Translation:
The Messenger and the faithful believe in what has been revealed to the Messenger. They all believe in God, His angels, His Books, and His Messengers, making no distinc- tions among the prophets. They say, “We have heard, and we take our submission to God seriously. O our Sustainer! We seek Your forgiveness, and to You is the end of our journey!” 159
God does not impose on any soul a burden beyond its capacity. It has the benefit of its good works and its evil works against its own soul. (Say in prayer), “O our Sustainer! Do not hold us accountable if we forget or make a mistake. Our Sustainer, do not put a burden on us similar to what was laid on those before us. Our Sustainer, spare us of a burden that we do not have the ability to bear. Forgive us, protect us, have mercy
on us, You are our Guardian.” Therefore, help us against the people who actively deny faith. (Amen)! 160
Interpretation:
159 These last two verses are a beautiful expression and summary of our belief and our yearnings to be counted as God’s favorite with true commitment and of the realization that we have a responsibility to pay attention to God’s guidance and the teachings of the Prophet. At the same time there is a realization that we are bound to make mistakes or fail in our commitment and a realization of the knowledge that we need to continue to sustain our effort and seek God’s help each step of the way. After all, our journey ends at the doorstep of God, the Almighty.
160 This is a beautiful supplication, like many other supplications in the Qur’an. This supplication begins with an introductory comment from God that each one of us is accountable for both our good and bad deeds and an assurance from God that He does not impose on anyone a burden too heavy for his soul. In other words, we have the God-given capability to overcome any challenge if we put our minds to it and seek God’s help along the way.
Reflection:
In the conclusion of this Surah, the largest in the Qur’an, God reminds us that after all is said and done we belong to Him and we are accountable for what we do. He also reminds us one more time of some of the attributes of people of faith. Then He teaches us one of the most beautiful and bountiful supplications mentioned in the Qur’an, one which truly reflects the yearning of a human soul that desires closeness to God, the Creator. The Qur’an, like a beautiful flower, unfolded itself over a span of 23 years, taking into account the prevailing conditions of that time, the nomadic life of the desert, human intellectual and social evolution up to that point in history, the politics of tribal loyalty, and the geopolitics of major forces such as the Persian and Byzantine empires at the time. It is a wonderful tapestry of mind, body, and soul that seeks to harmonize our conflicted existence within ourselves as well as among ourselves and achieve the declared aim of bringing all of humanity into a global community of peace and harmony if not into a community with a common view of life with infinite potential and associated challenges.
Action:
The Qur’an, unlike any other book in the world (a testament to its culmi- nation of the revealed texts such as the Torah and the Bible), propagates a set of foundational truths: (1) God is one, and the guidance of God through various prophets is one and the same, (2) The true purpose of life is to act as God’s represent- ative on Earth and to strive hard to reach the highest human potential that will bring us closer to God in terms of His sublime attributes (see The 99 Attributes of God), and (3) Human beings have a privileged life, superior to all other forms of life on this planet, with a set of God-given entitlements and innate abilities to learn, teach, make choices, and having consequential obligations. The Qur’an also goes into an inordinate amount of detail about wide-ranging topics unlike any other Book (revealed or otherwise) to guide and augment the quality of life on this earth, leading to two key actions: (1) Develop individual responsibility and ensure equal access to worshipping God with its rituals, true intent, and discipline, and (2) Serve our fellow men by first being a productive person and then by striving hard to uplift the condition of each and every other person. While the Qur’an’s foundational truths are constant, the guidance and rules provided as examples should continue to evolve as we progress in our human desire to continue to march toward a higher ground of existence and experience. As God said in the Qur’an, “He is the One Who has revealed this Book to you (the Prophet and those who are listening), some verses of which are decisive and foundational in nature while other verses are allegorical (as providing examples suitable to the time, place, and human condition) . . . ” (3:7). Let us keep this in constant focus as we read, understand, and act on Qur’anic guidance.