لِيَحْمِلُوٓا۟ أَوْزَارَهُمْ كَامِلَةً يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۙ وَمِنْ أَوْزَارِ ٱلَّذِينَ يُضِلُّونَهُم بِغَيْرِ عِلْمٍ ۗ أَلَا سَآءَ مَا يَزِرُونَ 25
Translations
That they may bear their own burdens [i.e., sins] in full on the Day of Resurrection and some of the burdens of those whom they misguide without [i.e., by lack of] knowledge. Unquestionably, evil is that which they bear.
Transliteration
Liyahmilū awzārahum kāmilatan yawma al-qiyāmah, wa min awzāri alladhīna yudillūnahum bighayri 'ilm, alā sā'a mā yazirūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the burden that those who deliberately lead others astray will bear on the Day of Judgment. They will carry their own sins in full, plus a portion of the sins of those they misled—a severe punishment for spreading misguidance without knowledge. Ibn Kathir emphasizes that this applies particularly to those who lead others away from the truth through falsehood and false teaching, amplifying the gravity of such actions in the sight of Allah.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah An-Nahl's discussion of divine guidance and misguidance. The surah addresses the Meccan disbelievers and those who rejected the message despite clear signs. This verse specifically warns against those who propagate falsehood and mislead others intentionally or through ignorance, reinforcing the surah's theme that accountability for misguidance is compounded.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever invents a bad practice in Islam will bear its sin and the sins of all who act upon it after him, without any reduction in their burden' (Sahih Muslim). This hadith directly relates to the principle of shared burden for those who lead others astray.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that our responsibility extends beyond ourselves—the words we speak, the examples we set, and the teachings we spread carry weight not only in our own judgment but in the judgment of those we influence. We must be deeply conscious of what we teach and promote, ensuring it is grounded in true knowledge ('ilm) rather than conjecture or falsehood, as the consequences transcend this life.
Related Ayahs
وَضَرَبَ ٱللَّهُ مَثَلًا قَرْيَةً كَانَتْ ءَامِنَةً مُّطْمَئِنَّةً يَأْتِيهَا رِزْقُهَا رَغَدًا مِّن كُلِّ مَكَانٍ فَكَفَرَتْ بِأَنْعُمِ ٱللَّهِ فَأَذَٰقَهَا ٱللَّهُ لِبَاسَ ٱلْجُوعِ وَٱلْخَوْفِ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَصْنَعُونَ
And Allāh presents an example: a city [i.e., Makkah] which was safe and secure, its provision coming to it in abundance from every location, but it denied the favors of Allāh. So Allāh made it taste the envelopment of hunger and fear for what they had been doing.
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِظُلْمِهِم مَّا تَرَكَ عَلَيْهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ لَا يَسْتَـْٔخِرُونَ سَاعَةً ۖ وَلَا يَسْتَقْدِمُونَ
And if Allāh were to impose blame on the people for their wrongdoing, He would not have left upon it [i.e., the earth] any creature, but He defers them for a specified term. And when their term has come, they will not remain behind an hour, nor will they precede [it].
خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ تَعَـٰلَىٰ عَمَّا يُشْرِكُونَ
He created the heavens and earth in truth. High is He above what they associate with Him.
۞ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِٱلْعَدْلِ وَٱلْإِحْسَـٰنِ وَإِيتَآئِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ ٱلْفَحْشَآءِ وَٱلْمُنكَرِ وَٱلْبَغْىِ ۚ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
Indeed, Allāh orders justice and good conduct and giving [help] to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.