آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ ۚ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ (285) 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 (286)}
285. . The Messenger (Muhammad 
) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. They say, "We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers" - and they say, "We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your Forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return (of all)."
) believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. They say, "We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers" - and they say, "We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your Forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return (of all)."
286. Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. "Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error, our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians); our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Pardon us and grant us Forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Maula (Patron, Suppor-ter and Protector, etc.) and give us victory over the disbelieving people."
Mushaf page 49
Selected Benefits from the Last Two Aayaat of Suratul Baqarah
Summarized Ibn Katheer (vol. 2 p93-105)
1. What is the virtue of 2:285 and 2:286? Whoever recites the last two aayaat in Suratul Baqarah at night they will suffice for him.
2. What three things were given to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم during the Night Journey at the Sidratul Muntaha?
a. 5 daily prayers
b. Last aayaat in Suratul Baqarah
c. Forgiveness for a person who died not committing shirk
3. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was with __Jibreel___ who heard a noise from above. Jibreel looked up to the sky and said ‘this is a door that was opened just now in heaven and it has never been opened before. An angel came down through the door to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and said, ‘receive the good news of _two_ __lights_________ that you have been given and which no Prophet before you was given: __Suratul Faatihah__ and __the last two aayaat of Suratul Baqarah_. You will not read a letter of them but you will be granted __benefit___.
4. إن نسينا If we forget – to do an __obligation__
5. أو أخطأنا or fall into error – to commit a _prohibition__.
6. واعف عنا pardon us – between us and _You__ regarding what You know of our shortcomings and errors.
7. واغفر لنا grant us forgiveness – concerning what is between us and Your servants. Do not __expose_ our errors to them.
8. وارحمنا do not allow us to fall into another __error__.
9. أنت مولنا Supporter, Helper – our _trust__ is in You. We ask You for every type of help. There is no power or strength except from You.
10. فانصرنا على القوم الكفرين Help us against the disbelieving people. Mu’aadh would say __aameen__whenever he finished reciting this surah.
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Selected Tafseer Benefits – ‘Uthaymeen Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen’s Ahkaam minal Qur’aan
vol. 2 p357-391
Suratul Baqarah Aayaat 285-286 p49 of Mushaf
1. سمعنا وأطعنا * غفرانك Shaykh ‘Uthaymeen said we should stop at وأطعنا so that it does not mean ‘we obey your forgiveness’. غفرانك means ‘we ask’ for your forgiveness.
2. المغفرة concealing sins from others and not taking us to account for them on the Day of Resurrection. Forgiveness comes from the root غفر a helmet in Arabic is مغفر. Forgiveness covers (hides the sins) and protects like a helmet covers the head and protects a person from arrows.
3. ربنا Our Lord - is a du’aa meaning ‘O our Lord!’
4. إليك المصير means to You (alone) is the return. المصير إليك the return is to You. If ‘to you’comes before then it means you ‘alone’ and is restricted.
5. We believe in all the Prophets that were sent by Allaah.
6. There are five Prophets of strong determination: Nooh, Ibraaheem, Moosa, Eesaa and Muhammad.
7. Within those five some were better than others: Muhammad then Ibraheem, Moosa, Nooh and Eesaa.
8. وقالوا سمعنا وأطعنا 2:285. The Messenger and the believers say this. It is a role model for us to say the same. This concerns commands and prohibitions. We should not say ‘why did Allaah make this obligatory or why did Allaah prohibit this? We do not ask why Allaah make trade allowed and riba forbidden. See Noor :51 and Ahzaab :36.
9. Some people when ordered to do something ask is this obligatory or recommended? The highest level for you is to accept the order and not wonder is it obligatory or recommended. Same with if there is a prohibition. Some ask is it disliked or haraam? O Brother! Do not ask. If you have been prohibited then leave it! I do not know the Sahaabah asking the Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم whether something is recommended or obligatory. From complete submission and humility to Allaah is if you hear a command do it. If a person falls into something that is an act of disobedience – then he can ask is this obligatory so that I need to make tawbah? As for before falling into something then no. If your parents ordered you to do something and you asked them ‘do you mean it?’ it would be bad manners. So what about the commands of the Creator?!
10. Everyone is in need of forgiveness.
11. ربنا If you call on Allaah, then seek nearness to Allaah through His Ruboobiyyah which encompasses creation, possession and rule.
12. إليك المصير no matter where a person is or where he runs away, the end is to Allaah. We have to prepare for the Day of Judgement. When we meet Allaah what will you say?
13. If you hear that Allaah says ‘establish’ the prayer, then establish the prayer because you will be asked.
14. V286 الطاقة = الوُسع ability
15. تعاقبنا = تؤاخذنا punished
16. إن نسينا if we forget – after having knowledge
17. أو أخطأنا or we fall into error – before having knowledge; ignorant جاهل
18. الشدة والمشقة = الإصر
Example 1: The previous nations did not have tayammum (dry ablution) so if there was no water they could not pray and when they found water they had to make up the missed prayers.
Example 2: Past nations could only pray in their special houses of worship. Muslims can pray anywhere on earth.
Example 3: Some of the good things were made unlawful for them due to their oppression.
19. Example 4: They imposed celibacy on themselves to please Allaah.
20. واعف عنا forgive us where we fell short of our obligations.
21. واغفر لنا forgive us what we committed of sins.
22. وارحمنا have mercy upon us in being upright.
23. فانصرنا على القوم الكافرين help us either with instruments of war or proofs from the Sharee’ah.
لا يكلف الله نفسا إلا وسعها Allaah does not burden a person more than they can bear. The Shaykh gives many examples of this and directs us to the fiqh books for more.
E.g.1. Kaffaratul Yameen recompense:
a. feed or clothe 10 people.
b. Free a slave
c. Fast 3 consecutive days.
d. If cannot do any then it is removed
E.g. 2. Unintentionally killing a protected person:
a. المؤمن A believer
b. الذمي A dhimmee
c. المعاهدUnder contract
d. المستأمنGiven protection
The penalty is to free a slave or fast 2 consecutive months. If a person is poor, sick or old then the penalty is removed.
E.g. 3. Obligations of hajj: slaughter a sheep in Makkah for the poor there. If a person cannot do it then it is dropped.
A principle called ‘there is no obligation if a person is unable’ لا واجب مع العجز
E.g. 4. If a person cannot make wudhoo with water due to illness then he can do tayammum.
E.g. 5. If a person has impurity on his clothes and he cannot remove it and he has no other clothes to change into then he prays as he is and does not need to make it up.
E.g. 6. If a person does not know the qiblah direction or he is unable to face it, he prays however he can.
E.g. 7. A person should pray standing but if he cannot then pray sitting.
E.g. 8. If a person cannot recite suratul Faatihah then he recites any surah he knows but if not then he says words of dhikr.
E.g. 9. Zakaah is upon land that is put up for sale. However, if he has no money and cannot sell the land then he writes the zakaah owed down and when he gets some money he pays it. The people call this سيولة
E.g. 10. The obligatory fasts. If a person cannot do it in the present or in the future then he pays a fidyah for every day by feeding a poor person but if he cannot afford to then it is dropped.
E.g. 11. No money to go on hajj it is dropped.
All these examples come under the principle: لا يكلف الله نفسا إلا وسعها
24. لها ما كسبت whatever a person has directly done of good or indirectly guided the people to (and he gets the same reward as them) he gets the reward.
25. وعليها ما اكتسبت sins. A person directly does sins or indirectly guides people to sin – he takes a part of their sin (not all). نصيب / كِفل
26. The majority of du’aa in the Qur’aan and Sunnah begin with the name الربّ This is an affirmation of Allaah’s Lordship Ruboobiyyah. He is the Creator, the King, the Disposer of Affairs.
27. رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ O Lord! Do not take us to account if we forget or make a mistake.
28. Sin and punishment are removed due to ignorance or forgetfulness. There are many examples of this:
a. If a person forgets to wipe his head when making wudhoo – he is not sinful but because he prayed and his wudhoo was not correct and due to the prayer being obligatory he has to make a proper wudhoo and repeat the salaah. The sin is not upon him due to ignorance but he still has to repeat because the action of prayer is an obligation.
b. If a person forgets to pray then he is not sinful but he must pray as soon as he remembers. If a person intentionally delayed the salaah then he is sinful.
c. If a person is praying and makes tasleem before completing the prayer out of forgetfulness then there is no sin but he has to complete what he has missed. For example, he was praying 4 rak’ah and made tasleem after 2 rak’ah, so he needs to complete two more rak’aat.
d. Someone who eats out of forgetfulness while he is fasting: there is no sin, nothing to make up.
e. Giving zakah to a rich person by accident. His zakaah is accepted if he did not know his state at the time he gave it – there’s no sin on him.
f. If a person is in ihram he is not allowed to use perfume. If a muhrim (person in ihram) put on perfume out of forgetfulness there is no sin or fidyah upon him. However, when he remembers it is obligatory for him to wash it off if it is on his body. If it is on his ihram then he must change it or wash the ihram.
g. If a person in ihram hunted a pigeon after assuming ihram but before entering the boundaries of the haraam. Out of ignorance he thought that it was permissible. There is nothing upon him even if he ate it.
h. If a person had intimate relations with his wife on the night of Muzdalifah out of ignorance, there is nothing upon him. His Hajj is correct, he does not need to repeat it or pay a fidyah because it was not intentional and due to ignorance. He heard Hajj is ‘Arafah and that is it.
i. If a person cut down a tree in the haram that grew wild without a person having planted it and grew on rain water. If he did not know that this was haraam, he thought that the ruling only applied to a person in ihram in the haram. There is no sin upon him due to ignorance. Cutting the trees within the boundaries of the haram is forbidden for everyone whether they are in ihram or not.
j. If a person in ihram cut his hair without knowing that this was not allowed then there is no sin upon him. There are three situations of this:
i. Cutting hair without a need or an excuse. He commits a sin and he must pay a fidyah. [2:196] fast 3 days, pay sadaqah (6 poor half a saa’) or nusuk (sacrifice a sheep).
ii. He cuts his hair due to a need intentionally. E.g. illness or lice. He has no sin but he must pay a fidyah.
iii. Cut hair out of forgetfulness or ignorance. There is no sin and no fidyah.
There is a difference of opinion among the scholars regarding paying a fidyah in this case but we should not make difficult what Allaah makes easy. This principle (do not take us to account for what we forget or fall into error) is a great principle that we cannot bypass.
k. A person sells something after the second adhaan for jumu’ah. The sale is not correct but there is no sin if he was ignorant.
l. A person sacrificed an animal and forgot to say ‘bismillah’. There is no sin on him but he cannot eat from it or give it to others to eat because saying bismillaah is a condition شرط. If someone did eat from it but he did not know that it was sacrificed without saying bismillaah then there is no sin on him as he was ignorant.
29. Statement by Allaah: لا يكلف الله نفسا إلا وسعها
30. Du’aa from the believer: ربنا ولا تحملنا ما لا طاقة لنا به
31. These last two aayaat of Suratul Baqarah [2:285-286] are sufficient for us as a protection and as a du’aa. They encompass all good of the deen and the dunyaa .
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Du'aa containing 'Rabbanaa' ربّنا Click here
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Grammatical Analysis of aayaat 285-286 by Qur'an Corpus Click here
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The Last Two Aayaat of Suratul Baqarah - Selected Benefits[1] from the book ‘Fiqh al ‘Ad’iyah wal Adhkaar’ by Shaykh ‘Abdur Razaaq Badr Volumes 3+4 p60-64 Click here to download
Narrated Abu Mas'ud Al-Ansari: that the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم (said: "Whoever recites the last two Ayat of Surat AlBaqarah during the night, they shall suffice him."
English reference: Vol. 5, Book 42, Hadith 2881. Arabic reference : Book 45, Hadith 31232
The two aayaat consist of the believers’ faith in Allaah and their being under His obedience and His worship. It also covers them acknowledging Allaah’s Lordship Ruboobiyyah and their need for His Forgiveness. It is their acknowledgement of their shortcomings regarding His Rights and their returning back to Him. It reminds them that they will be recompensed for their deeds. It is a du’aa to Allaah and their asking for pardon, forgiveness, mercy and help against their enemies. It is without doubt noble meanings indicating their complete faith, complete acceptance and their truthful submission to Allaah the Lord of the worlds.
Imaam Ibnul Qayyim said in his book al Waabil as Sayyib (p156) that كفتاه means sufficed from evil that harms him and it is said it suffices him from Qiyaamul layl….
Aboo Dharr رضي الله عنه said that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said, “I was given the ending of Suratul Baqarah from a treasure beneath the throne.” Musnad Ahmad 5/180. Saheeh al Jaami’ Al Albaanee 1060.
Shaykhul Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah said, “…know that Allaah, the One who is removed from every deficiency, gave His Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم the ending of Suratul Baqarah from a treasure beneath the throne. No other Prophet before him was given it. Whoever reflects upon these aayaat and understands what they contain of the realities of the religion, and the five principles of faith and the refutation of every liar and that they contain Allaah’s complete blessings upon this Prophet, his Ummah and Allaah’s love for them and Allaah preferring them over others, let him rejoice in knowledge.” Majmoo Fataawa 14/129 1
Translated and selected by Umm ‘AbdirRahmaan Tara Hashim 1439/2017. www.quraanteacherresources.blogspot.com
Hadeeth taken from www.sunnah.com
