We will continue with our study of Section Al-Furqan of the Qur’an. We last looked at the verse mentioning the qualities of the worshipers of the All-Merciful One. They are those who do not invoke any other deity except God, do not take a life which is made sacred, do not commit adultery. We investigated the verse previously and expanded the understanding of how every creation is sacred as they are created by God. We must be careful not to insult the creation of God. The meaning of committing adultery which is applicable to married and unmarried people was expanded as well. We must take God’s permission in all acts that we do and the things that we interact with.
Let’s study the following verse which describes those who commit crimes contrary to the worshipers of the All-Merciful:
يُضَـٰعَفْ لَهُ ٱلْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِۦ مُهَانًا
25:69 and the punishment shall be multiplied for him on the Day of Resurrection, and he will remain in it in humiliation forever,
We will pay attention to the part that punishment will be multiplied on the Day of Resurrection, remaining in humiliation forever. The examples of crimes mentioned in the previous verse such as invoking any other deity beside God, taking a life which is made sacred, committing adultery, they are symbols for many other types of crimes. The verse mentions that the punishment for these crimes will be multiplied on the Day of Resurrection. The verse doesn’t specify how many times punishment would be multiplied.
According to the Islamic culture if someone is punished for their crime in this world then they will not be punished in the Hereafter. That is why the companions of the Prophet had come willingly to the Prophet (pbuh) and wanted to be punished for their crime in this world. They preferred bodily punishment as that is temporary punishment in this world. They had an understanding about the reality of the Hereafter where they would be punished for their crimes of this world in the Hereafter which would be multiplied and will be forever. That is why they preferred to get the bodily punishment here rather than in the Hereafter.
It is rare to see in any civilization for someone to confess their crime. Very rarely does someone who feels pain from their crime come to confess it rather than avoiding the punishment in the hereafter. Whereas the teachings of the Qur’an mention the punishment would be applied in this world and the Hereafter. The verse above emphasizes the punishment of the Hereafter which will be eternal, forever. The people around the prophet (pbuh) used to come and confess their wrongs, not only because of the pain of guilt in this world but in order to relieve themselves from the punishment of the Hereafter. Their reason was completely different from secular civilizations. Civilizations that are not derived from divine revelations are based on human feelings, whereas the Quranic civilization is based on divine revelation that also includes human senses, feelings. The civilizations based on divine revelation include the eternal aspect to them as well as the responsibilities before God, based on divine revelation. This is in contrast to being responsible that is limited to some authority in this world. If someone is left on their own without God’s punishment and reward, this person is left only to their human senses. Human beings either follow what their human side teaches them or not based on the usage of their free will. Very rarely does someone confess their crime of killing a person which happens out of the pain and the sense of guilt within themselves. There are many examples of people who confessed for a whole different reason during the prophet’s (pbuh) time. They came to confess because of their belief in God’s Justice and belief in the hereafter. The civil authorities may miss on identifying their crime but the Lord of the Universe, the Absolutely Knowledgeable One would definitely be in the know of their acts.
Why will the punishment be multiplied and be forever in the hereafter as compared to the punishment given to one in this world? There are verses in the Qur’an that mention that punishment would be one to one (6: 160; 2: 261; 16: 126 ) whereas the reward for Paradise would be multiplied forever. However, interestingly, in this verse it says that the punishment would be multiplied for him on the Day of Resurrection. Is it multiplication number wise? For example, in this world someone may be subject to imprisonment for 6 months. In an Islamic administration, it may be one-time bodily punishment and some period of house arrest.
Let’s study the case in order to understand the meaning of this word, “multiplied” with the example of a student who doesn’t study during the school period. What happens to the student who did not get their degree after graduation day? This student would remain as long as he lives in this world ignorant as far as the conditions of this world are concerned. God is reminding us in this verse what this punishment of the Hereafter being multiplied on Resurrection Day would be like. The phrase “وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِۦ مُهَانًا” is translated as “they will remain in it in humiliation forever”. The multiplication is explained with the “remaining in humiliation forever.” That is the multiplication of punishment where all my feelings would be lacking mercy and blessings forever, similar to the student who remains ignorant in this world for as long as he lives. If someone graduates with 60% of information, he is still lacking 40% of information in this world. That is what the degrees of Paradise and Hell in Islam is. Everyone in Hell will not be suffering from the lack of what they need equally. Similarly, not everyone in Paradise will be entertaining with the mercy of God equally. Everyone gets what they deserve eternally. I am being reminded that if I did not learn something, I would be lacking the knowledge of that thing eternally. When it is eternal, it is worse than a few times of punishment.
We must prepare ourselves, take precautions in our lives in this temporary world. We should try to achieve 100% success. It is practically impossible which is why God opens a door for us to compensate for what we have lost in this world. That door is to seek forgiveness, repentance for our shortcomings. The phrase of a verse in the Qur’an (2:286) “رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا”, translated as “please God don’t punish us for when I forget or make a mistake”. My reality is that I forget all the time and make many mistakes. This is the compensation from my Lord to turn back and start life afresh. This invitation is always open to everyone to avail. This is out of God’s mercy that I am reminded in the Qur’an to repent, ask for forgiveness. My Creator must definitely know what kind of life I am leading, what my capacity is. He reminds me to take another test as a make-up test, another course in the example of the students who have a compassionate teacher. This option is always open. This does not mean that I should abuse the system by always taking make-up exams forever.
In the Islamic tradition, why committing “Shirk” which is the assigning of divine qualities to other beings is not forgivable? If one does not believe in God, they cannot ask Him for forgiveness. The whole idea of “Shirk” is not to recognize who the Owner of the Universe is, who is the One who can forgive me. In “Shirk” there is no possibility to ask for forgiveness because the one who does not believe in a conscious Creator but believes something which is not conscious, like accident or nature, cannot ask these unconscious imaginations to forgive them.
إِلَّا مَن تَابَ وَءَامَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلًۭا صَـٰلِحًۭا فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ ٱللَّهُ سَيِّـَٔاتِهِمْ حَسَنَـٰتٍۢ ۗ وَكَانَ ٱللَّهُ غَفُورًۭا رَّحِيمًۭا
25:70 Except for those who repent and believe and perform righteous deeds. For them, God will replace their evil deeds with good deeds, and God is Most Forgiving, Most Merciful.
This verse brings wonderful news that human beings love to hear which is the answer to the question of “shirk” earlier which does not acknowledge the One who can forgive them, the Creator and Owner of the universe, Owner of the Hereafter. There are many hadith narrations regarding “shirk”, not recognizing the Creator of the universe, advising the people to avoid it. The prophet (pbuh) brings the good news for those who believe in Him, repents for his mistakes and shortcomings, and acts righteously.Furthermore, God will replace these people’s evil deeds with good deeds. For example, I got 20% in an exam, I repented, studied and asked for a make-up exam which gave me 90%, the 20% score got replaced with 90%. I would be happy with the 20% score going away. That is how God is so generous by opening the door through repentance where I come to believe in Him and do righteous deeds. In the verse, God says that as soon as one repents, starts doing good then he gets rewarded with the highest degree. There is another encouraging verse of the Qur’an that says that We will replace with the best of your actions. That is why I should always have the hope in God as the best Teacher. I would like to graduate with a higher degree. I am given continuous encouragement in the Qur’an to continuously study to graduate with a higher degree. This is the best way of encouraging the students to study in order to get higher and higher grades to replace the lower ones.
If someone steals your property and then he comes to you and apologizes and returns what he has stolen. What do you do to this person? Obviously, I would accept his apology. If someone replaces their bad deeds with good deeds after repenting, how do I think God will receive them? I conclude that God will do the same. When I understand that God is the Most Just, it is also expected of Him to do the same in the Hereafter. He gave me the sense to know Him as the Just One in this world and thus I would expect the same in the Hereafter.
How will the converts be treated in the Hereafter? All their previous sins are forgiven just as the encouragement is given for everyone who repents and performs righteous deeds. When I realized that I did not know something, I was wrong and I admitted it, I would seek forgiveness and then live with the truth. My Creator knows that I repented, which is why I converted to the truth. I am not going to live as an ignorant being but live my life according to the guidance of my Creator. I would expect a Wise and Merciful Creator to forgive my previous understanding.
Why do we think God introduces Himself as “Most Forgiving” and at the same time in another context “Severe in His punishment”? Do they not contradict each other? Can they be separated? For example, a mother whose child has a book in their hand may tear off pages from the book. This child would be reminded in a certain tone not to do that. When the child is running in the street with the danger of a car hitting him then they would be reminded with a severe tone of expression. In the same way in order to remind me of the severe punishment in eternal Hell, God is screaming in a way as a result of His Mercy. He says: “I did not create you to punish you, but you are punishing yourself, putting yourself in danger. You get whatever you deserve.” While we are in this world it seems to be that we are treated similarly to the behavior of the school administration that doesn’t say much to the student that is not studying. The administration says that education is available to everyone without forcing anyone. One is free to attend the class, study or not and the administration does not force, interfere or impose anything on anyone. However, if one does not study, after graduation there is no way to come back, and one will suffer for the remainder of their lives. During their education, the administration doesn’t come to put anyone in the class to study, they are left free.
The Qur’an gives us a merciful reminder, it comes as an extra guidance for human beings by reminding me of the danger of not acknowledging my Creator, to live with His awareness and the Hereafter. God screams in His speech, not necessarily via His acts in this world. He advises in His speech to acknowledge the truth and act accordingly. If I don’t then it would result in eternal humiliation from my own doing. If one says nature is creating things that they need then they will be told in the Hereafter to ask nature to create for them what they need.
Just like a good teacher wants all their students to be successful, the Creator of the universe loves all His beings that He creates. His reminder of punishment is not out of hate but out of love and mercy for us.