“But You Are Amazed While They Mock”: Tafsir al-Baghawi

Allah says in surah al-Saffat:

بَلْ عَجِبْتَ وَيَسْخَرُونَ * وَإِذَا ذُكِّرُوا لَا يَذْكُرُونَ * وَإِذَا رَأَوْا آيَةً يَسْتَسْخِرُونَ * وَقَالُوا إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ

But you are amazed while they mock * and when they are reminded they do not remember * and when they see a sign, they mock * saying, “This is nothing but obvious magic.” [37:12-15]

Commenting on this in his book of tafsir, Abu Muhammad al-Baghawi wrote:

ـ ( بل عجبت ) قرأ حمزة ، والكسائي : بضم التاء ، وهي قراءة ابن مسعود ، وابن عباس . والعجب من الله – عز وجل – ليس كالتعجب من الآدميين ، كما قال : ” فيسخرون منهم سخر الله منهم ” ( التوبة – 79 ) ، وقال عز وجل : ” نسوا الله فنسيهم ” ( التوبة – 67 ) ، فالعجب من الآدميين : إنكاره وتعظيمه ، والعجب من الله – تعالى – قد يكون بمعنى الإنكار والذم ، وقد يكون بمعنى الاستحسان والرضا كما جاء في الحديث : ” عجب ربكم من شاب ليست له صبوة ” . وجاء في الحديث : ” عجب ربكم من سؤالكم وقنوطكم وسرعة إجابته إياكم ” . وسئل الجنيد عن هذه الآية فقال : إن الله لا يعجب من شيء ، ولكن الله وافق رسوله لما عجب رسوله فقال : ” وإن تعجب فعجب قولهم ” ( الرعد – 5 ) أي : هو كما تقوله . وقرأ الآخرون بفتح التاء على خطاب النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – : أي : عجبت من تكذيبهم إياك ، ) ( ويسخرون ) من تعجبك . ـ

بَلْ عَجِبْتَ

But you are amazed …

Hamzah and al-Kisaa’i recited this with a dhummah on the letter taa’

بَلْ عَجِبْتُ

But I was amazed …

which is also how ibn Mas’ood and ibn ‘Abbaas recited it. And this word “‘ajab” from Allah is not like the amazement of human beings. This is similar to the usage of other terms, such as:

فَيَسْخَرُونَ مِنْهُمْ ۙ سَخِرَ اللَّهُ مِنْهُمْ

… so they mock them and Allah mocks them … [9:79]

and His statement:

نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَنَسِيَهُمْ

They forgot Allah so He forgot them … [9:67]

‘Ajab from human beings means: disapproving of something and treating it as a serious offense.

‘Ajab from Allah means: either

a) disapproval and censure, or

b) approval and pleasure

such as in the hadith, “Your Lord is amazed at one who goes through youth without falling into the foolish sins of youth.” And there is also the hadith, “Your Lord is amazed when you ask and then despair despite how quickly He responds to you.”

al-Junayd was asked about this ayah to which he said, “Your Lord is not amazed by anything; rather, Allah was expressing agreement with His Messenger when His Messenger was amazed, for He said:

وَإِن تَعْجَبْ فَعَجَبٌ قَوْلُهُمْ

If you are amazed, then amazing indeed is their statement … [13:5]

i.e. yes, the situation is as you have assessed it.”

When Were the ‘Uthmani Mushafs Written?: Ibn Hajr

In his part of his famous explanation of Sahih al-Bukhari, ibn Hajr al-‘Asqalani spoke about the compilation of the ‘Uthmani mushafs. In the following excerpt, he addressed the question of when the ‘Uthmani Mushafs were written:

وكانت هذه القصة في سنة خمس وعشرين في السنة الثالثة أو الثانية من خلافة عثمان . وقد أخرج ابن أبي داود من طريق أبي إسحاق عن مصعب بن سعد بن أبي وقاص قال : ” خطب عثمان فقال : يا أيها الناس ، إنما قبض نبيكم منذ خمس عشرة سنة ، وقد اختلفتم في القراءة ” الحديث في جمع القرآن ، وكانت خلافة عثمان بعد قتل عمر ، وكان قتل عمر في أواخر ذي الحجة سنة ثلاث وعشرين من الهجرة بعد وفاة النبي – صلى الله عليه وسلم – بثلاث عشرة سنة إلا ثلاثة أشهر ، فإن كان قوله ” خمس عشرة سنة ” أي كاملة فيكون ذلك بعد مضي سنتين وثلاثة أشهر من خلافته ، لكن وقع في رواية أخرى له ” منذ ثلاث عشرة سنة ” فيجمع بينهما بإلغاء الكسر في هذه وجبره في الأولى فيكون ذلك بعد مضي سنة واحدة من خلافته ، فيكون ذلك في أواخر سنة أربع وعشرين وأوائل سنة خمس وعشرين ، وهو الوقت الذي ذكر أهل التاريخ أن أرمينية فتحت فيه ، وذلك في أول ولاية الوليد بن عقبة بن أبي معيط على الكوفة من قبل عثمان . ـ

This event took place in the year 25 after the Hijrah, in the third or second year of ‘Uthman’s khilafah.

Ibn Abi Dawud reported from Abu Ishaq that Mus’ab ibn Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas said:

‘Uthman addressed the people saying, “O people, your Prophet was taken in death 15 years ago, and you have fallen into differing over how to recite.”

until the end of this hadith about the compilation of the Qur’an. And the khilafah of ‘Uthman began after the murder of ‘Umar, with the murder of ‘Umar having taken place in the last days of Dhu’l-Hijjah in the year 23 after the Hijrah. That was just three months short of 13 years after the death of the Prophet.

So, if by saying “15 years ago,” ‘Uthman meant fifteen full years, then that would place this speech at two years and three months into his khilafah.

However, there is another narration which says, “13 years ago.”

But we can reconcile these two reports by saying that the second narration rounded down the portion of a year over 13 and that the first narration rounded up, and so this event took place one year into ‘Uthman’s khilafah, which would place it in the end of year 24 or the beginning of year 25. And this is when historians places the conquest of Armenia, which was during the beginning al-Waleed ibn ‘Uqbah ibn Abi Mu’ayt’s governorship of Kufah under ‘Uthman.

How to Pray If You Do Not Know Surah al-Fatihah: Sheikh Salih al-Fawzan

In the midst of explaining surah al-Fatihah, sheikh Salih al-Fawzan explained the following important ruling regarding those who are unable to recite surah al-Fatihah:

ومن أهميتها أيضا أن الله أوجب قراءتها في كل ركعة في الصلاة . وقد ذهب جمهور أهل العلم إلى وجوب قراءتها في الصلاة ، وأن من لم يقرأ بها صلاته ، فإن صلاته لا تصح ، لقوله : { لا صلاة لمن لم لا يقرأ بفاتحة الكتاب } ، وهذا في حق المستطيع لقراءتها ، أما العاجز الذي لا يستطيع قراتها لعجزه عن حفظها ، فإن يقرأ ما تيسر معه من آيات القرآن غير الفاتحة . وإذا كان لا يحسن شيئا من القرآن ، فإن يأتي بالذكر : سبحان الله ، والحمد لله ـ ولا إله إلا الله ، والله أكبر ، ولا حول ولا قوة إلا بالله ، لقوله { إذا قمت إلى الصلاة فكبر ، فإن كان معك قرآن فاقرأ ، وإلا فاحمد الله ، وكبره ، وهلله ثم اركع … } . ـ

Another aspect of this surah‘s importance is that Allah has required it to be recited in every raka’ah of the prayer.

The majority of scholars have held that reciting surah al-Fatihah in the prayer is required and the prayer of anyone who does not recite it within his prayer is not valid. This is because of the Prophet’s statement:

There is no prayer for whoever does not recite the opening of the Book.^[1]

This is in regards to those who are able to recite it.

As for those who are unable to recite it due to their inability to memorize it, then they should recite any other ayaat of the Qur’an besides surah al-Fatihah that they have memorized.

Six Proofs for the Resurrection of the Dead in Surah Yasin: Tafsir al-Sa’di

Allah concludes surah Yasin by saying:

أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الْإِنسَانُ أَنَّا خَلَقْنَاهُ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ فَإِذَا هُوَ خَصِيمٌ مُّبِينٌ * وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلًا وَنَسِيَ خَلْقَهُ ۖ قَالَ مَن يُحْيِي الْعِظَامَ وَهِيَ رَمِيمٌ * قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِي أَنشَأَهَا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ * الَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنَ الشَّجَرِ الْأَخْضَرِ نَارًا فَإِذَا أَنتُم مِّنْهُ تُوقِدُونَ * أَوَلَيْسَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَىٰ أَن يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُم ۚ بَلَىٰ وَهُوَ الْخَلَّاقُ الْعَلِيمُ * إِنَّمَا أَمْرُهُ إِذَا أَرَادَ شَيْئًا أَن يَقُولَ لَهُ كُن فَيَكُونُ * فَسُبْحَانَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

Doesn’t man see that We created him from a sperm drop, and yet he is a brazen opponent! * And he makes a comparison of us and forgets his own creation, saying, “Who will give life to the bones when they have become dust?” * Say, “The One who created them the first time will give them life.” And He is All-Knowing of all creation. * The One who made fire for you from the green tree, and then you take fire from it. * Isn’t the One who created the heavens and the earth able to create something like them? Of course! He is the Knowing Creator. * When He wants something, He only has to tell it, “Be” and it is! * So exalted is He who has the ownership of everything in His Hand and to Him you will be returned. [36:77-83]

In his famous book of tafsir, sheikh ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sa’di pointed out six proofs of the resurrection of the dead found within these ayaat, writing:

هذه الآيات الكريمات، فيها ذكر شبهة منكري البعث، والجواب عنها بأتم جواب وأحسنه وأوضحه. ـ

These wonderful ayaat include mentioning the doubt of denying the resurrection of the dead and then respond to it in the most complete and eloquent way.

ـ (77) فقال تعالى: أولم ير الإنسان المنكر للبعث أو الشاك فيه، أمرا يفيده اليقين التام بوقوعه، وهو ابتداء خلقه من نطفة ثم تنقله في الأطوار شيئا فشيئا، حتى كبر وشب، وتم عقله واستتب، فإذا هو خصيم مبين بعد أن كان ابتداء خلقه من نطفة، فلينظر التفاوت بين هاتين الحالتين، وليعلم أن الذي أنشأه من العدم، قادر على أن يعيده بعدما تفرق وتمزق من باب أولى. ـ

Allah says:

أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الْإِنسَانُ

Doesn’t man see …

referring to one who rejects the resurrection of the dead or has doubts about it. Doesn’t he see this thing that would give him complete certainty that it will happen – that being the fact that he was originally made from a sperm drop and then taken step by step through the various stages of development until he reached full maturity and mental fitness? At that point, he was someone who was brazen in his opposition after having been originally made from a sperm drop! So look and consider the great difference between those two states and then you would realize that the One who created you originally out of nothing is just as able to bring you back to life after your soul has left your body.

Some Benefits of the Multiple Qira’at: Ibn al-Jazari

In the introduction to his masterwork on the qira’at, after discussing some of the recorded differences between the seven ahruf, Imam ibn al-Jazari then turned to affirming the validity of multiple ways of recitation the Qur’an and discussing the benefits of the multiple qira’at:

وكل ما صح عن النبى صلى‌الله‌عليه‌وسلم من ذلك فقد وجب قبوله ولم يسع أحدا من الأمة رده ولزم الإيمان به وأن كله منزل من عند الله إذ كل قراءة منها مع الأخرى بمنزلة الآية مع الآية يجب الإيمان بها كلها واتباع ما تضمنته من المعنى علما وعملا لا يجوز ترك موجب إحداهما لأجل الأخرى ظنا أن ذلك تعارض وإلى ذلك أشار عبد الله بن مسعود رضى الله عنه بقوله : « لا تختلفوا فى القرآن ولا تتنازعوا فيه فإنه لا يختلف ولا يتساقط ، ألا ترون أن شريعة الاسلام فيه واحدة ، حدودها وقراءتها وأمر الله فيها واحد ، ولو كان من الحرفين حرف يأمر بشيء ينهى عنه الآخر كان ذلك الاختلاف ولكنه جامع ذلك كله ؛ ومن قرأ على قراءة فلا يدعها رغبة عنها فإنه من كفر بحرف منه كفر به كله » . ـ

Every instance of a different qira’ah that has been authentically transmitted from the Prophet must be accepted and there is no leeway for any person in this ummah to reject it. We must believe in it and believe that all of them are revelation from Allah.

Following from this, the relationship of each different recitation to the others is the same as the relationship of one ayah to another; we must believe in all of them and follow the meanings – both information and actions – that they contain. We cannot ignore what one calls for in favor of another, thinking that the two are at odds with one another.

And this is what ibn Mas’ood was referring to when he said:

Do not differ regarding the Qur’an nor dispute with one another about it, for it does not contradict itself nor does it topple over on itself. Don’t you see that the guidance of Islam based on it is a single whole, and that its legal limits, its recitation, and Allah’s commands found in it are unified as one? If there were two harfs and one of them commanded something that the other prohibited, that would be a contradiction. Yet the Qur’an encompasses all of these recitations. Whoever recites according to a certain recitation, do not leave it out of aversion. For whoever rejects a single one of its harfs has rejected all of it.

ـ ( قلت ) وإلى ذلك أشار النبى صلى‌الله‌عليه‌وسلم حيث قال لأحد المختلفين « أحسنت » وفى الحديث الآخر « أصبت » وفى الآخر « هكذا أنزلت » فصوب النبى صلى‌الله‌عليه‌وسلم قراءة كل من المختلفين وقطع بأنها كذلك أنزلت من عند الله وبهذا افترق اختلاف القراء من اختلاف الفقهاء فإن اختلاف القراء كل حق وصواب نزل من عند الله وهو كلامه لا شك فيه واختلاف الفقهاء اختلاف اجتهادى والحق فى نفس الأمر فيه واحد فكل مذهب بالنسبة إلى الآخر صواب يحتمل الخطأ وكل قراءة بالنسبة إلى الأخرى حق وصواب فى نفس الأمر نقطع بذلك ونؤمن به ، ونعتقد أن معنى إضافة كل حرف من حروف الاختلاف إلى من أضيف إليه من الصحابة وغيرهم إنما هو من حيث إنه كان أضبط له وأكثر قراءة وإقراء به ، وملازمة له ، وميلا اليه ، لا غير ذلك. وكذلك إضافة الحروف والقراءات إلى أئمة القراءة ورواتهم المراد بها أن ذلك القارئ وذلك الإمام اختار القراءة بذلك الوجه من اللغة حسبما قرأ به ، فآثره على غيره ، وداوم عليه ولزمه حتى اشتهر وعرف به ، وقصد فيه ، وأخذ عنه ؛ فلذلك أضيف اليه دون غيره من القراء وهذه الإضافة إضافة اختيار ودوام ولزوم لا إضافة اختراع ورأى واجتهاد. ـ

I [ibn al-Jazari] say: This is also what the Prophet was referring to when he said to one of two people who differed about how to recite a certain ayah or surah:

أحسنت

You have recited well

and in another similar hadith:

أصبت

That is correct

and in yet another similar situation:

هكذا أنزلت

That is how it was revealed

So the Prophet declared the recitations of each of the two disputants to be correct and explicitly stated that it was revealed from Allah as such.

“You Will Take Up Your Arguments Before Your Lord”: Tafsir al-Baghawi

Allah says in surah al-Zumar:

إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ وَإِنَّهُم مَّيِّتُونَ * ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ تَخْتَصِمُونَ

You will die and they will die * then on the Day of Resurrection, you will take up your arguments before your Lord. [39:30-31]

Commenting on this, Imam al-Baghawi wrote:

ـ ( إنك ميت ) أي : ستموت ، ( وإنهم ميتون ) أي : سيموتون . قال الفراء والكسائي : الميت – بالتشديد – من لم يمت وسيموت ، الميت – بالتخفيف – من فارقه الروح ، ولذلك لم يخفف هاهنا . ( ثم إنكم يوم القيامة عند ربكم تختصمون ) قال ابن عباس : يعني : المحق والمبطل ، والظالم والمظلوم . ـ

إِنَّكَ مَيِّتٌ

Meaning: You will die

وَإِنَّهُم مَّيِّتُونَ

meaning: and they will die

al-Farra’ and al-Kisaa’i said: the word al-Mayyit with a shaddah refers to one who has not yet died but will die, while al-Mayt without a shaddah refers to one whose soul has left his body, which is why there is a shaddah here.

ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ تَخْتَصِمُونَ

Then on the Day of Resurrection, you will take up your arguments before your Lord.

ibn ‘Abbaas said: This refers to one on the truth against one on falsehood and the wrong-doer against those who were wronged.

Assorted Qur’an Benefits #62

The following short benefits from the books of tafsir and related works were originally published on the Tulayhah social media channels during the middle of April 2021. We have gathered them here on the Tulayhah website to give them a more permanent home.

♦ Sickness of the Body and Sickness of the Heart

Ibn al-Jawzi mentioned the following quote in one of his writings:

قال يحيى بن معاذ: «سَقَمُ الجسد بالأوجاع، وسَقَمُ القلوب بالذنوب؛ فكما لا يجد الجسد لذة الطعام عند سقمه، فكذلك القلب لا يجد حلاوة العبادة مع الذنوب»ـ

Yahya ibn Mu’adh said, “The body becomes sick due to ailments, and the heart becomes sick due to sins. So just as the body does not find pleasure in eating while it is sick, likewise the heart does not experience the sweetness of worship alongside sins.”

[Dhamm al-Hawaa pg 68]

♦ Restraining Oneself from Lowly Desires

In his explanation of surah al-Nazi’at, sheikh Sa’d al-Shithri wrote:

وأما أصحاب الجنة فقال سبحانه عنهم : [ وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ ] : أي أن من خاف قدرة ربه جل وعلا ، وخاف مقامه بين يدي الله حينما يسأله عن أعماله ، و [وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ] يعني : جعل نفسه لا تهوى إلا الخير و فلم يقل : نهى النفس عن اتباع الهوي فقط ، وإنما قال : [وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ] أي : جعل نفسه لا تريد ولا ترغب إلا الخير ووجه الله والدار الآخرة ، وأما ما تهواه النفوس من ملاذ الدنيا المجردة التي لا تنفع في الآخرة ، فإن هذا العبد المتقي قد نهى نفسه عنها فلم يقدم على تلك الأعمال التي يأمر الهوى بها . ـ

Regarding the people of Jannah, Allah said:

وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِ وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ

And as for him who feared the station of his Lord and restrained himself from lowly desires. [79:40]

i.e. he who fears the power of His Lord and fears his own standing before Allah when he will be asked about his deeds, and

وَنَهَى النَّفْسَ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ

… and restrained himself from lowly desires.

meaning: he made himself not desire anything but good. And He did not merely say ,”he restrains himself from following lowly desires.” Rather He said, “and restrained himself from lowly desires.”

i.e. he made his soul not want and not long for anything but good, Allah’s face, and the hereafter. But as for the base pleasures of this life that the souls desire which do not benefit him at all in terms of the hereafter, then the slave who has taqwa restrains himself from them and does not engage in those actions which his lowly desires call to.

[Tafsir Juz’ ‘Amma pg 57]

Tafsir of Surah al-Haqqah: al-Tafsir al-Muyassar

The book Al-Tafsir al-Muyassar was written by a group of scholars under the direction of sheikh Saalih Aal al-Sheikh, Minister of Islamic Affairs for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It was designed to be a simple and easy-to-understand tafsir according to the understanding of the salaf. What follows is its brief tafsir of surah al-Haqqah (69) and translation:

{الْحَاقَّةُ (1) مَا الْحَاقَّةُ (2) وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْحَاقَّةُ (3)}
القيامة الواقعة حقًّا التي يتحقق فيها الوعد والوعيد، ما القيامة الواقعة حقًّا في صفتها وحالها؟ وأي شيء أدراك- أيها الرسول- وعَرَّفك حقيقة القيامة، وصَوَّر لك هولها وشدتها؟ ـ

الْحَاقَّةُ * مَا الْحَاقَّةُ * وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْحَاقَّةُ

The Reality (1) What is the Reality? (2) And what will make you know what the Reality is? (3)

The impending Resurrection that will certainly happen during which all of the promises and threats will be fulfilled. What is the description of this impending Resurrection that will certainly take place? And what will make you, O Messenger, grasp and know how this Resurrection will be, such that it gives you a picture of its terror and intensity?

{كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ وَعَادٌ بِالْقَارِعَةِ (4)}
كذَّبت ثمود، وهم قوم صالح، وعاد، وهم قوم هود بالقيامة التي تقرع القلوب بأهوالها. ـ

كَذَّبَتْ ثَمُودُ وَعَادٌ بِالْقَارِعَةِ

Thamud and ‘Aad denied the Striking. (4)

Thamud, who were Salih’s people, and ‘Aad, who were Hud’s people, did not believe in the Resurrection that ought to strike terror into one’s heart.

Du’a of the Qur’an Part 3: al-Sa’di

In his collection of various reflections on the Qur’an that he penned one Ramadan, sheikh ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sa’di included a beautiful section on some of the du’a found within the Qur’an. After first discussing the du’a at the heart of surah al-Fatihah and another du’a from surah al-Baqarah, al-Sa’di then continued with this discussion of the du’a at the end of surah al-Baqarah:

ومن ذلك: الدعاء الذي في آخر “البقرة” الذي أخبر اللهُ على لسانِ رسوله أنه قَبِلَه مِن المؤمنين حين دَعوا به: ﴿رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنْتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانْصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ﴾[البقرة: 286] ـ

Another one of the comprehensive du’as of the Qur’an is: the du’a at the end of surah al-Baqarah which Allah informed us on the tongue on His Messenger that He would accept from the believers when they supplicate to Him with it.

رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ۖ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ ‎

Our Lord, do not take us to account if we forget or make a mistake. Our Lord, and do not place a burden on us like you placed on those before us. Our Lord, and do not charge us with anything that we do not have the ability to bear. Pardon us, and forgive us, and show mercy to us. You are our Protector, so aid us against the disbelieving people. [2:286]

ولما كان إخلال العبد بأمر الله قد يكون عمداً على وجه العلم، وقد يكون نسياناً وخطأ، وكان هذا القسمُ غيرَ ناشئٍ عن عمل القلب الذي هو محل الإثم وعدمه؛ سألوا ربهم أن لا يؤاخذهم بالنسيان والخطأ، وذلك عامٌّ في جميع الأمور، قال الله تعالى: “قد فعلتُ” ـ

When a person commits some kind of violation of Allah’s command, this might have been done intentionally with full knowledge, or it might have been done out of forgetfulness and by mistake. This second category is not something originating from an action of the heart, which is where sinfulness or the lack thereof is located. They asked their Lord to not take them to account for forgetting or making a mistake, and that applies to all matters. Allah responded, “I have made it so.”