Surah Al-Baqarah 2:181
سُورَةُ البَقَرَةِ · Medinan · Verse 181 of 286
فَمَنۢ بَدَّلَهُۥ بَعْدَمَا سَمِعَهُۥ فَإِنَّمَآ إِثْمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُبَدِّلُونَهُۥٓ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ
Translation
If anyone alters the bequest after hearing it, the guilt of the alteration will fall on them: God is all hearing and all knowing.
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
In Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 181, Allah addresses those who might tamper with a will, or `وصية`, after it has been made. The verse serves as a stern warning, with Allah Himself speaking, highlighting the serious consequences of such an act. The overall tone is one of rebuke and a clear legal ruling, emphasizing divine oversight.
The Weight of Changing a Will
The verse begins, `فَمَنۢ بَدَّلَهُۥ بَعْدَمَا سَمِعَهُۥ` (Whoever changes it after he has heard it). The pronoun `هُ` (it) here refers to the will. Scholars like al-Razi and Ibn Ashur explain that while `وصية` is grammatically feminine, the pronoun is masculine because it refers to the *act* of bequeathing (الإيصاء) or the *words* spoken in the will (القول أو الكلام), both of which are masculine in Arabic. This precision in wording directs our attention to the *content* and *execution* of the will.
The word `بَدَّلَهُۥ` (changed it) implies altering the will by invalidating it or diminishing its provisions, as Ibn Ashur clarifies. It's not just a simple substitution but an act that undermines the deceased's wishes. The phrase `بَعْدَمَا سَمِعَهُۥ` (after he has heard it) is crucial. Al-Razi and al-Jalalayn note that `سمعه` (heard it) here means `علمه` (knew it). The sin becomes weightier because the person making the change does so with full knowledge and verification of the original will, making their transgression deliberate and unjust.
Where Responsibility Lies
Allah then declares, `فَإِنَّمَآ إِثْمُهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ يُبَدِّلُونَهُۥٓ` (its sin is only upon those who change it). The particle `إنما` (innama) signifies restriction and emphasis. Al-Razi highlights that this means the sin of changing the will falls *solely* upon the one who commits the act of changing, not upon the person who made the will.
Ibn Ashur further explains that this restriction is intended to reassure the one making the will (الموصي) that if they have made their bequest in fairness and accordance with Islamic principles, they bear no blame if others alter it after their death. Their duty is to make the will; the responsibility for its proper execution, and the sin for its alteration, lies with those entrusted to fulfill it. This also serves to encourage people not to hesitate in making wills due to fear of non-execution, as the burden of wrongdoing rests squarely on the shoulders of the changers.
Allah's Perfect Awareness
The verse concludes with `إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ` (Indeed, Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing). This is a powerful warning (وعيد) to those who might consider changing a will, as noted by al-Razi and Ibn Ashur. Allah is `سميع` (All-Hearing) of every word spoken in the will and every secret deliberation of those entrusted with it. He is `عليم` (All-Knowing) of every intention, every act of deceit, and every subtle alteration. No manipulation, no matter how clever or hidden, can escape His perfect knowledge. This concluding phrase serves as a divine assurance of ultimate justice, reminding us that while human systems may be flawed, Allah's judgment is absolute and comprehensive. It calls us to approach matters of trusts and bequests with utmost honesty, knowing that Allah observes and records all.
Sources: al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Jalalayn
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Al-Baqarah 2:181 is discussed in 3 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Al-Baqarah 2:181 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.