This verse recurs in Shahrur because it establishes the rule that obligation is limited by one’s capacity. He also uses it to distinguish error and forgetfulness from deliberate action, and to define the meaning of responsibility.
Verse text as cited
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا
Brief reading
Shahrur understands the verse to mean that God does not charge a human being with what exceeds their ability, and that accountability pertains to intent, not to what occurs through error or forgetfulness. From this perspective, the verse enters into the construction of an ethical and legal conception of responsibility.
Axes
- Legislative
- Human and ethical
- Methodological
Related concepts
- Capacity: 3
- Error: 2
- Pardon: 2
- Error and forgetfulness: 2
- Responsibility: 2
Its position in the conceptual network
The verse is connected to capacity, obligation, responsibility, and pardon for what is unintentional. It is central because it regulates the relationship between capability and accountability.
The verse’s role in the argument
- Support: 5
- Distinction: 1
Summary of its presence in the atlas
- Obligation within the limits of capacity.
- Distinguishing error and forgetfulness from intent.
- Present in the construction of the meaning of responsibility and pardon.
Pages in the atlas that refer to this verse
These links gather the pages that rely on the verse or make it part of the argument within the atlas.
Related atoms
Places of use
- Islam and Human Beings: He makes it a rule that ritual obligations are performed according to capacity, unlike moral values, which do not lapse because of financial or physical inability.
- Concept: capacity
- Function of the verse here: support
- Textual evidence: «{ لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا… } (البقرة ٢٨٦)»
- Islam and Human Beings: He cites it as evidence that unintentional forgetfulness and error fall within the domain of pardon and mercy.
- Concept: error
- Function of the verse here: support
- Textual evidence: «{ … رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا… } (البقرة ٢٨٦)»
- Islam and Faith, pp. 247-248: He cites it to distinguish between forgetfulness and error on the one hand, and the need for forgiveness and mercy on the other, within his discussion of sin and transgression.
- Concept: pardon
- Function of the verse here: support
- Textual evidence: «- {لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا… وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا…} (البقرة ٢٨٦).»
- Islam and Faith, p. 250: He separates it from al-Baqarah 284 and makes it specific to the case of unintentional error or forgetfulness, not deliberate conduct.
- Concept: error and forgetfulness
- Function of the verse here: distinction
- Textual evidence: «ونرى أن قوله تعالى: {لا يُكَلِّفُ الله نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهُمْ} ليس له أي علاقة بما ذكرناه… أما الآية ٢٨٦ فتتحدث عن النسيان أو الخطأ»
- The State and Society, p. 35: He uses it to argue that a human being is not entirely identical to others, and therefore obligation cannot be uniform.
- Concept: capacity
- Function of the verse here: support
- Textual evidence: «{لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا} (البقرة 286).»
- Drying Up the Sources of Terrorism, p. 226: He uses it to affirm the principle of just recompense on the basis of righteous or wrongful action within the limits of human capacity.
- Concept: responsibility
- Function of the verse here: support
- Textual evidence: «ويقول تعالى –: {لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا…} (البقرة ٢٨٦)»
Related books
This page is presented within the general method of atlas construction.