Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Allah, Exalted is He, does not charge a soul beyond its capacity. It is incumbent on a person not to take up a responsibility for which he is not qualified. However, whenever he is obliged to take up such a responsibility, it is incumbent on him to shoulder it duly, and he shall be held accountable for it before Allah, Exalted is He. In this hadeeth, the Prophet ﷺ advised every member of his nation to carry out his duties towards those whom Allah, Exalted is He, placed under his care. The Prophet ﷺ stated that each and every Muslim is entrusted with someone to look after, and shoulder his due responsibility towards him or her. He ﷺ said: “Every one of you is a guardian, and responsible for what is under his care.” Care here meanseffort made to preserve and look after a person or object, and a guardian refers to a person who is entrusted with preserving and tending to the needs of those under his care. Every guardian is required to maintain justice in caring for the people or things under his care, and to preserve their religious and worldly interests and belongings. If he duly shoulders his responsibilities towards the people or things under his care, he receives the abundant reward, otherwise those under his care would demand their rights over him (on the Day of Judgment) and Allah, Exalted is He, would hold him accountable for neglecting their rights. Afterward, he ﷺ detailed his general sentence by saying: “A ruler is a guardian of his subjects and responsible for them,” meaning that he is responsible for the ruled and is required to tend to their needs, guard and defend their Laws of Islam rights, and implement the Hudood (i.e., pl. of Hadd; corporal punishment prescribed for crimes by the Laws of Islam), protect them against injustice and aggression, and ward off their enemies. A ruler is required to abide by the commands of Allah, Exalted is He, and His Messenger ﷺ in carrying out his duties towards the ruled, and to aspire to no reward except from Allah, Exalted is He. He should know that he shall be held accountable for the subjects under his care (on the Day of Judgment). A husband is a guardian of his family, including his wife and dependents, and is responsible for them. He is required to carry out his duties towards them by providing for them, living with them in kindness, and disciplining them, and should know that he shall be held accountable for those under his care (on the Day of Judgment). A woman is also a guardian of her husband's house and is responsible for it. She is required to manage his household sensibly, raise his children, and serve his guests, and she shall be held accountable for that before Allah, Exalted is He (on the Day of Judgment). Moreover, a servant, meaning a slave or a hired worker in general, is a guardian of his master's or employer’s property, and is responsible for preserving his property, carrying out his duties and serving him, and he shall be held accountable for his responsibility before Allah, Exalted is He (on the Day of Judgment). In addition, a man is a guardian of his father's property and is responsible for serving his best interests and shall be held accountable for it. Each person is a guardian and responsible for the people and things under his care. The Prophet ﷺ made a general statement in the beginning and then detailed it in the following sentences, referring to a husband, woman, and so on, and then confirmed the meaning by another general statement to finally stress the religious ruling. .