The Angels
In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.[35:18]
Nor can a bearer of burdens bear another’s burdens if one heavily laden
should call another to (bear) his load. Not the least portion of it can be carried (by the
other). Even though he be nearly related. Thou canst but admonish such as fear their
Lord unseen and establish regular Prayer. And whoever purifies himself does so for
the benefit of his own soul; and the destination (of all) is to God.
* v.18 : Bearer: hamilatun: feminine in Arabic, as referring to the soul (nafs), as in vi. 164.
* Natural relationship may be considered as a reasonable cause or opportunity for bearing each other’s burdens. For example, a mother or a father might offer to die for her or his child, and vice versa. But this does not apply to spiritual matters. There the responsibility is strictly personal and cannot be transferred to another. In xxix. 13 we are told that the misleaders "will bear other burdens along with their own"; but the context shows that the "other" burdens are the burdens of deluding others with their falsehoods. Both sins are their own, viz., their original sin, and the sin of deluding the others. But the responsibility will be doubled.
* Bil-gaibi: unseen in the adverbial sense. The man, who, though he does not see Allah, so realises Allah’s Presence in himself as if he saw Him, is the man of genuine Faith, and for him Allah’s Revelation comes through many channels and is always fruitful.
* Prayer is one of the means of purifying ourselves of lower motives in life, for in prayer we seek the Presence of Allah. But the purity which we seek is for our own souls: we confer no favour on Allah or on any Power in the spiritual world, as some imagine who make "gifts" to Allah. In any case the destination of all is to Allah.