they did so, Allah Almighty abrogated the earlier ruling and revealed: “Allah does not burden any soul beyond its capacity. Each will have [the reward of] what it has earned, and each will bear [the consequence of] what it has committed. Our Lord, do not take us to task if we forget or make a mistake.” He said, “Granted.” “Our Lord, do not lay upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us.” He said, “Granted.” “Our Lord, do not impose on us that which we have no power to bear.” He said, “Granted.” “Pardon us, forgive us, and have mercy on us. You are our Protector, so help us against the disbelieving people” (al-Baqarah 2:286). He said, “Granted.” Reported by Muslim.
[Explanation]
The author—may Allah have mercy on him—states: “Chapter: The obligation to submit to the judgment of Allah the Exalted …” He then cites two verses already discussed, among them His words: “But no, by your Lord, they will not believe until they make you judge concerning that over which they dispute among themselves” (al-Nisāʾ 4:65).
Next he mentions the ḥadīth of Abū Hurayrah—may Allah be pleased with him—that when Allah revealed to His Prophet the verse, “Whether you disclose what is in your hearts or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it” (al-Baqarah 2:284), it weighed heavily on the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—because the thoughts that cross one’s mind are boundless. Satan whispers to a person enormous and repugnant notions: some about the self, some about wealth, and many other things he casts into the heart. Yet Allah says, “Whether you disclose what is in your hearts or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it” (al-Baqarah 2:284); if taken literally, everyone would be ruined.
So the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—came to the Prophet ﷺ, fell to their knees—a posture a person assumes when a grave matter befalls him—and said, “Messenger of Allah, Allah has commanded us with what we can manage: prayer, jihād, fasting, and charity, so we pray, fight, give charity, and fast. But He has now sent down this verse, ‘Whether you disclose what is in your hearts or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it’ (al-Baqarah 2:284), and we cannot bear that. No one can prevent the thoughts his mind produces; if we were taken to account for them, we would perish.”
The Prophet ﷺ replied, “Do you wish to say what the People of the Two Scriptures said before you: ‘We hear and we disobey’?” The People of the Two Scriptures are the Jews and the Christians: the Jews’ book is the Torah—the noblest book revealed after the Quran—and the Christians’ book is the Gospel, which completes the Torah. Both communities disobeyed their prophets and said, “We hear and we disobey.” “Do you want to be like them? Rather, say, ‘We hear and we obey. Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return.’”
Thus, whenever a Muslim hears a command from Allah or His Messenger, he must say, “We hear and we obey,” and comply as best he can, for Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity. Many people today come and ask, “The Messenger of Allah ﷺ ordered such-and-such— is it obligatory or merely recommended?” The correct attitude is: when he commands you, act. If it is obligatory you have discharged the duty and gained good; if it is recommended you have still attained good. To delay action until you first find out whether it is obligatory or recommended only comes from a lazy person who has little desire for good.