134 Preface تِلكَ أُمَّةٌ قَد خَلَت ۖ لَها ما كَسَبَت وَلَكُم ما كَسَبتُم ۖ وَلا تُسأَلونَ عَمّا كانوا يَعمَلونَYusuf AliThat was a people that hath passed away. They shall reap the fruit of what they did, and ye of what ye do! Of their merits there is no question in your case1! I have made a free paraphrase of what would read literally: 'Ye shall not be asked about what they used to do.” On the Day of Judgment each soul would have to answer for its own deeds: it cannot claim merit from others, nor be answerable for the crimes or sins of others- Here the argument is: if the Jews or Christians claim the merits of Father Abraham and the Patriarchs or of Jesus, we cannot follow them. Because there were righteous men in the past, it cannot help us unless we are ourselves righteous. The doctrine of personal responsibility is a cardinal feature of Islam. (Cf. n. 1895).