Dr. Nasim Rehmatullah - Naib Amir USA & Chairman Markazi Al Islam Team
Published: November 10, 2025
Allah's mercy is manifest in His commandment: "Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity" (2:287). The Quran distinguishes between capacity (wus'aha) and strength (taqa), recognizing that humans possess limited abilities while Allah's bounty remains boundless. This principle permeates Islamic law, ensuring that divine obligations align with human nature and circumstance.
The Quran repeatedly emphasizes this mercy. In Surah Al-A'raf, Allah states: "and We task not any soul beyond its capacity — these are the inmates of Heaven; they shall abide therein" (7:43). This contradicts the Christian doctrine that sin is ingrained beyond human remedy, instead affirming that Islamic commandments are within our power to fulfill. Surah Al-Talaq further instructs: "Let one who is in easy circumstances spend according to his means and let him whose means of subsistence are straitened spend out of that which Allah has given him. Allah does not require of anyone beyond that which He has bestowed on him" (65:8).
This divine wisdom is beautifully illustrated in a hadith narrated by Abu Dharr. The poor Companions complained to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): "O Messenger of Allah, the affluent have made off with the rewards; they pray as we pray, they fast as we fast, and they give [much] in charity by virtue of their wealth". The Prophet responded: "Has not Allah made things for you to give in charity? Truly every tasbeehah (saying 'Subhan-Allah') is a charity, and every takbeerah (saying 'Allahu Akbar') is a charity, and every tahmeedah (saying 'Al-Hamdu Lillah') is a charity, and every tahleelah (saying 'Laa ilaha illAllah') is a charity".
When the wealthy heard this, they too began reciting tasbih. The poor returned, complaining again. The Prophet replied: "That is the Grace of Allah (that) He brings to whomever He decides". He could not prevent anyone from the remembrance of Allah.
The Promised Messiah (as) explained that "the words 'Allah burdens not any soul beyond its capacity' suggest that if man employs his faculties correctly, he can fulfill divine commandments". He emphasized that "we have been directed to follow the practices of the Holy Prophet (sa). Had we not been bestowed with the faculties to carry out this directive, we would not have been given this instruction because Allah Almighty does not encumber our soul beyond what it is capable of bearing".
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community's Nizam-e-Wasiyyat embodies this principle. Only earning members with financial capacity are required to bequeath at least one-tenth of their income or property. The system recognizes that "if a prospective Musi has no property of his own but has some source of income he shall bind himself to pay at least 1/10 of his monthly income". Non-earning members, including homemakers and students, are not financially obligated. Yet their sincere intentions and yearning earn them divine reward, just as the poor Companions were given alternative means of charity through dhikr.
This reflects Allah's encompassing mercy: we are required to spend from what He has given us, our wealth, abilities, and physical strength, according to our individual capacity, not beyond it.
Islamic law operates within the natural capacity of believers, and that through divine grace and the model of the Holy Prophet (sa), believers can progressively fulfill their spiritual obligations according to their individual capacities.
