سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 15
مَّنِ ٱهْتَدَىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَهْتَدِى لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ وَمَن ضَلَّ فَإِنَّمَا يَضِلُّ عَلَيْهَا ۚ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ ۗ وَمَا كُنَّا مُعَذِّبِينَ حَتَّىٰ نَبْعَثَ رَسُولًا ﴿15﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Whoever goes right, then he goes right only for the benefit of his ownself. And whoever goes astray, then he goes astray to his own loss. No one laden with burdens can bear another’s burden. And We never punish until We have sent a Messenger (to give warning).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
مَّنِ
mani
Whoever
ٱهْتَدَىٰ
ih'tadā
(is) guided
فَإِنَّمَا
fa-innamā
then only
يَهْتَدِى
yahtadī
he is guided
لِنَفْسِهِۦ ۖ
linafsihi
for his soul
وَمَن
waman
And whoever
ضَلَّ
ḍalla
goes astray
فَإِنَّمَا
fa-innamā
then only
يَضِلُّ
yaḍillu
he goes astray
عَلَيْهَا ۚ
ʿalayhā
against it
وَلَا
walā
And not
تَزِرُ
taziru
will bear
وَازِرَةٌۭ
wāziratun
a bearer of burden
وِزْرَ
wiz'ra
burden
أُخْرَىٰ ۗ
ukh'rā
(of) another
وَمَا
wamā
And not
كُنَّا
kunnā
We
مُعَذِّبِينَ
muʿadhibīna
are to punish
حَتَّىٰ
ḥattā
until
نَبْعَثَ
nabʿatha
We have sent
رَسُولًۭا
rasūlan
a Messenger
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
15. 1 However, those who are misguiders will have to bear, along with the burden of their own misguidance, the burden of the sins of those who were led astray by their efforts (without any reduction in the sins of those people), as is clear from other places in the Quran and from ahadith. In reality, this will be the burden of their own sins which they earned by leading others astray.
15. 2 Some commentators have taken this to mean only worldly punishment, i.e., they will not be exempt from the punishment of the Hereafter. However, it is clear from other places in the Noble Quran that Allah will ask people: "Did My messengers not come to you?" to which they will answer in the affirmative, from which it is understood that without the sending of messengers and the revelation of books, He will not punish anyone. However, the decision as to which nation or individual did not receive His message, He Himself will make on the Day of Resurrection; there, certainly, no one will be wronged. Similarly, there is the issue of the deaf, insane, those lacking intellect, and those who died in the period of fatrah (the interval between two prophets). Regarding them, some narrations mention that on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will send angels to them and they will say to them: "Enter Hell." If they obey Allah's command and enter Hell, then Hell will become cool and peaceful for them; otherwise, they will be dragged and thrown into Hell. Musnad Ahmad. Allamah Albani has mentioned this in Sahih al-Jami' al-Saghir. There is a difference of opinion regarding small children: the children of Muslims will go to Paradise, but regarding the children of disbelievers and polytheists, there is disagreement—some say to withhold judgment, some say they will go to Paradise, and some say to Hell. Imam Ibn Kathir has said that they will be tested on the Plain of Gathering; whoever obeys Allah's command will go to Paradise, and whoever disobeys will go to Hell. Imam Ibn Kathir has preferred this view and said that this reconciles the apparently contradictory narrations. For details, see Tafsir Ibn Kathir. However, from the narration of Sahih Bukhari, it is understood that the children of polytheists will also go to Paradise.
15. 2 Some commentators have taken this to mean only worldly punishment, i.e., they will not be exempt from the punishment of the Hereafter. However, it is clear from other places in the Noble Quran that Allah will ask people: "Did My messengers not come to you?" to which they will answer in the affirmative, from which it is understood that without the sending of messengers and the revelation of books, He will not punish anyone. However, the decision as to which nation or individual did not receive His message, He Himself will make on the Day of Resurrection; there, certainly, no one will be wronged. Similarly, there is the issue of the deaf, insane, those lacking intellect, and those who died in the period of fatrah (the interval between two prophets). Regarding them, some narrations mention that on the Day of Resurrection, Allah will send angels to them and they will say to them: "Enter Hell." If they obey Allah's command and enter Hell, then Hell will become cool and peaceful for them; otherwise, they will be dragged and thrown into Hell. Musnad Ahmad. Allamah Albani has mentioned this in Sahih al-Jami' al-Saghir. There is a difference of opinion regarding small children: the children of Muslims will go to Paradise, but regarding the children of disbelievers and polytheists, there is disagreement—some say to withhold judgment, some say they will go to Paradise, and some say to Hell. Imam Ibn Kathir has said that they will be tested on the Plain of Gathering; whoever obeys Allah's command will go to Paradise, and whoever disobeys will go to Hell. Imam Ibn Kathir has preferred this view and said that this reconciles the apparently contradictory narrations. For details, see Tafsir Ibn Kathir. However, from the narration of Sahih Bukhari, it is understood that the children of polytheists will also go to Paradise.
