He also said:

Section

“Making things obligatory and prohibiting them” may be a blessing, a punishment, or a test. The first includes making faith and good conduct obligatory and prohibiting disbelief and wrongdoing. This is what is affirmed by those who hold that reason can discern good and evil.

As for punishment, examples include His words:

“For wrongdoing on the part of the Jews, We forbade them good things that had been lawful to them.”

And His words:

“To those who were Jews, We forbade every animal with claws; and of cattle and sheep, We forbade them their fat,”

through to His words:

“Thus We recompensed them for their transgression.”

And His words:

“And he relieves them of their burden and the shackles that were upon them.”

Thus, He called them burdens and shackles: burdens concern obligations, while shackles concern prohibitions. And His words:

“And do not lay upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us.”

This is further supported by His words:

“And He has not placed upon you any hardship in religion.”

And His words:

“Allah does not intend to place you in any hardship.”

For this general negation excludes everything that may be called hardship,