Tafsir of Al-Ahzab 33:72

Surah Al-Ahzab (33): Verse 72

إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْأَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَن يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الْإِنسَانُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولًا

Indeed, We offered the Trust (Al-Amānah) to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it and feared it. But man undertook to bear it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant.

When God guided the believers toward noble morals and disciplined the Prophet (PBUH) with the best manners, He clarified that the obligation (Taklīf) He directed toward humankind is a momentous matter, saying:

{Indeed, We offered the Trust (Al-Amānah)}

This means the obligation (Taklīf), which is commanding actions contrary to natural disposition. Know that this type of obligation was not placed upon the heavens, nor the earth, because the earth, the mountains, and the heavens are all created according to their nature. The mountain is not commanded to walk, the earth is not commanded to ascend, nor the sky to descend. Nor was it placed upon the angels, because although angels are commanded and prohibited from certain things, this is like eating and drinking for us; they glorify (God) night and day without tiring, just as a human engages in matters conforming to their nature.

In this verse, there are several issues:

There are several interpretations:

1. It is the Obligation (Taklīf): It is called a trust because whoever falls short in fulfilling it incurs a penalty (gharamah), and whoever fulfills it perfectly receives honor (karāmah).
2. It is the Testimony of Tawhīd: Some say it is the statement, "There is no god but Allah." This view is distant, as the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, with their tongues, already proclaim that God is One, and there is no god but Him.
3. It is the Limbs (A'dā'): The eye is a trust that must be guarded, as is the ear, the hand, the foot, the private parts, and the tongue.
4. It is the Knowledge of God: Some say it is the knowledge of God and what is contained within it. And God knows best.

There are several views:

1. It means the presentation (ʿArḍ).
2. It means the Gathering (Hashr).
3. It means the confrontation/comparison (Muqābalah): We presented the Trust to the heavens, and the Trust outweighed the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth.

There are two views:

1. It refers to their physical entities themselves.
2. It refers to their inhabitants (Ahluhā). In this case, there is an implied meaning: "Indeed, We offered the Trust to the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth."

Their refusal was not like the refusal of Iblīs mentioned in the verse {He refused and was arrogant} (Al-Hijr: 31) in two ways:

1. There (in the case of Iblīs), the prostration was an obligation (Fard). Here, the Trust was merely presented (ʿArḍ).
2. The refusal there was due to arrogance (istikbār), whereas here, the refusal was due to considering themselves too small/insufficient (istisghār), as evidenced by the following phrase: {and they feared it}.

We say the Trust was not accepted for several reasons:

1. It is precious and difficult to preserve: Like vessels made of jewels, which are precious yet easily broken. A wise person would refrain from accepting such an item, even if it were gold or silver (which they would accept due to its value), or even if it were glass (which they would accept because it is not rare). In the first case (jewels), they fear its destruction; in the second (glass), it is not rare. The obligation (Taklīf) is similar.
2. The time was one of turmoil and raid: A wise person does not accept deposits during such a time. The situation was like this because Satan and his troops were targeting the accountable beings, especially after Adam's expulsion from Paradise.
3. The requirement of fulfilling the Trust: It requires maintaining things that need care, like depositing animals that need feeding, watering, and specific lodging. A wise person refrains from accepting such a deposit, unlike movable property placed in a box or a corner of a house. The obligation is similar, as it requires nurturing and development.

There are two answers:

1. Due to Man's ignorance of the consequences, while they (the heavens/earth) knew: This is why the Almighty said: {Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant}.
2. Their perspective vs. Man's perspective: The entities looked at themselves and saw their weakness, so they refused. Man looked toward the one imposing the trust (God), saying: "The Depositor is All-Knowing and Capable. He does not offer the Trust except to those fit for it. If He deposits it, He will not abandon it but will guard it with His Eye and Aid." Thus, Man accepted it, saying: {You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help} (Al-Fātiḥah: 5).

There are several views:

1. It refers to Adam: He wronged himself by disobeying and did not know the punishment awaiting him (expulsion from Paradise).
2. It refers to humankind generally: Man wrongs himself through disobedience and is ignorant of the punishment awaiting him.
3. It describes his inherent nature: It means it was his nature to be unjust and ignorant (like saying a horse is spirited or water is pure, meaning it is characterized by that). Thus, man is characterized by injustice and ignorance. When the Trust was deposited, some remained as they were, while others abandoned injustice, as God said: {Those who have believed and have not mixed their faith with injustice} (Al-Anʿām: 82), and abandoned ignorance, as stated regarding Adam: {And He taught Adam the names—all of them} (Al-Baqarah: 31), and regarding believers generally: {But those firm in knowledge say, "We believe in it"} (Āl ʿImrān: 7), and {Indeed, only those of His servants who have knowledge fear Allah} (Fāṭir: 28).
4. It reflects the angels' perception: It was unjust and ignorant in the estimation of the angels, who said: {Will You place upon it one who will cause corruption therein?} (Al-Baqarah: 30). God demonstrated His knowledge to them by saying: {Then show Me the names of these} (Al-Baqarah: 31).

Some scholars interpret the verse by dividing created beings into two categories: sentient (Mudrik) and non-sentient. The sentient are those who perceive universals and particulars (like humans), or only particulars (like animals, which perceive the grain they eat but do not reflect on consequences or proofs). Others perceive only universals but not particulars (like angels, who perceive universals but not the pleasure of sexual intercourse or eating).

They say God alluded to this when He presented the names to the angels (Al-Baqarah: 31), and they confessed their lack of knowledge of those particulars. The obligation (Taklīf) was only placed upon the one who perceives both universals and particulars, as he has pleasures related to specific, particular matters. He is prevented from these lesser pleasures to attain true pleasures, like the pleasure of the angels in worshipping and knowing God. As for others, if they are accountable, their accountability is not in the sense of hardship, but in the sense of being addressed (Mukhaṭab), and the addressed one is called Mukallaf (accountable).

The First Subtle Point: The Trust was presented to Adam, and he accepted it, thus becoming a trustee (Amīn). The word of the trustee is accepted (he is successful). His offspring inherited the Trust from him. One who takes something from a trustee is not considered a trustee himself. This is why the heir of the depositor does not have the final say regarding the deposit unless a new covenant and entrustment are renewed. The believer establishes a covenant with God and becomes a trustee from God, so his word is accepted, and he achieves the success Adam achieved. This is why God says: {and to forgive the believing men and believing women} (Al-Aḥzāb: 73), meaning, just as He forgave Adam: {Then his Lord accepted his repentance} (Al-Baqarah: 37). The disbeliever, however, took the Trust from the one entrusted (Adam), so it remains his liability. If something happens to the Trust in the hand of a believer due to God's decree and destiny, it is without his negligence, and a trustee is not liable for loss without negligence. But if something happens to the Trust in the hand of a disbeliever, even by God's decree, he is liable, because he is responsible for what is lost, even without negligence.

The Second Subtle Point: These three entities (heavens, earth, mountains) were mentioned because they are the strongest things capable of bearing weight. As for the heavens, God says: {and We constructed above you seven firm layers} (An-Naba’: 12). The strength and solidity of the earth and mountains are self-evident. When these entities, despite their strength and solidity, were offered the Trust and relied on their strength, they refused because the Trust of God is above their power. Man carried it despite his weakness, for whom God said: {and man was created weak} (An-Nisā’: 28). However, God promised him assistance in preserving the Trust by saying: {And whoever relies upon Allah – then He is sufficient for him} (Aṭ-Ṭalāq: 3). If one asks: If God assists him, why is the disbeliever punished? We reply: God assists those who seek His help and rely on Him. The disbeliever did not return to God, so God left him to himself, and he remains responsible for the Trust.

The Third Subtle Point: The statement {So they refused to bear it} and {But man undertook to bear it} indicates that carrying it involves hardship. This is different from if the verse had said, "So they refused to accept it, and man accepted it." If someone asks another to perform an action that involves no toil, they are not compensated with a wage upon completion. But here, the word {and man undertook to bear it} indicates that it is something deserving of a wage merely for carrying the Trust. If one fulfills its requirements perfectly, they deserve an increase. If one asks: Everyone carried it; the disbeliever did nothing more than carry it, so he should deserve a wage for the carrying. We reply: If an action is performed according to the permission of the commanding owner, the doer deserves a wage. Do you not see that if someone is told, "Carry this to the farm on the north," but he carries it to the farm on the south, he does not deserve a wage and is obliged to return it? Similarly, the disbeliever carried it contrary to the permission, so he is liable for damages, and the good deeds he performed due to it are nullified.

لِّيُعَذِّبَ اللَّهُ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَالْمُنَافِقَاتِ وَالْمُشْرِكِينَ وَالْمُشْرِكَاتِ وَيَتُوبَ اللَّهُ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُورًا رَّحِيمًا

That Allah may punish the hypocrite men and hypocrite women and the polytheist men and polytheist women, and that Allah may turn in forgiveness to the believing men and believing women. And Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.