Reward and Punishment (Jaza-o-Saza):

In the Hereafter, reward and punishment is a certain reality; however, it is evident from the Quran that at times this reward and punishment also takes place in this world. This lesser day of judgement is a prelude to the greater day of judgement which will take place in the Hereafter. The various forms of this reward and punishment which the Almighty has spelled out in the Quran are:

Firstly, people who are only after this world, live and die for it and are absolutely indifferent to the Hereafter are given whatever worldly benefits the Almighty wants to give them and then their account is settled by Him in this very world and they are rewarded or punished on the basis of their deeds right in this world:

مَن كَانَ يُرِيدُ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا وَزِينَتَهَا نُوَفِّ إِلَيْهِمْ أَعْمَالَهُمْ فِيهَا وَهُمْ فِيهَا لاَ يُبْخَسُونَ (١٥:١١)

We recompense in this world the deeds of those who desire the life of this world with all its finery and they are not given less in it in any way. (11:15)

Secondly, those who reject their respective rasul (messenger) even after being communicated the truth to the extent that they are left with no excuse to deny it are punished in this very world and those who profess faith in him, blessings of God embrace them from all sides:

وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ رَّسُولٌ فَإِذَا جَاء رَسُولُهُمْ قُضِيَ بَيْنَهُم بِالْقِسْطِ وَهُمْ لاَ يُظْلَمُونَ (٤٧:١٠)

For each nation, there is a rasul. So when a rasul comes to a nation, their matter is decided with justice and his people are not wronged. (10:47)

This is an unchangeable practice of God. The accounts of the people of Noah (sws), Lot (sws), Shuayb (sws), Hud (sws) and Salih (sws) besides those of other prophets which have been narrated in the Quran are a tale of this worldly judgement. In human history, this worldly judgement was passed for the last time for the people of the prophet Muhammad (sws):

وَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِي قَرْيَةٍ مِّن نَّبِيٍّ إِلاَّ أَخَذْنَا أَهْلَهَا بِالْبَأْسَاء وَالضَّرَّاء لَعَلَّهُمْ يَضَّرَّعُونَ ثُمَّ بَدَّلْنَا مَكَانَ السَّيِّئَةِ الْحَسَنَةَ حَتَّى عَفَواْ وَّقَالُواْ قَدْ مَسَّ آبَاءنَا الضَّرَّاء وَالسَّرَّاء فَأَخَذْنَاهُم بَغْتَةً وَهُمْ لاَ يَشْعُرُونَ وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَى آمَنُواْ وَاتَّقَواْ لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِم بَرَكَاتٍ مِّنَ السَّمَاء وَالأَرْضِ وَلَـكِن كَذَّبُواْ فَأَخَذْنَاهُم بِمَا كَانُواْ يَكْسِبُونَ (٧: ٩٤-٩٦)

And whenever We sent a prophet as a messenger to any city We tested its people with hardships which were financial and which afflicted their persons so that they adopt humility in their supplications. Then We changed their adversity to good fortune so that when they had prospered a lot they said: “Good and bad days also befell our fore-fathers.” At last we seized them suddenly and they were caught unaware. And had the people of these cities professed faith and remained God-fearing, We would have showered upon them blessings from the heavens and the earth. But they rejected, and We seized them in retribution of their misdeeds. (7:94-96)

Thirdly, the Almighty has promised the progeny of Abraham that if they adhere to the truth, they will lead all nations of the world and if they deviate from it, they will be deposed from this position and will have to face the punishment of humiliation and subjugation. The words (٢:٤٠) أَوْفُوا بِعَهْدِي أُوفِ بِعَهْدِكُمْ (Keep my covenant, and I will keep yours, (2:40)) refer to this very covenant of the Almighty with the Israelites. The warning sounded in the words ِإِنْ عُدْتُمْ عُدْنَا (١٧: ٨) (If you do it again, We would also do it again, (17:8)) also refers to this. All the books of the Bible mention the details of this covenant.

وَإِذِ ابْتَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ قَالَ إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا قَالَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي قَالَ لاَ يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظَّالِمِينَ (٢: ١٢٤)

And recall when Abraham was put to trial by His Lord in a few things and he fulfilled them. He said: “I have decided to appoint you the leader of mankind”. “And what of my descendants?” asked Abraham. “My covenant,” said He “does not apply to the evil-doers”. (2:124)

It is this very promise of the Almighty which is specifically mentioned for the Israelites in the following verse:

وَلَوْ أَنَّهُمْ أَقَامُواْ التَّوْرَاةَ وَالإِنجِيلَ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيهِم مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ لأكَلُواْ مِن فَوْقِهِمْ وَمِن تَحْتِ أَرْجُلِهِم مِّنْهُمْ أُمَّةٌ مُّقْتَصِدَةٌ وَكَثِيرٌ مِّنْهُمْ سَاء مَا يَعْمَلُونَ (٦٦:٥)

If they adhered to the Torah and the Gospel and that what has been revealed to them from their Lord, they would have received the sustenance [of their Lord] from above them and from beneath their feet. [No doubt], there is one group among them who are righteous but those whose deeds are evil abound. (5:66)

It is recorded in Deuteronomy:

If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come upon you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God: You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country … The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven … Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the LORD, and they will fear you … The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom … However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come upon you and overtake you: You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country … The Lord will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will come at them from one direction but flee from them in seven, and you will become a thing of horror to all the kingdoms on earth. (Deuteronomy 28:1-25)

(Javed Ahmed Ghamidi)

(Translated by Dr. Shehzad Saleem)