لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا
Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. "Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error,'' until the end.'' (2:286)
Muslim recorded it with the wording;
"When they did that, Allah abrogated it (2:284) and sent down,
لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا
Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. "Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error.'' (2:286)
Allah said, `I shall (accept your supplication),'
رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا
"Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians)'' (2:286)
Allah said, `I shall (accept your supplication),'
رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ
"Our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear.'' (2:286)
Allah said, `I shall (accept your supplication),'
وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَآ أَنتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ
"Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Mawla (Supporter and Protector) and give us victory over the disbelieving people.'' (2:286)
Allah said, `I shall.'''
Imam Ahmad recorded that Mujahid said,
"I saw Ibn Abbas and said to him,
`O Abu Abbas! I was with Ibn Umar, and he read this Ayah and cried.'
He asked, `Which Ayah?'
I said, وَإِن تُبْدُواْ مَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ (And whether you disclose what is in yourselves or conceal it).
Ibn Abbas said, `When this Ayah was revealed, it was very hard on the Companions of the Messenger of Allah and worried them tremendously. They said: O Messenger of Allah! We know that we would be punished according to our statements and our actions, but as for what occurs in our hearts, we do not control what is in them.'
The Messenger of Allah said,
قُولُوا: سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا
Say, `We hear and we obey.'
They said, `We hear and we obey.'
Thereafter, this Ayah abrogated the previous Ayah, آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ (The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah), until, لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ (Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned). (2:285-286)
Therefore, they were pardoned what happens in their hearts, and were held accountable only for their actions.'''
The Group recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,
إِنَّ اللهَ تَجَاوَزَ لِي عَنْ أُمَّتِي مَا حَدَّثَتْ بِهِ أَنْفُسَهَا مَالَمْ تَكَلَّمْ أَوْ تَعْمَل
Allah has pardoned my Ummah for what they say to themselves, as long as they do not utter it or act on it.
The Two Sahihs recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,
قَالَ اللهُ: إِذَا هَمَّ عَبْدِي بِسَيِّئَةٍ فَلَا تَكْتُبُوهَا عَلَيهِ، فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا سَيِّئَةً، وَإِذَا هَمَّ بِحَسَنَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا حَسَنَةً، فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا عَشْرًا
Allah said (to His angels),
"If My servant intends to commit an evil deed, do not record it as such for him, and if he commits it, write it for him as one evil deed. If he intends to perform a good deed, but did not perform it, then write it for him as one good deed, and if he performs it, write it for him as ten good deeds.''
The Hadiths on the Virtue of These Two Ayat, May Allah Benefit Us by Them
Al-Bukhari recorded that Abu Mas`ud said that the Messenger of Allah said,
مَنْ قَرَأَ بِالْآيَتَيْنِ مِنْ آخِرِ سُورَةِ الْبَقَرَةِ فِي لَيْلَةٍ، كَفَتَاه
Whoever recites the last two Ayat in Surah Al-Baqarah at night, they will suffice for him.
The rest of the six also recorded similar wording for this Hadith.
The Two Sahihs recorded this Hadith using various chains of narration, and Imam Ahmad also recorded it.
Muslim recorded that Abdullah said,
"When the Messenger of Allah went on the Isra journey, he ascended to the Sidrat Al-Muntaha in the sixth heaven, where whatever ascends from the earth ends at, and whatever descends from above it ends at.
إِذْ يَغْشَى السِّدْرَةَ مَا يَغْشَى
When that covered the lote tree which did cover it! (53:16)
meaning, a mat made of gold.
The Messenger of Allah was then given three things:
• the five prayers,
• the last Ayat in Surah Al-Baqarah and
• forgiveness for whoever did not associate anything or anyone with Allah from his Ummah.''
Earlier we mentioned the Hadith regarding the virtues of Surah Al-Fatihah from Ibn Abbas which stated,
"While the Messenger of Allah was with Jibril, he heard a noise from above. Jibril lifted his sight to the sky and said, `This is a door that was opened just now in heaven, and it was never opened before.'
An angel came down through the door to the Prophet and said, `Receive the good news of two lights that you have been given and which no Prophet before you was given:
• the Opener of the Book (Al-Fatihah) and
• the last Ayat in Surah Al-Baqarah.
You will not read a letter of them, but you will be granted its benefit.'''
This Hadith was collected by Muslim and An-Nasa'i, and this is the wording collected by An-Nasa'i.
The Tafsir of the Last Two Ayat of Surah Al-Baqarah
Allah said,
آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ...
The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers.
Allah said,
... كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللّهِ وَمَلآئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ ...
Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say,) "We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers.''
Therefore, each of the believers believes that Allah is the One and Only and the Sustainer, there is no deity worthy of worship except Him and there is no Lord except Him.
The believers also believe in all Allah's Prophets and Messengers, in the Books that were revealed from heaven to the Messengers and Prophets, who are indeed the servants of Allah.
Further, the believers do not differentiate between any of the Prophets, such as, believing in some of them and rejecting others. Rather, all of Allah's Prophets and Messengers are, to the believers, truthful, righteous, and they were each guided to the path of righteousness, even when some of them bring what abrogates the Law of some others by Allah's leave.
Later on, the Law of Muhammad, the Final Prophet and Messenger from Allah, abrogated all the laws of the Prophets before him. So the Last Hour will commence while Muhammad's Law remains the only valid Law, and all the while a group of his Ummah will always be on the path of truth, apparent and dominant.
Allah's statement,
... وَقَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ...
And they say, "We hear, and we obey,''
means, we heard Your statement, O our Lord, comprehended and implemented it, and adhered to its implications.
... غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا ...
"(We seek) Your forgiveness, our Lord,
contains a plea and supplication for Allah's forgiveness, mercy and kindness.
... وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ ﴿٢٨٥﴾
and to You is the return (of all).''
Allah's statement,
لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا ...
Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope,
means, Allah does not ask a soul what is beyond its ability.
This only demonstrates Allah's kindness, compassion and generosity towards His creation.
This Ayah is the Ayah that abrogated the Ayah that worried the Companions, that is, Allah's statement, وَإِن تُبْدُواْ مَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحَاسِبْكُم بِهِ اللّهُ (And whether you disclose what is in yourselves or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it), (2:284).
This indicates that although Allah will question His servants and judge them, He will only punish for what one is able to protect himself from.
As for what one cannot protect himself from, such as what one says to himself - or passing thoughts - they will not be punished for that.
We should state here that to dislike the evil thoughts that cross one's mind is a part of faith.
Allah said next,
... لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ ...
He gets reward for that which he has earned,
of good.
... وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ ...
And he is punished for that which he has earned,
of evil, that is, concerning the acts that one is responsible for.
Allah then said, (mentioning what the believers said) while directing His servants to supplicate to Him, all the while promising them that He will answer their supplication:
... رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ...
"Our Lord! Push us not if we forget or fall into error,''
meaning, "If we forgot an obligation or fell into a prohibition, or made an error while ignorant of its ruling.''
We mentioned the Hadith by Abu Hurayrah, that Muslim collected, wherein Allah said, "I shall (accept your supplication).''
There is also the Hadith by Ibn Abbas that Allah said,
"I did (accept your supplication).''
... رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ...
Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians),
means, "Even if we were able to perform them, do not require us to perform the difficult deeds as You required the previous nations before us, such as the burdens that were placed on them. You sent Your Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of mercy, to abrogate these burdens through the Law that You revealed to him, the Hanifi (Islamic Monotheism), easy religion.''
Muslim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that; the Messenger of Allah said that Allah said, "I shall (accept your supplication).''
Ibn Abbas narrated that the Messenger of Allah said that Allah said,
"I did (accept your supplication).''
There is the Hadith recorded through various chains of narration that; the Messenger of Allah said,
بُعِثْتُ بِالْحَنِيفِيَّةِ السَّمْحَة
I was sent with the easy Hanifiyyah way.
... رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ...
Our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear,
of obligations, hardships and afflictions, do not make us bear what we cannot bear of this.
رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ (Our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear), We mentioned that Allah said,
"I shall (accept your supplication)'' in one narration,
and,
"I did (accept your supplication),'' in another narration.
... وَاعْفُ عَنَّا ...
Pardon us,
meaning, between us and You regarding what You know of our shortcomings and errors.
... وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا ...
And grant us forgiveness,
concerning what is between us and Your servants. So do not expose our errors and evil deeds to them.
... وَارْحَمْنَآ ...
Have mercy on us,
in what will come thereafter. Therefore, do not allow us to fall into another error.
They say that those who commit error need three things:
• Allah's forgiveness for what is between Him and them,
• that He conceals these errors from His other servants, and thus does not expose them before the servants, and
• that He grants them immunity from further error.''
We mentioned before that Allah answered these pleas, "I shall,'' in one narration and, "I did,'' in another narration.
... أَنتَ مَوْلاَنَا ...
You are our Mawla,
meaning, You are our supporter and helper, our trust is in You, You are sought for each and every type of help and our total reliance is on You. There is no power or strength except from You.
... فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ ﴿٢٨٦﴾
And give us victory over the disbelieving people.
those who rejected Your religion, denied Your Oneness, refused the Message of Your Prophet, worshipped other than You and associated others in Your worship. Give us victory and make us prevail above them in this and the Hereafter.
Allah said, "I shall,'' in one narration, and, "I did,'' in the Hadith that Muslim collected from Ibn Abbas.
Further, Ibn Jarir recorded that Abu Ishaq said that; whenever Mu`adh would finish reciting this Surah, فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ (And give us victory over the disbelieving people), he would say "Amin.''
This is the end of the Tafsir of Surah At-Baqarah, and all praise and thanks are due to Allah.