁶ or conceal it, Allah shall bring you to account for it. He may then forgive whom He will and punish whom He will,⁶¹⁷ for Allah has power over everything.⁶¹⁸

(2:285) The Messenger believed in what was sent to him by his Lord⁶¹⁹ and (so did) the believers. They all believed in Allah, His angels, His Scriptures and His Messengers, (declaring), ‘We make no distinction between any of His Messengers.' They said, ‘We heard and obeyed: Your forgiveness O our Lord. Unto You is the return.'

(2:286) Allah charges no soul save to its capacity.⁶²⁰ To it what it strove for and upon it what it earned.⁶²¹ ‘Our Lord! Do not take us to task for what we forgot or erred.⁶²² Our Lord! Lay not upon us a burden⁶²³ as You laid upon those before us.⁶²⁴ Our Lord! Do not charge us with what we do not have the strength for.⁶²⁵ Pardon us, forgive us and have mercy upon us. You are our Protector, therefore, give us victory over the unbelieving people.'⁶²⁶

Commentary

616. This verse proves that as there are acts of the body, there are acts of the heart also (Thanwi).

617. Different kinds of sins entail different retributions, depending upon how they are committed. If they are committed openly, the punishment also comes openly. If they are concealed, the punishment is also concealed. It is reported of `A'isha (ra) that she said: "If you sin openly you will be punished in the Hereafter. But if you do it secretly then Allah will punish you for it here in this world alone." Accordingly, when Sufyan b. `Uyayna was asked about the melancholic feeling that one cannot explain the cause for, he answered: "This is the punishment for what evil you intend in the depth of your hearts but do not commit them" (Ibn Taymiyyah).

618. According to Ibn `Abbas, Ibn Mas`ud, (Ibn `Umar: Ibn Taymiyyah) `A'isha, Abu Hurayrah, Sha`bi, `Ata', Muhammad b. Sirin, and others this verse has been abrogated. A hadith (narrated by Abu Hurayrah (ra) and preserved by Imam Ahmad and Muslim: Ibn Kathir) says: عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- (لِلَّهِ مَا فِى السَّمَوَاتِ وَمَا فِى الأَرْضِ وَإِنْ تُبْدُوا مَا فِى أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحَاسِبْكُمْ بِهِ اللَّهُ فَيَغْفِرُ لِمَنْ يَشَاءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَنْ يَشَاءُ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ) قَالَ فَاشْتَدَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَأَتَوْا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- ثُمَّ بَرَكُوا عَلَى الرُّكَبِ فَقَالُوا أَىْ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كُلِّفْنَا مِنَ الأَعْمَالِ مَا نُطِيقُ الصَّلاَةُ وَالصِّيَامُ وَالْجِهَادُ وَالصَّدَقَةُ وَقَدْ أُنْزِلَتْ عَلَيْكَ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ وَلاَ نُطِيقُهَا. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « أَتُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَقُولُوا كَمَا قَالَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابَيْنِ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا بَلْ قُولُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ ». قَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ. فَلَمَّا اقْتَرَأَهَا الْقَوْمُ ذَلَّتْ بِهَا أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فِى إِثْرِهَا (آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلاَئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِنْ رُسُلِهِ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ) فَلَمَّا فَعَلُوا ذَلِكَ نَسَخَهَا اللَّهُ تَعَالَى فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ (لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا) قَالَ نَعَمْ (رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا) قَالَ نَعَمْ (رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ) قَالَ نَعَمْ (وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنْتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ) قَالَ نَعَمْ. "When Allah revealed, 'To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth... until ... Allah has Power over everything,' the Companions of the Prophet felt, (because of the strength of their faith: Ibn Kathir), seriously concerned. They went to the Prophet, kneeled before him and said, 'Messenger of Allah. We were asked to do things that we could, such as Prayers, fasts, jihad and charity, but now this verse has been revealed, and we do not find the strength in ourselves for it.' The Prophet told them, 'Do you wish to be like the people of the two Books who said: We have heard but will not obey!? Rather say, 'We have heard and we shall obey. Your forgiveness O our Lord, and unto You is the return.'

When the people had begun to recite it and the tongues got used to it, Allah sent behind it the following verse: 'The Messenger believed in what was sent to him by his Lord ...' until, 'Unto You (indeed) is the return.' And when they had done that, Allah abrogated the previous verse and revealed: 'Allah charges no soul save to its capacity ...' until, 'You are our Protector, therefore, help us against the unbelieving people' (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

Nevertheless, Ibn Jarir's opinion is that this verse is not abrogated. Allah will take to account for what passes through a man's mind. But, as pointed out by Hasan al Basri, taking to account for something does not necessarily entail punishment. In other words, even if asked to account for them, one will not be punished for his passing thoughts. This is based on a hadith report preserved by Muslim which says, (قال الراوي) بينما نحن نطوف بالبيت مع عبد الله بن عمر وهو يطوف، إذ عرض له رجل فقال: كَيْفَ سَمِعْتَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يَقُولُ فِى النَّجْوَى قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ: يُدْنَى الْمُؤْمِنُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مِنْ رَبِّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَتَّى يَضَعَ عَلَيْهِ كَنَفَهُ فَيُقَرِّرُهُ بِذُنُوبِهِ فَيَقُولُ هَلْ تَعْرِفُ فَيَقُولُ أَىْ رَبِّ أَعْرِفُ . قَالَ فَإِنِّى قَدْ سَتَرْتُهَا عَلَيْكَ فِى الدُّنْيَا وَإِنِّى أَغْفِرُهَا لَكَ الْيَوْمَ. فَيُعْطَى صَحِيفَةَ حَسَنَاتِهِ وَأَمَّا الْكُفَّارُ وَالْمُنَافِقُونَ فَيُنَادَى بِهِمْ عَلَى رُءُوسِ الْخَلاَئِقِ هَؤُلاَءِ الَّذِينَ كَذَبُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ. While `Abdullah ibn `Umar was going around the Ka`bah when a man approached him and asked: "How did you hear the Prophet talking about the hadith of 'secret whispering (al Najwa)?'" Ibn `Umar replied: "I heard him say, “Allah will draw a believer close to Himself until He places his palms on him and make him admit his sins. He will ask, 'Are you familiar (with this sin)?’ He will say, 'My Lord. I am familiar.' (According to other reports: this will go on as long as Allah wishes). Then He will say, 'I concealed your sins in the world, today I forgive them all.' Then he will be given his book of good deeds by his right hand. As for the unbelievers and the hypocrites it will be announced about them in front of all (11: 19): 'These are the ones who had uttered lies about their Lord. ' (Qurtubi, Ibn Kathir).

According to some reports, Ibn `Abbas was also of the opinion that this verse has not been abrogated. Rather, Allah will gather the people unto Himself and say: "Today I will tell you about what you used to conceal in your hearts." Then, as for the believers, He will tell them (about what they used to conceal) and then forgive them. As for the unbelievers and the doubters, He will inform them of the lies they were concealing in their hearts about Him. Hence He said (2: 225): "He may then forgive whom He will and punish whom He will, for Allah has power over all things." At another place He said (2: 255): وَلَكِنْ يُؤَاخِذُكُمْ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ قُلُوبُكُمْ [البقرة : 225] "He will take you to account for what your hearts have earned" (Qurtubi).

"It may be remembered at this point," says Ibn Taymiyyah, "that sometimes the Salaf used the word naskh (abrogation) to indicate that certain implications of the verse in question stood abrogated and not the verse itself. For instance, they said that the verse: 'Fear Allah, as He should be feared,' is abrogated by the verse, 'Fear Allah to the extent possible,' when we know that there is no contradiction between the two. What they meant therefore is that the first verse stands abrogated by the second in a certain sense alone. One may assume that by the verse, 'Fear Allah in the manner He should be feared,' one is being burdened with what was beyond his capacity. The second verse corrected this understanding and explained that he ought to fear Him to the extent possible."

Thanwi adds: The Salaf also used the term naskh where one verse explained another.

These points must be borne in mind to understand why some of the Companions believed a certain verse stood abrogated, while others maintained that it was not (Au.).

619. Mentioning the Prophet along with the common believers as those who believed, is I believe, to encourage them (Thanwi).

620. "Was` is used in Arabic for an act that one can carry out with extraordinary difficulty. For example, it was in the range of possibility for a man to perform more than five Prayers a day, fast more than thirty days a year, and perform Hajj more than once in his lifetime, but Allah ordered, out of His mercy, only what was comfortably possible" (Zamakhshari).

Ibn Taymiyyah remarks: "The passage, 'Allah charges no soul save to its capacity,' corrects the understanding of him who deduces from the verse that Allah burdens a soul beyond its capacity. On the other hand, the passage, 'To it (the rewards for) what it strove for, and upon it (the burden of) what it earned,' corrects the understanding of him who held that Allah's forgiveness or punishment are without any wisdom (Al Kabir).

It might be noted that it is not the physical or material burden that is meant by “la yukallif” (as non-Arabs understand from this verse), but rather the burden of the Shari`ah. Otherwise, a man may suffer such pain of body or mind that it will drive him mad, or lead him to death (Au.).

621. "So everyone must win his own redemption. In Islam there is neither an 'original sin' nor 'universal redemption.' Every individual must work out the propensities of his soul his own possibilities of spiritual success or failure" (Majid).

Accordingly, the Sahihayn report a hadith of Abu Hurayrah (ra) in which the Prophet is reported to have said, قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِذَا هَمَّ عَبْدِى بِحَسَنَةٍ وَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا كَتَبْتُهَا لَهُ حَسَنَةً فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا كَتَبْتُهَا عَشْرَ حَسَنَاتٍ إِلَى سَبْعِمِائَةِ ضِعْفٍ وَإِذَا هَمَّ بِسَيِّئَةٍ وَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا لَمْ أَكْتُبْهَا عَلَيْهِ فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا كَتَبْتُهَا سَيِّئَةً وَاحِدَةً "Allah Most High and Honored says: 'When My slave intends to do a good thing but does not, I write a good deed in his account. If he does it I write anything between ten to seven hundred in his account. In contrast, if he intends to do an evil thing but does not commit it, I write nothing in his account. However, if he carries out the evil act, I write it as only one.'" There are several ahadith to this effect (Ibn Kathir).

It may also be noted that even the doubts and misgivings that pass through one's heart unintentionally are forgiven (Ma`arif). Accordingly, a hadith of Muslim says that some people came to the Prophet (saws) and said: عَنْ أَبِى هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ جَاءَ نَاسٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِىِّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- فَسَأَلُوهُ إِنَّا نَجِدُ فِى أَنْفُسِنَا مَا يَتَعَاظَمُ أَحَدُنَا أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ بِهِ. قَالَ « وَقَدْ وَجَدْتُمُوهُ ». قَالُوا نَعَمْ. قَالَ: ذَاكَ صَرِيحُ الإِيمَانِ "O Messenger of Allah, we find in our hearts things that we consider so serious that we cannot even speak about them." The Prophet asked them: "Do you find that?" (I.e. the feelings of fear and abhorrence: Ibn Taymiyyah). They said: "Yes. We do." He said: "That surely is faith" (Ibn Kathir).

Excluded from the rule stated here, namely, "To each soul (the rewards for) what it strove for,' are those cases in which a good or bad deed of a man continues to influence people after him. In such cases he shall have a share in the reward or punishment of those who followed him in those good or bad deeds after him (Au.).

Noting the use of two different words, kasaba (for good) and iktasaba (for evil), Rashid Rida points out that it proves by implication that by nature man is inclined to virtue. He can perform good deeds effortlessly, hence the use of the word kasaba. In contrast, those acts that are evil are rejected by the inner self in the first instance. A man has to struggle against himself to perform them. Therefore, Allah (swt) used the word "iktasabat" for evil deeds (Manar).

622. The Prophet (saws) has said: عن بن عباس ان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال ان الله تجاوز عن امتى الخطأ والنسيان وما استكرهوا عليه "My ummah has been forgiven three things: error in judgment, what is committed forgetfully, and what it is compelled to do" (Ibn Kathir and others). Shawkani adds that although this hadith is not very strong, but, since it has come through many transmitters, on the whole it acquires hasan li ghayrihi status.

Ibn Hibban has, however, placed it in his Sahih (Au.).

623. The word in the original is isr which is used, according to Ibn Zayd, for a sin that can neither be atoned for nor repented (Shawkani from Ibn Jarir).

624. Such as the commandment in the Bibl that clothes cannot be cleansed with water rather the dirty portion be either burnt or cut off, or that there is no repentance for murder, etc. (Ma`arif).

625. When it has already been said that Allah does not charge a soul beyond its capacity, (although He could [Thanwi], being Lord of the worlds), this piece, 'Do not charge us with what we do not have the strength for,' when said by the believer in his supplication, expresses the resolve that were Allah to impose on him what is beyond his capacity, he would all the same try and do as ordered (Au.).

626. A hadith preserved by Muslim says: عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ قَالَ لَمَّا أُسْرِىَ بِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- انْتُهِىَ بِهِ إِلَى سِدْرَةِ الْمُنْتَهَى وَهِىَ فِى السَّمَاءِ السَّادِسَةِ إِلَيْهَا يَنْتَهِى مَا يُعْرَجُ بِهِ مِنَ الأَرْضِ فَيُقْبَضُ مِنْهَا وَإِلَيْهَا يَنْتَهِى مَا يُهْبَطُ بِهِ مِنْ فَوْقِهَا فَيُقْبَضُ مِنْهَا قَالَ (إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى) قَالَ فَرَاشٌ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ. قَالَ فَأُعْطِىَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- ثَلاَثًا أُعْطِىَ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسَ وَأُعْطِىَ خَوَاتِيمَ سُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ وَغُفِرَ لِمَنْ لَمْ يُشْرِكْ بِاللَّهِ مِنْ أُمَّتِهِ شَيْئًا الْمُقْحِمَاتُ "When the Prophet was taken to the heavens during his Night Journey and Ascension (Al Isra' wa al Me`raj) he reached a place called Sidratu al Muntaha'. It is in the seventh firmament. At this point ends everything that ascends from the earth, as well as all that comes down from above to be taken charge of from there ... It was here that the Prophet was bestowed three gifts: (i) five time daily Prayers, (ii) last (two) verses of surah al Baqarah and (iii) [the promise that] whoever committed major did not associate aught with Allah, even if he committed major sins, will be (ultimately) forgiven." According to another version, the Prophet said: أعطيت هذه الآيات من آخر سورة البقرة من كنز تحت العرش لم يعطها نبي قبلي - رواه أحمد والطبراني في الكبير والأوسط ورجال أحمد رجال الصحيح.( مجمع الزوائد ومنبع الفوائد) "I was given these two verses from a treasure beneath the `Arsh, which no Prophet was given before me" (Qurtubi). Shawkani traces no less than thirteen different ahadith to this effect. A hadith preserved by Bukhari, Muslim and others of the sahih compilers report that the Prophet said: عَنْ أَبِى مَسْعُودٍ الْبَدْرِىِّ - رضى الله عنه - قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - « الآيَتَانِ مِنْ آخِرِ سُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ مَنْ قَرَأَهُمَا فِى لَيْلَةٍ كَفَتَاهُ "Whoever recited the last two verses of surah al-Baqarah in a night, they will suffice him (Kashshaf, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibn Kathir).

The following is also reported in Muslim: عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ لَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ (وَإِنْ تُبْدُوا مَا فِى أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحَاسِبْكُمْ بِهِ اللَّهُ) قَالَ دَخَلَ قُلُوبَهُمْ مِنْهَا شَىْءٌ لَمْ يَدْخُلْ قُلُوبَهُمْ مِنْ شَىْءٍ فَقَالَ النَّبِىُّ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- « قُولُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا وَسَلَّمْنَا ». قَالَ فَأَلْقَى اللَّهُ الإِيمَانَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ( لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا) قَالَ قَدْ فَعَلْتُ (رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا) - قَالَ قَدْ فَعَلْتُ (وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنْتَ مَوْلاَنَا) قَالَ قَدْ فَعَلْتُ - صحيح مسلم. Ibn `Abbas said that when the verse, 'If you conceal ..' was revealed, some of it entered into the hearts, while some of it did not. The Prophet said, 'Say, we have heard, obeyed and surrendered,' So Allah sent down faith into their hearts. Then Allah revealed, 'Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity. It shall have what it earned and upon it what it earned. Our Lord! Do not take us to task for what we forgot or erred.' At that Allah said, 'I have done it.' And He revealed, 'Our Lord! Do not charge us with what we do not have the strength for,' Allah said, 'I have done it' (Ibn Kathir).

they accept as true all that you have brought