No Soul shall bear the sin of another

  

وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى وَإِن تَدْعُ مُثْقَلَةٌ إِلَى حِمْلِهَا لَا يُحْمَلْ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَ

"And no bearer of burdens shall bear another's burden, and if one heavily laden calls another to (bear) his load, nothing of it will be lifted even though he be near of kin."

(Fatir 35:18)

 --- Meaning: And no soul shall bear the burden of sin of another, and if a soul heavily laden with sin calls someone else to bear its sins, nothing of it will be lifted even though he be near of kin.

Sheikh `Abdur-Rahmaan ibn Naasir as-Sa‟dee said in his Tafseer of the Aayah:

And the last meaning is indicated by what He mentioned after it, in His Saying:

وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى

"And no soul shall bear the burden of sin of another."

--- meaning: on the Day of Resurrection everyone shall be recompensed for his own deeds, and no one shall carry the sins of anyone else..

"And if a soul heavily laden with sin calls someone else to bear its sins.."

--- i.e. a soul  weighed down with sins and evil deeds: if it calls on someone to take on some of its sins.

"Then nothing from it will be carried, even if the one asked were a close relative.."

--- for sins cannot be carried (even) for a close relative. So the Hereafter is not the same as this world, where relatives can help each other, and close friends. Rather on the Day of Resurrection a person will wish that he had some right due to him from anyone, even if it be his parents or his close relatives.

Translated by Aboo Talhah Daawood ibn Ronald Burbank رحمه الله