In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
Allah [The Exalted] said:
وَإِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِمْ ءَايَاتُنَا بَيِّنَٰتٍۢ ۙ قَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَآءَنَا ٱئْتِ بِقُرْءَانٍ غَيْرِ هَٰذَآ أَوْ بَدِّلْهُ ۚ قُلْ مَا يَكُونُ لِىٓ أَنْ أُبَدِّلَهُۥ مِن تِلْقَآئِ نَفْسِىٓ ۖ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ ۖ إِنِّىٓ أَخَافُ إِنْ عَصَيْتُ رَبِّى عَذَابَ يَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍۢ
And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, those who do not expect the meeting with Us say, “Bring us a Qur’an other than this or change it.” Say, [O Muhammad], “It is not for me to change it on my own accord. I only follow what is revealed to me. Indeed I fear if I should disobey my Lord, the punishment of a tremendous Day.” [Surah Yunus. Ayah 15]
Meaning: O Messenger! When Allah’s clear verses which He has sent down to you are recited to the polytheists (disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah), those who neither fear the Day of Reckoning nor hope for reward nor do they believe in the Day of Resurrection, say, “Bring us a Qur’an other than this or change the Qur’an by making what is permissible unlawful and vice versa; change a promise to a threat of punishment and vice versa, and remove what the Qur’an says about the deficiencies (faults, imperfections, etc) of our gods”. Say to them O Messenger, “This is not up to me, rather I only follow all that I command you to do and forbid you based on what my Lord sends down to me and commands me. Indeed, I fear – if I violate His command – the punishment of a great day, which is the Day of Resurrection. (1)
Allah [The Most High] said:
وَقَالَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّبِعُوا سَبِيلَنَا وَلْنَحْمِلْ خَطَايَاكُمْ وَمَا هُم بِحَامِلِينَ مِنْ خَطَايَاهُم مِّن شَيْءٍ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ
And those who disbelieve say to those who believe: “Follow our way and we will verily bear your sins,” never will they bear anything of their sins. Surely, they are liars]. [Surah Al-Ankabut. Ayah 12]
Imam Ibn Katheer [may Allah have mercy upon him] said: Allah [The Exalted] narrated what the disbelievers of Quraish said to those amongst them who believed (Muhammad) and followed the guidance, (that they said), “Abandon your religion, return to our religion, and follow our path. We will bear your sins if you have any,” just as someone says, “Do this, and your sin is on my neck.” As a result, Allah declared their statement false, saying that they will never bear anything of (the believers’) sins. Certainly, they are liars because no one will bear anything of the sins of others”. (2)
Ref 1: An Excerpt from “At-Tafseer al-Muyassar”
Ref 2: An Excerpt from “Al-Misbaah Al-Muneer Fee Tahdheeb Tafseer Ibn Katheer”
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