Jews and Christians. There is an ellipsis here, the implied wording being: They say, “We make no distinction.” Yaʿqūb recited it, “He makes no distinction,” with the third-person form, making it a statement about the Messenger; or its meaning is that none of them makes any distinction. He said, “between any one of His messengers,” rather than “between individuals,” because the word aḥad may refer to both one and many. Allah Most High says: “And none of you could have withheld him from it” (47-al-Ḥāqqah). “They say, ‘We have heard’”—that is, Your word—“and obeyed”—that is, Your command.

It is narrated from Ḥakīm, from Jābir, may Allah be pleased with him, that Gabriel, peace be upon him, said to the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, when this verse was revealed: “Allah has praised you and your community, so ask and you will be granted.” Thus, prompted by Allah Most High, he asked, saying: “Your forgiveness” (1)—an accusative verbal noun, meaning, “Grant us Your forgiveness,” or, “We ask You for Your forgiveness”—“our Lord; and to You is the return. Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity.”

The apparent meaning of the verse is that the request has been granted, though the request itself is implied, as if they had said: “Do not burden us beyond our capacity.” He answered: Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity—that is, beyond its ability. Capacity is that which accommodates a person and does not constrain him. They differed regarding its interpretation. Ibn ʿAbbās, may Allah be pleased with him, ʿAṭāʾ, and most exegetes held that it refers to the thoughts mentioned in His saying: “Whether you disclose what is within yourselves or conceal it,” as we have already explained.

It is also narrated from Ibn ʿAbbās, may Allah be pleased with him, that he said: This applies specifically to the believers: He has made the obligations of their religion easy for them and has not charged them with anything but what they are able to do, as Allah Most High says: “Allah intends ease for you and does not intend hardship for you” (185-al-Baqarah). Allah Most High also says: “He has not placed upon you any hardship in religion” (78-al-Ḥajj). Sufyān ibn ʿUyaynah was asked about His saying, “Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity,” and replied: “Except with what is easy for it; He has not burdened it beyond its utmost capacity.” This is a sound statement, for capacity is less than one’s utmost ability.

His saying: “It shall have the good it has earned”—that is, the soul shall have the reward and recompense for the good it has done—“and against it shall be the evil it has incurred,” along with its burden. “Our Lord, do not take us to task”—that is, do not punish us—“if we forget.” Some held this to refer to forgetfulness in the sense of inadvertence. Al-Kalbī said: When the Children of Israel forgot something they had been commanded to do, or made a mistake, punishment was hastened for them: something from food or drink was prohibited to them in accordance with that sin. Therefore, Allah commanded the believers to ask Him not to take them to task for this. It was also said that it means forgetfulness in the sense of abandoning, as in His saying: “They forgot Allah, so He forgot them” (67-al-Tawbah).

His saying: “Or if we err.” It was said that it means deliberate intent: one may say that someone erred when he acted deliberately. Allah Most High says: “Indeed, killing them is a great sin” (31-al-Isrāʾ). ʿAṭāʾ said: “If we forget or err” means: if we are ignorant or act deliberately. Most held it to mean error in the sense of ignorance and inadvertence, because a sin committed deliberately is not pardoned; rather, it is subject to Allah’s will. Error, however, is pardoned. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said: “My community has been excused for error, forgetfulness, and whatever