Quran Garden

Session 392

Chapter 3

Verses 56 & 57

As for those who disbelieved, I will punish them with a severe punishment in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers.As for those who believe and do good, righteous deeds, He will pay their rewards in full. God does not love the unjust.

(Chapter 3: Verses 56 & 57)

In verse 55 of Al Imran, Allah liberated His Messenger Jesus from those plotting to kill him, then He promised all parties, "You will all return to Me, and I will judge between you regarding your differences."  The verb "judge" indicates that there are disagreements, truth, and falsehoods.  The wrongdoers may have power on earth because God granted them freedom of choice, but there will come a time when all their authority will be abolished.  God says:

The Day when they will come forth, with nothing of them being hidden from God. To Whom belongs absolute sovereignty today? It is to God, the One, the Overwhelming. (40:16)

And in another chapter:

When those who have been followed disown their followers, when they all see the suffering, when all bonds between them disintegrate, the followers will say, "If only we had one last chance, we would disown them as they now disown us." In this way, God will make them see their deeds as a source of bitter regret: they shall not leave the Fire. (2:166-167)

A leader who misled others will come on the Day of Resurrection to find him or herself alone and disowned.  Their followers will ask God for one more chance to return to earthly life to exact revenge on those who deceived them.  This is how relations will break down between humans on the Day of Judgement. 

A similar case happens within each human!  Your body parts –in essence, your followers in earthly life– will disown you for the evil deeds you did.  Your tongue, legs, and hands will testify against you if you abused your authority over them.  Allah granted you freedom of choice and control over your body, but He will take away this sovereignty on the Day of Judgement.  He says:

On that Day We shall seal up their mouths, but their hands will speak to Us, and their feet bear witness to everything they have done. (36:65)

On the Day of Resurrection there is no oppression, compulsion, or subjugation because the entire dominion belongs to God alone.  People will testify freely, and so will their tongues and skins.   God says, "You will all return to Me, and I will judge between you regarding your differences."

The fruit of God's judgment is compensation for one's actions in life.  He says:

As for those who disbelieved, I will punish them with a severe punishment in this world and the Hereafter, and they will have no helpers.  As for those who believe and do good, righteous deeds, He will pay their rewards in full. God does not love the unjust.

(Chapter 3: Verses 56 & 57)

These two verses are interesting because God started with the disbelievers first and then mentioned the believers in the second verse.  Why? Because the believers already know these facts and trust the Lord's judgment.  It is part of their faith. 

Another interesting fact is that when Allah addresses the disbelievers, He mentions punishment both in this world and the Hereafter.  This is because some people think that the Hereafter is far off, while others do not believe in it at all.  If God's punishment was limited to the Hereafter, then such people would spread evil on the earth as they see no consequence for their actions.  An individual who has no faith in the Hereafter behaves accordingly and often causes suffering to those around them.  Thus, God hastens some punishment so people would think twice before acting unjustly.  But do not think that God's punishment in this world absolves them from the penalty in the Hereafter.  It is a mere taste for what is to come.  God says:

But whoever disregards My remembrance, he shall have life of hardship and, on the Day of Resurrection, We shall raise him blind. (20:124)

Some of the righteous people used to supplicate, "Dear God, the unjust people see Your Hereafter as being far-off, and Your patience has deluded them, so take them to task as only the Almighty Who controls all things can!"

Here, I would like to remind you that when you hear a phrase such as "I will punish them with a severe punishment," you should realize that the action is proportional to the doer.  For example, if I tell you that my two-year-old son is angry and is coming to hit you would make you feel one way.  But if I tell you that the world heavyweight champion boxer is mad and coming to punch you, you would feel quite differently.  Similarly, if the one threatening severe punishment is God Almighty, you should expect a punishment befitting His limitless power.  It will be unimaginable suffering.  And,  since God is the only One with the power on that Day, the residents of Hellfire will have no helpers. 

Likewise, the pleasures and rewards of Paradise are proportional to God's limitless power and mercy.  He says, in contrast to the previous verse:

As for those who believe and do good, righteous deeds, He will pay their rewards in full. God does not love the unjust.

(Chapter 3: Verse 57)