Juz 20: An-Naml 56 to Al-ʿAnkabūt 45
Section 15 of 18 · Tafsir of the Qur’an · Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
False Promises of Disbelievers
Allah (swt) exposes the deceptive tactics of the disbelievers in their efforts to lead believers astray. The false promises they make represent a dangerous trap for those whose faith is weak or wavering. These verses highlight a critical test believers face - the social pressure to abandon their faith.
وَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ آمَنَّا بِاللَّهِ فَإِذَا أُوذِيَ فِي اللَّهِ جَعَلَ فِتْنَةَ النَّاسِ كَعَذَابِ اللَّهِ
“And among people there are those who say, 'We believe in Allah,' but when they are persecuted in (the way of) Allah, they take the persecution of people as (equal to) the punishment of Allah." (29:10)”
This verse exposes a profound psychological weakness in those whose faith is superficial. When such individuals encounter persecution or harassment because of their belief in Allah (swt), they misinterpret this worldly hardship as divine punishment. They fail to understand that tests and trials are Allah's way of distinguishing sincere believers from those whose faith is shallow.
The irony is that these individuals flee from temporary worldly hardship only to face eternal divine punishment. This misconception leads many to abandon their faith at the first sign of difficulty, thinking that ease in this world signifies divine pleasure, while hardship indicates divine displeasure.
Allah (swt) continues by emphasizing His perfect knowledge of what lies in people's hearts:
أَوَلَيْسَ اللَّهُ بِأَعْلَمَ بِمَا فِي صُدُورِ الْعَالَمِينَ
“Is Allah not the best knower of what lies in the hearts of people of all the worlds?" (29:10)”
This rhetorical question reminds us that faith is not merely a verbal declaration but a reality that resides in the heart. Tests reveal what is hidden within hearts, making manifest what Allah (swt) already knows perfectly.
The disbelievers employ a particularly insidious tactic to lead believers astray:
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّبِعُوا سَبِيلَنَا وَلْنَحْمِلْ خَطَايَاكُمْ
“Those who disbelieve say to those who believe, 'Follow our way, and we will bear the burden of your sins.'" (29:12)”
Here, the disbelievers offer false assurances to believers, promising to carry the burden of their sins if they abandon faith and follow the path of disbelief. This deceptive promise appeals to those seeking to escape personal accountability. The disbelievers might not express this explicitly, but they convey this message through various arguments and enticements, offering worldly comfort in exchange for compromise in faith.
Allah (swt) immediately exposes this falsehood:
وَمَا هُم بِحَامِلِينَ مِنْ خَطَايَاهُم مِّن شَيْءٍ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ
“They are not (able to) bear the burden of their sins in the least. Indeed they are liars." (29:12)”
The reality is that no soul can bear another's burden on the Day of Judgment. Each person will be accountable only for their own deeds. The disbelievers' promise is a complete fabrication designed to mislead.
Furthermore, Allah (swt) affirms that not only will these disbelievers fail to bear others' sins, but they will also carry additional burdens:
وَلَيَحْمِلُنَّ أَثْقَالَهُمْ وَأَثْقَالًا مَّعَ أَثْقَالِهِمْ ۖ وَلَيُسْأَلُنَّ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَمَّا كَانُوا يَفْتَرُونَ
“They shall certainly bear their own burdens and some other burdens along with their own burdens, and they will certainly be questioned on the Day of Judgment about what they used to fabricate." (29:13)”
Those who mislead others will bear both the burden of their own misguidance and the burden of leading others astray. This dual accountability demonstrates the gravity of misleading others away from faith. The verse serves as a powerful warning against being influenced by those who attempt to weaken one's faith through false promises of worldly comfort or assurances of bearing responsibility for sins.