إِنَّا عَرَضْنَا ٱلْأَمَانَةَ عَلَى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱلْجِبَالِ فَأَبَيْنَ أَن يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَأَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنُ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ ظَلُومًا جَهُولًا 72
Translations
Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it; but man [undertook to] bear it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant.
Transliteration
Inna 'aradna al-amanata 'ala as-samawati wa-al-ardi wa-al-jibali fa-abyna an yahmiln-naha wa-ashfaqna min-ha wa-hamal-aha al-insanu innahu kana zaluman jahula
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes how Allah offered the trust (amanah) — interpreted by classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari as responsibility, moral accountability, and the burden of free will — to the heavens, earth, and mountains, but they refused out of fear and inability to bear it. Humanity, however, accepted this trust despite being characterized by ignorance and injustice, demonstrating both our unique capacity and our vulnerability. This establishes the foundation for human moral responsibility and explains why humans alone face accountability on the Day of Judgment.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Ahzab, a Medinan surah that addresses the Muslim community's challenges. While no specific asbab al-nuzul is definitively established for this particular verse, it contextually reinforces the theme of human dignity and responsibility emphasized throughout the surah, particularly regarding moral conduct and adherence to divine guidance in society.
Related Hadiths
The concept is reinforced in a tradition from Sunan Ibn Majah where the Prophet (peace be upon him) emphasized human accountability: 'Everyone of you is a guardian and is responsible for his charges' (Sahih Bukhari 2558). Additionally, traditions emphasizing knowledge before action relate to humanity's 'ignorance' mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that being human is both an honor and a burden — we possess the unique capacity to accept moral responsibility and seek knowledge, but we must recognize our inherent limitations and constantly strive against our tendencies toward injustice and ignorance through obedience to Allah's guidance.