Fortress of the Muslim

Hisn al-Muslim 101

Arabic hadith text

((ءامَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ ءامَنَ بِاللهِ وَمَلآئِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ وَقَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ {285} لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلاَ تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لاَ طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَآ أَنتَ مَوْلاَنَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ {286}))

Translation

The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and the believers as well. Each believes in Allah, His angels, His books, and His messengers. We make no distinction between any of His messengers. They say, “We hear and obey. Your forgiveness, our Lord! To You is the return.” (285)

Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity. It will have the good it has earned, and it will bear the consequence of what it has earned. Our Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord, do not place upon us a burden as You placed upon those before us. Our Lord, do not burden us with what we have no strength to bear. Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our Protector, so grant us victory over the disbelieving people. (286)

Translation notes
  • لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللهُ نَفْسًا إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ

    The English witness explicitly glosses the first earning as good and the second as evil; these evaluative words are not explicit in this Arabic wording.

    Should the two verbs be rendered neutrally as ‘earned’ or glossed as good and evil?