Understanding the Relationship Between Divine Command and Human Capacity

Question

This question discusses the hadith 'Whoever tightens, Allah will tighten upon him' and its relation to the verse 'Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear' in the context of worship and interactions with others.

Answer 1

Peace be upon you and God's mercy.

This hadith is found in the book 'Bihar al-Anwar' - Volume 13, page 263, in the context of the cow incident, stating: 'If they had chosen a cow, it would have sufficed them, but they made it difficult, so Allah made it difficult for them.'

After that, the author discusses the opinions of scholars and the views of the general public.

As for the noble verse 'Allah does not burden a soul beyond that it can bear; it will have [the consequence of] what [good] it has gained, and it will bear [the consequence of] what [evil] it has earned,'

the scholar Allameh Sayyid Tabatabai (may his soul rest in peace) explained it in his commentary 'Tafsir al-Mizan' - Volume 6, page 293, stating:

Divine command is in accordance with the nature that Allah has created people with, and it is known that this nature, which is a type of creation, only calls for what it has been equipped for, and therein lies the happiness of life.

However, if the matter is of such importance that it requires increased attention, or if the commanded servant deviates from the nature of servitude, it may be permissible, by another ruling from the nature, for the Lord or anyone in authority to direct him with a ruling that is outside of his usual capacity, such as commanding him to exercise caution in the face of doubt, and to avoid forgetfulness and error when the matter is of great concern, similar to the obligation of caution regarding blood, private parts, and wealth in Islamic law. Or he may be burdened further as he persists and insists on the matter, as Allah has informed us about similar situations with the Children of Israel.

In any case, His statement 'Allah does not burden a soul' is either a conclusion to the Prophet's (peace be upon him and his family) words and the believers, and they said it as a prelude to their request: 'Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us...' to praise Him and to dispel any notion that Allah would hold accountable beyond capacity or impose burdensome rulings, affirming that Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity. What they requested by saying: 'Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us...' pertains to rulings based on secondary titles arising from the command or from the commanded ones due to obstinacy, not from Him (the Almighty).

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Peace and blessings be upon Muhammad and his pure family.