and their acknowledgment of His lordship, their desperate need for His forgiveness, their admission that they have fallen short in fulfilling His rights, and their acknowledgment that they will return to Him.

Then Allah Most High said:

“Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity.”

He thereby dispelled their assumption that He would punish them for passing thoughts they could not prevent, and that such thoughts fell within the scope of what He held them accountable for. He informed them that He required of them only what was within their capacity. This is the clarification to which Ibn ʿAbbās and others referred when they said: “Allah then abrogated it for them through His words:

‘Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity.’”

This also establishes that everything He has required of them, whether through commands or prohibitions, is within their ability and power, and that He has not required of them anything beyond their capacity. This explicitly refutes anyone who claims otherwise.

Allah Most High commanded them to worship Him and guaranteed their provision. He therefore required of them deeds within their capacity and gave them provision sufficient for their needs. What He requires lies within their capacity, and His provision suffices them. Thus, both His provision and His commands allow them ample scope: they can fulfil His commands, and His provision meets their needs. There is a difference between what suffices a servant and what lies within the servant’s capacity. This is what befits His mercy, kindness, beneficence, wisdom, and freedom from all need—not the claim that He has required of them what they have absolutely no power or ability to do, and then punishes them for failing to do it.

Reflect on His words, mighty and majestic is He:

“Only what is within its capacity.”

Consider how they convey that His requirements afford people ease and bounty, rather than constraint, distress, and hardship; for capacity