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Does the divine imposition mentioned in the verse, "Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity," include the imposition of religious duties and worldly trials, and can severe tribulation that might lead to wavering faith or suicide be part of Allah's imposition upon His servants, despite His knowledge of their weakness and inability to endure?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Trial (al-ibtilāʾ) occurs through both legislative rulings (al-aḥkām ash-sharʿiyyah), whether they are commands or prohibitions, and through predetermined decrees (al-aḥkām al-qadariyyah), encompassing misfortunes and blessings. Allāh, the Exalted, says: "And We test you with evil and with good as a trial; and to Us you will be returned" (Qur’an 21:35). Divine decree (al-qadar) applies to everything; it is one of Allāh’s secrets and should not be delved into deeply. As for legal responsibility (at-taklīf ash-sharʿī), Allāh does not burden a soul beyond its capacity, and ability is a prerequisite for legal responsibility.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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