Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Ahzab Verse 72

Mufti Taqi Usmani

We did offer the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear its burden and were afraid of it, and man picked it up. Indeed he is unjust (to himself), unaware (of the end).

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Indeed, We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they ˹all˺ declined to bear it, being fearful of it. But humanity assumed it, ˹for˺ they are truly wrongful ˹to themselves˺ and ignorant ˹of the consequences˺,

Ruwwad Translation Center

Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, yet they refused to bear it and were afraid of it. But man assumed it; he is indeed wrongful and ignorant.

A. J. Arberry

We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to carry it and were afraid of it; and man carried it. Surely he is sinful, very foolish.

Abdul Haleem

We offered the Trust to the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, yet they refused to undertake it and were afraid of it; mankind undertook it- they have always been inept and foolish.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Verily We! We offered the trust unto the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it and shrank therefor. And man bore it; verily he was very iniquitous and very ignorant-

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We did indeed offer the Trust to the Heavens and the Earth and the Mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof; but man undertook it;- He was indeed unjust and foolish;-

Abul Ala Maududi

We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to carry it and were afraid of doing so; but man carried it. Surely he is wrong-doing, ignorant.

Ahmed Ali

We had offered the Trust (of divine responsibilities) to the heavens, the earth, the mountains, but they refrained from bearing the burden and were frightened of it; but man took it on himself. He is a faithless ignoramus.

Ahmed Raza Khan

We indeed offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused it and were afraid of it – and man accepted it; indeed he is one who puts himself into hardship, is extremely unwise.

Ali Quli Qarai

Indeed We presented the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to undertake it and were apprehensive of it; but man undertook it. Indeed he is most unjust and ignorant.

Ali Ünal

We offered the Trust to the heavens, and the earth, and the mountains, but they shrank from bearing it, and were afraid of it (fearful of being unable to fulfill its responsibility), but human has undertaken it. He is indeed prone to doing great wrong and misjudging, and acting out of sheer ignorance.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Verily, We presented the trust (- Our injunctions and laws) to the heavens and the earth and the mountains and they refused to prove false to it, and they were struck with awe of it. On the other hand a human-being has proved false to it (by betraying the trust and violating the Divine commandments), for he could be unjust and is forgetful.

English Literal

We displayed/presented the trust (choice between good and evil) on the skies/space and the earth/Planet Earth, and the mountains , so they refused/hated that (E) they bear/endure it , and they were cautious/afraid from it, and the human/mankind bore/endured it , that he truly was/is often unjust and oppressive, lowly/ignorant .

Faridul Haque

We indeed offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused it and were afraid of it - and man accepted it; indeed he is one who puts himself into hardship, is extremely unwise.

Hamid S. Aziz

He will put your deeds into a right state (correctly adjust, harmonise, make whole) for you, and forgive you your faults; and whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, he indeed achieves a mighty success.

Hilali & Khan

Truly, We did offer AlAmanah (the trust or moral responsibility or honesty and all the duties which Allah has ordained) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allah's Torment). But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its results).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

He will put your deeds into a right state for you, and forgive you your sins. And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, he indeed achieves a mighty success.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Surely We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to be unfaithful to it and feared from it, and man has turned unfaithful to it; surely he is unjust, ignorant;

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lo! We offered the trust unto the heavens and the earth and the hills, but they shrank from bearing it and were afraid of it. And man assumed it. Lo! he hath proved a tyrant and a fool.

Muhammad Sarwar

We offered Our Trust (Our deputation) to the heavens, to the earth, and to the mountains, but they could not bear this burden and were afraid to accept it. Mankind was able to accept this offer but he was unjust to himself and ignorant of the significance of this Trust.

Qaribullah & Darwish

We offered the trust to the heavens, and the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were afraid of it, and the human carried it. Surely, he is a harmdoer, and ignorant.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Truly, We did offer the Amanah to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it. But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust and ignorant.

Wahiduddin Khan

We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, because they were afraid of it. But man bore it: he surely proved unjust and ignorant.

Talal Itani

We offered the Trust to the heavens, and the earth, and the mountains; but they refused to bear it, and were apprehensive of it; but the human being accepted it. He was unfair and ignorant.

Tafsir jalalayn

Indeed We offered the Trust -- [the obligation to] prayer and other matters which, when performed, result in reward and when neglected, result in punishment -- to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and created in them the power of comprehension and speech [at the time of that offer], but they refused to bear it and were apprehensive of it; but man, Adam, undertook it, when it was offered to him. Truly he is a wrongdoer, to his own soul because of what he undertook, ignorant, of [the responsibility that comes with] it --

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

How Man bore the Amanah

Allah says;

إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الاَْمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالاَْرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَن يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الاِْنسَانُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولاً



Truly, We did offer the Amanah to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it. But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust and ignorant.

Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn Abbas said,

"Al-Amanah means obedience. This was offered to them before it was offered to Adam, and they could not bear it. Then Allah said to Adam;

`I have offered the Amanah to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they could not bear it. Will you take it on!'

He said, `O Lord, what does it involve!'

He said, `If you do good, you will be rewarded, and if you do evil, you will be punished.'

So Adam took the Amanah and bore it, and this is what is referred to in the Ayah;
وَحَمَلَهَا الاِْنسَانُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولاً
(But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust and ignorant."

Ali bin Abi Talhah reported that Ibn Abbas said,

"Al-Amanah means Al-Fara'id (the obligatory duties). Allah offered them to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, (on the grounds that) if they fulfilled them, He would reward them; and if they failed, He would punish them. But they did not want to do that, and they were afraid of it, not because their intention was sinful, but because of their respect for the religion of Allah, in case they could not fulfill the obligations involved. Then Allah offered it to Adam, and he accepted it with all that it entailed. This is what is referred to in the Ayah;
وَحَمَلَهَا الاِْنسَانُ إِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولاً
(But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust and ignorant).

meaning, he underestimated the command of Allah."

This was also the view of Mujahid, Sa`id bin Jubayr, Ad-Dahhak, Al-Hasan Al-Basri and others that Al-Amanah means Al-Fara'id.

Others said that it meant obedience.

Al-A`mash narrated from Abu Ad-Duha from Masruq that Ubayy bin Ka`b said;

"Part of Al-Amanah means that woman was entrusted with her own chastity."

Qatadah said;

"Al-Amanah means religion, obligatory duties and prescribed punishments."

Malik narrated that Zayd bin Aslam said;

"Al-Amanah means three things;

prayer,

fasting and

performing Ghusl to cleanse oneself from sexual impurity."

There is no contradiction between all of these views; they are all in agreement and all refer to responsibility and the acceptance of commands and prohibitions with their attendant conditions, which is that the one who fulfills this responsibility, will be rewarded; while the one who neglects it, will be punished. Man accepted this despite the fact that he is weak, ignorant and unjust -- except for those whom Allah helps, and Allah is the One Whose help we seek.

One of the reports which deal with Al-Amanah is the Hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad from Hudhayfah, may Allah be pleased with him, who said;

"The Messenger of Allah told us two Hadiths, one of which I have seen and the other I am still waiting to see.

He told us that Al-Amanah is deeply rooted in the heart of man, then the Qur'an was revealed and they know it from the Qur'an and from the Sunnah.

Then he told us that Al-Amanah will be taken away.

He said,

يَنَامُ الرَّجُلُ النَّوْمَةَ فَتُقْبَضُ الاَْمَانَةُ مِنْ قَلْبِهِ فَيَظَلُّ أَثَرُهَا مِثْلَ أَثَرِ الْمَجْلِ كَجَمْرٍ دَحْرَجْتَهُ عَلَى رِجْلِكِ تَرَاهُ مُنْتَبِرًا وَلَيْسَ فِيهِ شَيْء

A man may sleep and Al-Amanah will be taken from his heart, leaving nothing but a trace like a blister left by a coal if you were to roll it over your leg -- you will see it protruding but there is nothing inside.

Then he took a pebble and rolled it over his leg, then he said;

فَيُصْبِحُ النَّاسُ يَتَبَايَعُونَ لَا يَكَادُ أَحَدٌ يُوَدِّي الاَْمَانَةَ حَتَّى يُقَالَ إِنَّ فِي بَنِي فُلَنٍ رَجُلً أَمِينًا حَتَّى يُقَالَ لِلرَّجُلِ مَا أَجْلَدَهُ وَأَظْرَفَهُ وَأَعْقَلَهُ وَمَا فِي قَلْبِهِ حَبَّةُ خَرْدَلٍ مِنْ إِيمَان

Then the people will start buying and selling, and hardly anyone will be paying attention to Al-Amanah, until it will be said that among the tribe of so-and-so there is a trustworthy man, and it will said of a man, `how strong he is, how nice and how wise,' and there is not even a mustard seed of faith in his heart.

No doubt, there came upon me a time when I did not mind dealing (bargaining) with anyone of you, for if he was a Muslim, his Islam would compel him to pay me what is due to me, and if he was a Christian, or Jew, the Muslim official would compel him to pay me what is due to me, but today, I do not deal except with such and such person among you."

It was also recorded in the Two Sahihs from the Hadith of Al-A`mash.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abdullah bin `Amr, may Allah be pleased with him, said that the Messenger of Allah said;

أَرْبَعٌ إِذَا كُنَّ فِيكَ فَلَ عَلَيْكَ مَا فَاتَكَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا حِفْظُ أَمَانَةٍ وَصِدْقُ حَدِيثٍ وَحُسْنُ خَلِيقَةٍ وَعِفَّةُ طُعْمَة

There are four things, if you attain them, then whatever you miss in this world will not matter;

preserving trust,

speaking the truth,

being of good character and

moderation in eating.
The Result of taking on the Amanah

Allah says