لَّيْسَ عَلَى ٱلْأَعْمَىٰ حَرَجٌ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلْأَعْرَجِ حَرَجٌ وَلَا عَلَى ٱلْمَرِيضِ حَرَجٌ ۗ وَمَن يُطِعِ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ يُدْخِلْهُ جَنَّـٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَـٰرُ ۖ وَمَن يَتَوَلَّ يُعَذِّبْهُ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا 17
Translations
There is not upon the blind any guilt or upon the lame any guilt or upon the ill any guilt [for remaining behind]. And whoever obeys Allāh and His Messenger - He will admit him to gardens beneath which rivers flow; but whoever turns away - He will punish him with a painful punishment.
Transliteration
Laysa 'ala al-a'ma harajun wa la 'ala al-a'raji harajun wa la 'ala al-maridi harajun. Wa man yuṭi' Allah wa rasulahu yudkhilhu jannaatin tajri min tahtiha al-anharu. Wa man yatawalla yu'aththibhu 'adhaban aliman.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah exempts those with physical disabilities—the blind, the lame, and the sick—from participation in Jihad, as they are not obligated to fight in Allah's path when unable to do so. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari note this represents Allah's mercy and justice, acknowledging human limitations while emphasizing that obedience to Allah and His Messenger, within one's capacity, leads to paradise, and turning away from this obedience results in painful punishment. The ayah balances divine compassion for the disabled with the unchanging principle that sincere obedience brings reward and rejection brings consequence.
Revelation Context
Revealed in the context of Surah Al-Fath (The Victory), which celebrates the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah and the spiritual victory it represented, this ayah addresses the Medinan community and clarifies Islamic jurisprudence regarding mandatory obligations (like Jihad) and disability exemptions. It reflects the broader Quranic principle of easing hardship (taisir) while maintaining accountability for those able to fulfill their religious duties.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet ﷺ said: 'Allah has prescribed excellence in all things' (Sahih Muslim 1955), emphasizing that actions must be performed according to one's ability. Additionally, the Prophet exempted the blind from attending congregational prayers if they arranged an alternative means of worship (Abu Dawud), illustrating the principle that disability does not remove one from the path of obedience within their capacity.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims that while the path to paradise requires sincere obedience to Allah and His Messenger, such obedience is always calibrated to individual capacity and circumstances; believers should neither burden themselves beyond their ability nor use limitations as excuse for complete abandonment of faith, but rather serve Allah within the scope of their abilities with sincere intention.