كلف

Core meaning

To impose a charge, always measured by the capacity of the one who receives it.

Uses

1. كَلَّفَ, يُكَلِّفُ, نُكَلِّفُ, تُكَلَّفُ → "to impose", "to be charged" : to assign a charge, bounded by capacity.

   • «لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا» — "God imposes upon no Self except its capacity" (2:286)
   • «لَا تُكَلَّفُ نَفْسٌ إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا» — "No Self is burdened beyond its capacity" (2:233)
   • «لَا تُكَلَّفُ إِلَّا نَفْسَكَ» — "you are charged only with yourself" (4:84)

2. ٱلْمُتَكَلِّفِين → "those who pretend to be what they are not" : those who take on a role that is not theirs.

   • «وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُتَكَلِّفِينَ» — "and I am not one of those who pretend to be what they are not" (38:86)

Evidence from the text

The same formula recurs in five surahs: no Self is charged except with its capacity (2:233, 2:286, 6:152, 7:42, 23:62). In 65:7, the measure is what God has given: "God imposes upon no Self except what He has given it". In 4:84, the charge narrows to the person: the messenger is charged only with himself. The charge is thus always bounded by actual capacity.

The form ٱلْمُتَكَلِّف, in 38:86, turns the gesture around: to impose a role on oneself, to pretend to be what one is not; the messenger disclaims it.

Distinctions

• حمل — to carry a burden; كلف says the imposing of the charge and its measure.

See also

وسع (capacity, the measure of the charge)