تِلْكَ أُمَّةٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ ۖ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَلَكُم مَّا كَسَبْتُمْ ۖ وَلَا تُسْـَٔلُونَ عَمَّا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ 141
Translations
That is a nation which has passed on. It will have [the consequence of] what it earned, and you will have what you have earned. And you will not be asked about what they used to do.
Transliteration
Tilka ummatun qad khalat, laha ma kasabat wa lakum ma kasabtum, wa la tus'alun amma kanu ya'malun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that each community/nation is responsible only for its own deeds and will be accountable only for its own actions. The past nations (like those of the Prophets before Muhammad ﷺ) have passed away with their deeds, and the Muslim community will have its own reckoning. Ibn Kathir explains this refers to the communities of previous prophets whose time has ended, emphasizing that Muslims should not be burdened by the actions of those who came before them, nor will they be questioned about the deeds of others.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Baqarah's discussion of various religious communities and their histories. It follows the mention of disputes between Muslims and the People of the Book about religious practices and traditions. The verse serves to clarify that Muslims have their own distinct path and responsibility, freed from accountability for the practices of previous nations.
Related Hadiths
The principle relates to the hadith: 'Each soul will know what it has sent forward and kept back' (Quran 82:5). Additionally, Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 'No soul bears the burden of another' (Quran 17:15), emphasizing individual accountability before Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
Muslims should focus on their own spiritual development and righteous deeds rather than being bound by the practices or mistakes of previous generations; each person will answer to Allah only for their own actions, promoting personal integrity and freedom from collective guilt.