لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا أَنتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ
Our Lord, do not hold us responsible if we [mistakenly] overlook [any of your directives] or stumble [in carrying them out]. Our Lord, do not put upon us a [heavy] burden, as You had put upon those before us. Our Lord, do not put upon us a responsibility, which is beyond our capacity. Forgive us. Cleanse us [of our mistakes]. Have mercy upon us. You alone are our protector, therefore, grant us victory over these rejecting people1
Note: As stated earlier, the last part of Surah Al-Baqarah is, an expression and declaration of our covenant with God, which was inherent in our accepting faith. The cited words are a comprehensive supplication of steadfastness, forgiveness and ease in responsibilities, at the end of our expression of this covenant.
The supplication starts with an admission of our imperfections and weaknesses, due to which we may mistakenly overlook any of the directives entailed in the guidance of God or falter in carrying out any of these directives in its letter and spirit. The supplication seeks relief of responsibility, on the Day of Judgment, from all such mistakes. It then implores the Almighty to save us from the burdens placed upon the previous nations and from putting upon us such responsibilities, which are beyond our capacity. Finally, it ends with a prayer for salvation in the Hereafter as well as supremacy of the companions of the Prophet (pbuh) over those, who had reject God’s Truth, even after its ultimate manifestation through the Messenger of God.
Being a supplication taught by the Almighty Himself, there is an element of glad tidings entailed in the supplication as well. Thus, the supplication ensures that deviations from the Right Path due to forgetfulness and mistake shall not be punished in the Hereafter; that the Final Shari`ah shall not put upon its followers the burdens put upon the followers of previous Shari`ah, especially the Jews; that God Shari`ah shall not put upon its followers a responsibility, which is beyond his capacity; and that adherence to this guidance shall follow forgiveness and salvation for the followers, in general, and victory over the rejecters for the companions of the Prophet (pbuh), in particular.
- Al-Baqarah 2:286 [↩]