In answer to the video "No Compulsion in Religion"
Just as the strengthening of one's heart and belief is attributed to Allah because He established and allowed the laws of causality leading to such positive outcome. A pattern of righteous behavior will increase one's spiritual receptivity
8:10-11,10:57,18:13-14,19:76,48:4,47:17"And (as for) those who follow the right direction, He increases them in guidance and gives them their guarding (against evil)".
Similarily, the sealing/death of the (spiritual) senses is attributed to Allah because it exists with His will and established laws of causality. If a person willfully and repeatedly makes the wrong moral, spiritual choices then this will cause a gradual degradation of spiritual receptivity, just like physical death naturaly comes as a result of repeatedly mutilating one's self. We are made of the physical body and the spiritual body; both can die at our own hands and at any moment if we indulge in certain behavior. Just as physical death ends the capacity to nurture the dead body, spiritual death ends the capacity to nurture the soul and purify it
"He will indeed be successful who purifies it, And he will indeed fail who corrupts it".
At that point, the person's moral values are turned upside down
7:146"I will turn away from My communications those who are unjustly proud in the earth; and if they see every sign they will not believe in It; and if they see the way of rectitude they do not take It for a way, and if they see the way of error they take it for a way; this is because they rejected Our communications and were heedless of them".
The straight path, that of righteousness becomes as if crooked to them as stated by the prophet Hosea
Hos14:10"Who is wise and will understand these, discerning and will know them; for the ways of the Lord are straight, and the righteous shall walk in them, and the rebellious shall stumble on them".
The way of sin appears smooth, and apealing as stated by David and Solomon
Ps36:2-3,Prov16:25,14:12,2:13-15"those who forsake the ways of uprightness, to go on ways of darkness, those who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the perversity of evil who are crooked in their ways and perverse in their paths..There is a way [that is] straight in a man's view, but its end is ways of death".
It becomes even an abomination for them to turn away from transgression and reform themselves, while seeing the righteous acting with uprightness is repulsive to them Prov13:19,29:27. The disruption of their moral compass makes them think that their behavior is justified in the name of "freedom" while they are in fact slaves to their condition
45:23"Have you seen he who has taken as his god his [own] desire, and Allah has sent him astray due to knowledge and has set a seal upon his hearing and his heart and put over his vision a veil? So who will guide him after Allah ? Then will you not be reminded?"
Their senses of spiritual perception become so corrupted that despite being shown and clearly explained the signs supporting the highier divine realities, signs present all around and even inside of man 2:115,12:105,31:20 they keep ignoring and denying
5:71,16:36"So there were some of them whom Allah guided and there were others against whom error was due (haqqat alayhi aldalaal or "against whom a verdict of error became inevitable")".
At that point, the guidance, the multifarious evidence for the truth and light of spiritual uprightness is still present all around them yet they are now blind to it and unable to perceive it in any way
2:17"Their parable is like the parable of one who kindled a fire, but when it had illumined all around him, Allah took away their light, and left them in utter darkness-- they do not see".
That is in contrast with the God-conscious, whose spirituality is nurtured and developed to an extent that he remains alert to evil and corruption and whenever he slips, immidiately remembers God and turns back on his feet 6:122,7:201,47:17,57:28.
In answer to the video "No Compulsion in Religion"
After reaching that point where any exposure to the revelation causes aversion, one can choose to adopt a passive attitude towards the guidance from Allah and his surrounding signs instead of fighting, mocking or disputing them 6:25. It would avoid worsening one's state in the Hereafter. In 26:4-6 that gradual severity of a person's condition, and the corresponding spiritual consequences are described; although one is certainly to blame and deserving punishment for turning away in aversion from the signs and guidance, those most eligible for chastisment are the ones that arent satisfied with rejection, but step up their level of opposition by doing something worse such as scoffing at the revelations.
Instead of turning away from guidance in a confrontational and despising manner, a behavior that will only bring regret upon the person 67:8-11, one can opt for passive or respectful denial. Such an attitude makes one deserving of having the hardened and sealed heart mercifully restored, capable of freshly re-evaluating the guiding signs
8:23"And if Allah had known any good in them He would have made them hear"
6:46"Have you considered that if Allah takes away your hearing and your sight and sets a seal on your hearts, who is the god besides Allah that can bring it to you?".
This is what happenned to the previous nations to whom revelation was sent but gradually turned away from it and kept transgressing until they became spiritually deaf and blind. God knew some goodness in them despite their repeated transgressions so He turned to them in forgiveness, leaving them the chance to nurture and develop their newly recovered spiritual receptivity but while a few succeeded, many failed 5:70-71. One such incident is reported in the Hebrew Bible in the context of the Israelites' blindness to the prophetic warnings of destruction that was to befall the sinners among them as well as the heathen nations that oppressed them Isa29,35.
Most of those that reach that point where their senses of spiritual perception are damaged beyond repair, God does not restore their potential
8:23"and if He makes them hear they would turn back while they withdraw".
They remain in that condition until they meat their fate in the hereafter
10:33"Thus does the word of your Lord prove true against those who transgress that they do not believe".
As revealed to the prophet Jeremiah concerning the most obdurate disbelievers who have no more hope of mending their ways
Jer19:11"I break this people and this city, as one breaks the potter's vessel, which can no longer be repaired".
The Quran similarily compares the spiritually dead, those that came and listened to the prophet's gatherings, as static, hollow logs of timber resting against the walls 63:3-4. Elsewhere, along the same lines, it is said in the HB that
Prov10:13"a rod is for the body of one devoid of sense",
ie a category of people does not listen until punishment befalls them. The verse is thought to be a reference to Pharao.
In answer to the video "No Compulsion in Religion"
Prior to reaching that stage, they had all the time, and opportunities to re-evaluate their inner condition
35:37"Did We not preserve you alive long enough, so that he who would be mindful in it should mind?".
Guidance is present all around man and within his self to stimulate spiritual deductions. Repeated neglect and denial of these signs leads one to a point where he is incapable of changing his course. Eventually the level of wickedness becomes such that they beome deserving of divine retribution in this world 42:21,29:53,18:58. Instead of destroying them outright, God lets them add sins upon sins. Their continuous conceit, thinking that despite their condition and behavior they are beyond the reach of divine justice, this very thought process becomes a means by which their suffering is increased 7:182-3,68:43-5. In the era of prophethood, such people would think that God not punishing them despite the presence of a prophet among them was due to their being fully justified in their position.
The Quran would answer that God controls a system much more intricate than their shortsighted mindset. Not only were they in God's grasp, letting them add in sins until they are severely retributed, but God's witholding His immidiate retribution for sins takes also into consideration those who have yet the potential to reason and reform themselves, whether from among them or other independant groups and individuals 20:129-132. But whether in the times of the messengers or today, the fate of the spiritually dead is sealed
17:45-7,18:56-7"And We do not send messengers but as givers of good news and warning, and those who disbelieve make a false contention that they may render null thereby the truth, and they take My communications and that with which they are warned for a mockery. And who is more unjust than he who is reminded of the communications of his Lord, then he turns away from them and forgets what his two hands have sent before? Surely We have placed veils over their hearts lest they should understand it and a heaviness in their ears; and if you call them to the guidance, they will not ever follow the right course in that case".
Their earthly end does not depend on their spiritual condition, it will occur when their appointed time expires. As equally stated in the Hebrew Bible, the sending of prophets to those type of hardenned disbelievers is not meant at reforming them anymore but rather at annuling all arguments they might have the day they are raised. They will not deny that warnings were indeed issued to them, even by prophets
Ezek2:5"And they, whether they listen or whether they refuse to listen-for they are a rebellious house-they shall know that a prophet was in their midst".
As already said, there are typical patterns of behavior prior to the spiritual senses becoming sealed. The passage from sura 18/kahf shows an example; they were people who never understood the Divine Call, mocked it, contended with its Truth, turned away from it countinuously. They were walking the typical road leading to spiritual self-destruction. The second part of the verse explains the consequences of such behavior; God causes the death of their spiritual senses as a natural consequence of their advanced level of spiritual degradation. Their spiritual senses are caused to die just like Allah causes the physical death of the one who would continuously mutilate himself. The consequence of such spiritual condition is the incapacity to recognize, accept, and follow moral and spiritual uprightness.
This divinely decreed process, which is actually an imperceptible punishment already occuring on earth, is similarily described in 7:100-1. Allah sets a seal over the spiritual senses of the repeated, willful rejecters as a punishement for their attitude. Although they do not perceive it, they remain in darkness until death takes them. It literally is
"by means of their sins" (bi dhunubihim)
that God "sets a seal" upon the hearts of men. One causes himself to reach that point where he can no longer react positively to spiritual guidance until his appointed time comes 3:178,7:182-3,68:43-5. As said many times, the phenomenon is attributed to Allah since He has decreed this law of cause and effect but it is the immidiate consequence of one's own, willful behavior
92:4-21,41:5"And they say: Our hearts are under coverings from that to which you call us, and there is a heaviness in our ears, and a veil hangs between us and you".
They acknowledge that they have closed their understanding to any calls for spiritual reform.
In answer to the video "No Compulsion in Religion"
Repeated sins and transgressions diminish the remembrance of Allah 58:19. This inevitably leads to heedlessness as to the higher meaning of the innumerable signs in and around man 40:69. The notion of a hereafter becomes a highly doubtful proposition 83:10-14. The heart becomes a niche for evil spirits 26:221-3, hard to the remembrance of Allah 39:22, shrinks upon hearing the calls of guidance 39:45. To take a spiritual breath becomes as hard as when climbing high in altitude 6:125, and the heart ultimately darkens
2:7"Allah has set a seal upon their hearts and upon their hearing and there is a covering over their eyes"
57:16"so their hearts hardened, and most of them are transgressors".
The sealing of the heart is therefore, like all natural laws, a divine decree. The person himself prepares the ground for it, through his freechoice. It is a well known biological, neurological reality that our choices are in huge part conditioned by our previous experiences. Although this conditioning can be broken at anytime with will and resolve, a point may be reached where nothing can break the behavioral pattern and the individual becomes completely desensitized to the condition he has himself progressively prepared the ground for, as well as its consequences.
As the Quran states, each action inescapably leaves its impression on the soul either sharpening its ingrained understanding of divine guidance, good, and evil, or corrupting it 91:7-8 until the spiritual senses reach a culminating point where they are damaged beyond repair and are caused to naturally die (sealed)
7:179"..they have hearts with which they do not understand, and they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear".
This verse is similar to Moses' admonishion of the "stiff necked" Israelites in the Torah, who despite all the miracles they witnessed were still doubtful
Deut29:3-4"With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those miraculous signs and great wonders. But to this day the LORD has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear".
Man was created in the best of molds, capable of rising to the highest spiritual rank as represented by the prophets, just as he may degrade himself to the lowest of the lows in terms of spirituality, morality 95:1-5.
The Prophet illustrated that notion with his saying
"When one commits a sin, a black speck appears on his heart. If he disowns it and repents, his heart will be purified. But if he repeats the sin, the spot spreads, until it overtakes the entire heart".
This parallels what the Quran says in
83:14"that which they were earning has covered their hearts with rust".
Prior to reaching that irreversible condition, the door to repentance and cleansing of the accumulated rust remains wide open. Repeated denial of the signs of creation, and the guidance of revelation 6:104, progressively brings about that spiritual condition of blind denial. This law has been decreed and maintained by Allah and thus indirectly caused by Him, just as one's spiritual receptivity is increased consequently to engaging in a righteous pattern of behaviour 92:4-21. Once spirituality is sealed, only Allah can reverse it 6:12,74:56. The Quran however repeatedly stresses that there cannot be coercion in religion 2:256,18:29. In the Hebrew Bible God promises the spiritually dead, that in some future time
Ezek11:19-20"I shall give them one heart, and a new spirit I shall place within them, and I shall remove the heart of stone from their flesh, and I shall give them a heart of flesh. In order that they walk in My statutes and keep My laws and perform them, and they will be My people, and I shall be their God".
This implies that such people can never return and reform themselves without a forceful divine intervention.
Those who remain in their degenerate spiritual condition, they will seek vain excuses even if they are shown a glimpse from the unseen realities of the heavens
15:14-15"Only our eyes have been covered over, rather we are an enchanted people".
They will remain unsensitive no matter which signs are manifested before them or warner sent to them 7:146,10:101. Such a condition is so severe that even if the angels or the dead speak to them, and all unseen realities are shown to them, they still will try to find a way to maintain their position, except if Allah pleases 6:111. Belief in Allah is tied to Allah's will, because it is dependant on a system of causality, established and allowed by Him; belief may only come as a result of opening one's mind and heart to the signs within and outside of man. He will never force our hearts and minds to accept it
11:28"shall we constrain you to (accept) it while you are averse from it?".
Therefore those who reach such advanced stage of spiritual degeneration will not turn back. The prophet Nuh's son remained in pride and disbelief even while the prophecied punishment was unleashed 11:36-43. Sometimes as in Pharaoh's case, they do repent before being overtaken by death, but such untruthful repentance is rejected. Repentance and faith can only be deemed valid when asserted through trials and times of moral hardships
6:158"its faith shall not profit a soul which did not believe before, or earn good through its faith".
The reality is that such people will never turn back and mend their ways, unless forced by God. Keeping them alive is therefore by itself a punishment, they will be adding sins upon sins 3:178.
In answer to the video "No Compulsion in Religion"
Again, God shows the right and the wrong, encourages us to do right, but has left us to push the final button, make the choice because at the end
74:38"Every soul is held in pledge for what it earns".
This necessitates that each person is entirely responsible for choosing belief 24:52 or dibelief 3:19.
Therefore in reality, even though Allah is the Ultimate Cause of all things, none can be discharged of his moral responsibilities. This is reflected in
4:79"Whatever benefit comes to you, it is from Allah, and whatever evil befalls you, it is from yourself".
This evil is the result of changing the good things coming from Allah into evil
2:211"and whoever changes the favor of Allah after it has come to him, then surely Allah is severe in requiting evil".
Only man is to blame for the evil resulting from his wrong moral choices
8:51"This is for what your own hands have sent on before, and because Allah is not in the least unjust to the servants"
4:40,10:44"Allah does not do any injustice to men, but men are unjust to themselves".
The evil spoken of in 4:79 are the result of sin, not the divine hardships and trials referred to in 4:78 and elsewhere for example 9:50-51. In 9:51 are addressed those who do not rely on Allah in the pursuit of a goal, thinking that the outcome is solely related to one's will, preparedness and actions. That mindframe led those who refrained from battle and that saw hardship befalling the believers in battle to think that
"We took indeed our precautions beforehand, and they turn away rejoicing".
But the believers, when hardships befall put their trust in Allah. They rely on Him and accept whatever happens because they know that it is ultimately Allah who allows or prevents things. This then necessarily means that all things that befall a person whether perceived as good or evil, are allowed with Wisdom. They are nothing but tests, opportunities of spiritual betterment. That is why, one invokes Allah's help and guidance in the pursuit of any goal, so that one is given spiritual awareness in the process, no matter the outcome. As stated in sura Yusuf "He is the master over His affair".
This higher principle is again found in 57:22 saying that all is in a Book
"before we bring it into existence"
and this is meant to convey that the hardships that befall all people, even in a righteous pursuit, are by God's permission, encompassed by His knowledge, power and wisdom
9:51,64:11"No affliction comes about but by Allah's permission; and whoever believes in Allah, He guides aright his heart; and Allah is Cognizant of all things".
Nothing can happen outside of his will. Whatever happens to someone it is so because Allah allowed it
4:78"Say: All is from Allah".
57:22 does not say that man's actions are written down in a book from eternity, but that the hardships resulting from those willful actions dont happen unless by His permission. It is a consolation to the believers, who rely on Allah in their endeavours, trusting His wisdom
57:23"So that you may not grieve for what has escaped you, nor be exultant at what He has given you".
In the HB the principle is presented thus
Lam3:33-38"he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone...Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that both calamities and good things come?"
Things happen because of God's will, Who either allows or prevents a situation to occur in a chain of causality. This means that in God's foreknowledge a thing has already come to pass before He allows (or prevents) it to happen
Ecc3:15"Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before".
In answer to the video "No Compulsion in Religion"
Allah tries all human beings indiscriminately through hardships or ampleness 7:168,13:26,30:37 with the aim of causing spiritual growth, purging the hearts. The preceding verses 4:75-77 speak of the divinely ordained law of fighting in the way of Allah those who unjustly oppress the weak for their religion, and some among the Muslims shallow in their faith held back. The Quran is full of admonition to such "believers" shallow in their faith who were averse at the thought of leaving their homes to defend the oppressed 8:5-6.
Those hypocritical "believers" viewed such hardship as "evil", a calamity brought upon them by the prophet "This is from you", while it is in fact a beneficial test coming from God with the aim of increasing them spiritually. In this sense, all things coming from Allah -hardships or ampleness- are good regardless of our perception "All is from Allah".
Hardship is, then, the preliminary to higher, more advanced states of being; it prepares man for the recompense that awaits him, and from his response to it, his true nature is brought to light.
This turns the concept of 'Evil' into a relative one that is subject to interpretation. In other words, what is considered 'evil' to us might actually be 'good' when it brings about a greater benefit such as successful completion of the test, ie spiritual betterment.
But perfection is not what God expects from us, He wants us to turn to Him in all situations whether in happiness or despair
12:87"despair not of Allah's mercy; surely none despairs of Allah's mercy except the unbelieving people".
God repeatedly encourages the transgressor to turn to Him, because it is expected from a faillible creature to fall short sometimes 3:133-5.
The fact that all things befalling man, whether what we interpret as "good" or what we perceive as "bad" are ultimately in Allah's Hands is reflected in 27:47 when the nation of prophet Salih accused him of being the cause of their confusion (ta'ir)
"He said: The cause of your confusion (ta'irukum) is with Allah".
His answer, as that of Moses quoted elsewhere 7:131 reflects a higher reality; all things are encompassed by Allah's knowledge and power because He is the One who created and controls the laws of causality. All consequences of man's actions are encompassed by Allah's knowledge 11:6,57:22 and power 11:56 because He could, against man's will, prevent sin 18:65-82,6:107,112,137 or force belief 2:253,5:48,6:35,149,11:118. But this does not in anyway dismiss the person's responsibility in the process of causality.
The deeds of a person are so closely tied to him that
17:13"We have made every man's ta'ir/actions (good or bad) to cling to his neck".
A person's deeds are as inseparable from him as the neck from the rest of the body. Whereas other body parts can be cut off without causing death, it isnt the case with the neck. The higher reality implied in the statement that the current state of affairs of a person is with Allah, thus means that the chain reaction that leads to a person's good or bad position, originates from Allah since He established that system, and is allowed by Him, since He encompasses it with His knowledge and power at each instant.
This means the consequences of any action, even those that result in sin or confusion as in the prophet Salih's reply, can be said to be indirectly caused by Allah
27:46-47"why do you seek to hasten on the evil before the good? Why do you not ask forgiveness of Allah so that you may be dealt with mercifully. They said: We are confused because of you..He said: The cause of your confusion is with Allah; nay, you are a people who are tried".
He created the system of causality, of which man's freewill is fully part of, and He could stop it at anytime. That is why there is no entity other than Allah to turn to to ward of a chain of causality leading to hardships or evil, just as there is none to beseech for benefits
6:17"And if Allah touch you with affliction, there is none to take it off but He. And if He visits you with good, then He has power over all things".
The universal system of causality is entirely in Allah's hands, encompassing and sustaining it at each instant. He could allow or prevent its intricate effects in such a way that could result in harm or benefit upon a person. All is done with perfect wisdom. When speaking of the hardship of the Israelites' life of slavery, the Quran attributes the direct action to the tyrants, all the while keeping the divine will in the background
14:6"Remember the favor of Allah upon you when He saved you from the people of Pharaoh, who were afflicting you with the worst torment and were slaughtering your [newborn] sons and keeping your females alive. And in that was a great trial from your Lord".
The tyrants' evil deeds were permitted to unfold, but with ultimate wisdom, becoming a trial to those suffering the consequences.
As to sinning, God does not want man to sin, hence the Quran's continuous pointing the means by which to do good. From turning the attention to man's ingrained cognition of higher moral truths, to the sending of revelation through special agents. Or the external guidance in the shape of recognizable signs of nature within and outside of man, signs so obvious that the Quran uses the powerful image of God's face being anywhere man looks.
All these guiding mechanisms cannot be imposed upon anyone, in a system of causality that integrates freewill. One has to make use of these tools freely and choose whether he wants to live within the prescribed limits or not. God therefore does not want man to transgress but when he does, God allows it according to His established system of freewill in which man is fully responsible. There is therefore a fine line between moral accountability and God's supreme will and control over the current of causality
7:28"And whenever they commit an indecency, they say: 'We found our fathers (acting) upon it, and Allah has enjoined it on us.' Say: 'Verily Allah does not enjoin indecencies. Do you say against Allah what you do not know?".
Disbelievers of all times objected that if Allah truly disapproved of their behaviour, then he would have prevented them from it
43:20,16:35-6"And they who give associates (to Allah) say: If Allah had pleased, we would not have served anything besides Allah, (neither) we nor our fathers, nor would we have prohibited anything without (order from) Him".
This corrupt and self-serving view of causality doesnt take into account that Allah has established that eachone is to choose his own path freely. The evidence for this is that we are capable of perceiving the spiritual significances of all things, as well as the fact we were sent guidance and messengers that clarify the right from the wrong
"Thus did those before them; is then aught incumbent upon the messengers except a plain delivery (of the message)? And certainly We raised in every nation a messenger saying: Serve Allah and shun the Shaitan. So there were some of them whom Allah guided and there were others against whom error was due".
This refutes determinism or predetermination, while also dismissing the excuse that one's spiritual condition, despite being exposed to guidance, could be due to worldly circumstances beyond one's control 4:97,16:41-2,23:106-8. Those who regard themselves as compelled to conform to society are strongly condemned and their excuse for failing to assume responsibility is rejected, except for the weak who have no possibility but to remain in an environment that conflicts with the right path 4:98-99. But those who have the ability to bring about a change in their atmosphere or shift to a better environment, but that do not, then they will be fully accountable for having continued to live in the same corrupt environment. One should not hesitate to migrate in Allah's way to seek conditions more spiritually appropriate. Neither should one be disheartened by the material uncertainties of a new life to the point one remains in a place that could jeopardize one's situation in the Hereafter 29:56-60. In the NT, Jesus warned his followers to the same effect Matt6:24-34.
The word hijra in such verses denotes the spiritual as well as physical migration from an environement of sin to that of righteousness. This is a continuous demand from Allah that one should strive to purify his atmosphere from evil. Hijra is, according to God's messenger, the abandonning of what is condemned and disliked by Allah. Whenever the worship of God becomes impossible, the believer is obliged to forsake the domain of evil and to "migrate unto God", to a place where it is possible to live in accordance with one's faith
29:56,39:10"and Allah's earth is spacious".
The prophets themselves from Abraham to Moses, down to Muhammad, did not hesitate to leave their homeland and their loved ones behind, when the pressure to be expelled reached life-threatening proportions. Other prophets, the likes of Shuayb were rescued by God through the sending of calamities upon the rejecters before their forced exile came to fruition 7:88-91.
In answer to the video "No Compulsion in Religion"
What we view, from our limited understanding of the intricacies involved in sustaining life on this earth, let alone the maintaining of the universe, as "natural disasters" are not due to God's wrath, sent as punishments.
Only when these events come as prophecied by certain individuals, can they be considered as such. According to the Quran, God’s chastisement befell only nations who rejected the prophets and messengers sent to them and further it befell only the opponents of the prophet without harming the believers
17:15"nor do We chastise until We raise a messenger"
11:94"And when Our decree came to pass We delivered Shu'aib, and those who believed with him by mercy from Us, and the rumbling overtook those who were unjust so they became motionless bodies in their abodes".
As regards people that die in natural disasters unrelated to divine prophecies, one should remember that life does not end with death in this world. It goes on eternally in the hereafter where each person is requited for the time alloted to him in this world. Only those devoid of a higher outlook on life remained shackled by what they refer to as the problem of evil and death. There are thus different kinds of sufferings. Some are analogous to the process of forging metal, raising the person to a higher state of consciousness
"The Prophet said, "No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that".
To further illustrate, the prophet stated
"The example of a believer is that of a fresh tender plant; from whatever direction the wind comes, it bends it, but when the wind becomes quiet, it becomes straight again. Similarly, a believer is afflicted with calamities (but he remains patient till Allah removes his difficulties.) And an impious wicked person is like a pine tree which keeps hard and straight till Allah cuts (breaks) it down when He wishes".
Other types of worldly sufferings are non-redemptive to the individual involved, not allowing the opportunity to rise, like a starving or sick child, or a person that is murdered or that dies in a natural disaster. These types of suffering tear appart human consciousness. A feeling of injustice ensues and remains. The only solace is in the thought that the world is passing, that it has a higher purpose, leading to a place infinitely greater in comparison, and where every single matter is evened out. That is why the Quran appeals to that inner mechanism of human consciousness as evidence of a Creator. One has the inexplicable urge to make sense of a matter that can never be empirically tested 75:1-15,91:8. That is why even atheists feel unease at the sight of evil and injustice. Yet ironically, atheists have no grounds to claim there is evil and injustice in the absolute sense, given that these things are subjective from a naturalistic viewpoint. The staunchest atheist however cannot ignore the screams of his fitra, one of the most fundamental evidences per the Quran for Allah and the Hereafter. The fitra is triggered by evil and injustice just as the physical nervous system is triggered by pain. Physical pain signals the need to take action so as to resolve a condition. One does so through refraining from a behavior, or finding the appropriate cure that either reduces or takes away the pain. Sure, not all bodily afflictions can be resolved. But the nervous system exists so as to signal the necessity to end the pain. In the same way, spiritual pain caused by evil and injustice indicates that one should take certain steps so as to ease or solve the condition. These are outlined in the religion, and include; helping oneanother and enjoining justice as much as is individually possible, as well as of course, belief in God's wisdom which shall reveal itself in the hereafter where all matters are evened out. A believer has faith that all of God's attributes manifest to perfection, and if that manifestation isnt obvious in this world, it certainly will be in the hereafter. There thus cannot be a "problem of evil" to be postulated against a believer, only one who rejects the notion of ultimate justice lives in perpetual confusion, trying to make sense of life's events
34:8"they who do not believe in the Hereafter are in torment and extreme error".
The suffering of a child is a means by which another is tested. It can be the parents or anyone with the power to ease that suffering. Its also clear that the weak (starving child) is not being tested. This then results in a worldly injustice from the child's viewpoint. Because if suffering is a means of spiritual betterment, and that a 2 year old child is not spiritually accountable, then he does not benefit from suffering. Whether he dies in a state of ease or hardship, he still receives paradise. God, as stated earlier, sometimes allows this type of injustice, which can be directly (mistreatment, war etc) or indirectly (illness) brought on the child. This injustice in itself becomes one of the most compelling evidence for God, per the Quran where Allah swears by this very inner mechanism that causes us to question injustice when we see it, and to desire justice
"I swear by the Day of Resurrection, And I swear by the reproaching soul [to the certainty of resurrection]".
The only thing that solves injustice, is its opposite, justice. And if the balance can never be achieved in this world, as is obvious from countless cases besides a suffering child, and that our very nature needs justice to be appeased just like our lungs need oxygen, then it means there must be a world where that natural need is satisfied. No other system answers that need than the afterlife where judgement is perfect.
The notion of evil coming from the creatures is subtely alluded to with the jinn's astonishment at the drastic changes in the unseen realities of the heaven and earth, when the revelation of the Quran began. They did not know what would the consequences be
72:10"we know not whether evil is intended for the inhabitants of the earth or whether their Lord wills to Guide them".
Guidance is herein ascribed to God, but evil, used in passive voice, is not attributed to Him. Corruption comes from people themselves when they misuse their potential. God's will, of establishing a system of causality resulting in good or evil, does not mean He approves of the latter or that it is beyond His power to prevent or allow it. He may interrupt the process at anytime, or force the process in a way or another. God may either allow or prevent the evil consequences of human freewill, according to his wisdom
4:78"and if a benefit comes to them, they say: This is from Allah; and if evil befalls them, they say: This is from you. Say: All is from Allah".
There is wisdom in allowing apparent evil, because not everything that man regards as "evil fortune" is really evil
2:216"it may be that you dislike a thing while it is good for you, and it may be that you love a thing while it is evil for you, and Allah knows, while you do not know".
What is often regarded as evil or misfortune, as in the case in 4:78, is a situation resulting from one's own life choices
42:30"And whatever affliction befalls you, it is on account of what your hands have wrought".
God has allowed this situation to occur in order to make it a trial, which is in Quranic terminology nothing but a means of spiritual betterment. It is therefore not really an "evil" from a higher perspective
11:9-10"And if We make man taste mercy from Us, then take it off from him, most surely he is despairing, ungrateful. And if We make him taste a favor after distress has afflicted him, he will certainly say: The evils are gone away from me. Most surely he is exulting, boasting".
Among the places where that notion, that evil is many times only a matter of perspective, is in 22:11. In that verse, the opposite to the "good" things of life are called "trials", not evil.
In answer to the video "No Compulsion in Religion"
All creation is due to the only will of Allah 39:62,113:2 and all things were created
32:7"good",
ie in proper proportion and adapted for their particular determined 20:50,59:1,80:19,87:2-3 and measured 15:21,25:2 functions. But besides the Lord of creation, every single thing is flawed and hence potentially harmful, whether willingly or not, purposefully or not, hence we seek protection from the possible harm that could come from any of God's creatures, not from God Himself.
The Bible on the other hand, unequivocally states, that God is the creator of evil Deut30:15,Isa45:7,1Sam16:14. Christianity has this evil God creating man with a sinful nature, making him primarily lean towards sin.
Thus, logically, and as reiterated in the Quran, evil, in the negative, sinful and harmful sense isnt directly God's creation. The creation of creatures has been attributed to Allah and of evil to the creatures themselves
113:1-2"Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the falaq/the entity that breaks forth/the creation (ie all of creation comes to existence through that process), From the evil of what He has created".
This shows that Allah has not created any creature for the sake of evil, but sometimes evil, or the way we might perceive it, does appear from them. As to the entities posessing freewill, evil results from them when they misuse the power of freewill granted to them
64:2"He it is Who created you, but one of you is an unbeliever and another of you is a believer; and Allah sees what you do".
The purpose of creation as illustrated in the Quran with God's exchange with the angels when he was about to create the first human vicegerent, answers the reason for God "allowing" evil, disbelief, sin to occur sometimes. For the great reward to be achieved, there must be freedom of choice, which also carries the possibility for deviation. When such deviation translates into evil, transgression or crime, God could bring down His judgement immidiately but He has allowed a time of respite during which even the worst sinner can come back to his senses, reform hismelf and grow spiritualy.
The Quran therefore answers the age old question of suffering in the clearest of ways, integrating it as part of God's design since the beginning. It isnt a shackle nor a sign of divine disapproval and punishment. Human suffering plays an essential role in our spiritual and moral development, and in our journey towards God
2:155-6“And We will surely test you with some degree of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and provisions, but give glad-tidings to those who persevere. Those who, when disaster strikes them, say, “Indeed we belong to God, and indeed to Him we will return.”
This system of causality is directly linked to the freewill humanity has been endowed with. It is a system bound to result in the creation of evil and suffering sometimes. That suffering then becomes the very means by which humanity is spiritually and morally stimulated to grow nearer to God, develop a relationship with Him
84:6"O Human, indeed you are labouring painfully towards your Lord, but you shall surely meet Him".
This painful toil on the path of God manifests the most when one has to show the ability to be merciful to God's creation
90:14-17"Verily, We have created the human being in a state of constant toil and hardship. Does he think that no one has power over him? He says, ‘I have squandered much wealth and riches!’ But does he think that no one sees him? Have We not made for him two eyes? And a tongue and two lips? And shown him the two paths? But he attempts not the uphill climb. And what would enable you to comprehend the uphill climb? It is the freeing of a slave. Or feeding on a day of severe hunger the close orphan or the needy person lying in the dust. Then he will become one of those with faith, who urge one another to have patience and urge one another to show compassion and mercy".
So our spiritual ascent towards God involves a moral struggle to alleviate the suffering of others. The universe is based on natural laws that are all good. Man, the vicegerent placed on Earth above all creatures, can through his freewill either use these laws to do good or bad. Man has been given the power of speech 55:4. He can use it to spread the truth or falsehood. In the intricate account of creation, the angels had perceived this evil potential
"Will you place in it one who would spread corruption in it and shed blood while we proclaim Your praise and sanctify You?".
They did not consider the extent of mankind's positive potential, which God proceeded to demonstrate.
In answer to the video "Can We Trust the Apostle Paul? (Answering Islam Part 19)"
Physical destruction and abasement came on Jesus' rejecters soon after his departure. In the years 69-73, the Temple of Jerusalem was razed to the ground as Jesus predicted in Matt23,24,Mk13,Lk23 (Quran 17:7,3:56), their priesthood was destroyed, the Israelites were slaughtered in large numbers women and children included, by the Romans.
Many more were enslaved and sold in the markets, as Jesus prophesied lk21:24, deported throughout the Roman empire and colonies for hard labor. Some were boarded on prison ships and sent to Corinth for the digging of an isthmus. Soonafter in the years 114-135 they suffered further destruction and enslavement by the tens of thousands, impovrishment and scattering throughout the earth.
The greatest abasement was that for the next 1900 years they would have no authority in this land that was divinely granted to them. Following Jesus, Judea would be wrecked and destroyed several times by pagan forces, in accordance with Jesus' prophecy that not a stone would be left standing on another, for the Israelites' rejection of him Luke21.
The predictions as reported in the NT however seem to be retrospectively written. The Temple was destroyed in 70CE. The Gospels were written after that time. If the Prophecy of the Temple's destruction was made by Jesus in the 30s as is suggested in the Gospels, then one needs to explain why earlier NT books seem uninformed of it. We're not talking about the tearing down of a place of worship in some remote location, but of Jerusalem's Temple, known throughout the empire and beyond, a place of particular significance to the authors' own religion. Yet the book of Hebrews, written in the 60s describes it as a reality which is in competition with the nascent Jesus sect because it epitomises rabbinic Judaism.
Previous prophecies, in their own books warned them that should they turn away from the commands of God, as was the case with their rejection of Jesus, God Himself will uproot them from the land they were settled in. They were not settled in it to enjoy it as an unrestricted holiday resort but to assert therein true faith and righteousness. Failure to do so would instead turn their sacred shrine into an object of ridicule among the nations 2Chronicles7:19-22. Eusebius the early church father notes that "stones from the Temple itself, and from its ancient sanctuary and holy place, were used for the building of idol temples, and of theatres for the populace". The Romans, led by Hadrian sought to build upon its ruins their new city "Aelia Capitolina".
To achieve that vast project, the erasure of the previous city of the Jews had to be complete. In the process, their oppression was so intense, their expulsion so effective following their repeated rebellions and the 3 years of vicious warfare led by their messiah Simon bar Kochba, that by the 4th century the exact location of the temple edifice was beyond recall
"Rabbi Yermiah, son of Babylonia came to the Land of Israel and could not find the site of the Temple" (Tractate Shevuot 1 4b).
If 4th century Christian historian Eusebius is to be believed, the new city that Emperor Hadrian built upon the ruins of Jerusalem was colonized by a "new race of Gentiles" after "a total destruction of its ancient inhabitants". The whole province of Judea was even renamed Philisti as a further humiliation, after the ancient inhabitants of the land and bitterest enemies of the Israelites, the Philistines.
The new laws forbid Jews to live in the city or anywhere between Jerusalem and Hebron. Capital punishment faced any Jew who so much as stepped foot in the city. The harshness went so far as imposing penalties on any Jews caught laying eyes on the city on their "day of mourning". A day of mourning is one where they would remember the calamities that befell them. In Josephus' words
"Jerusalem ..was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it had ever been inhabited".
The scarcity of achaeological evidences for the biblical stories attests to this.
As 4th century churchman Jerome tells us, a statue of Hadrian, seated on horseback, was erected on the levelled platform of Jerusalem's Temple Mount after the crushing of the bar Kochba revolt in 135 AD. The Roman Emperor despised the Jews for their insularity and arrogant claims for a single concept of the divine. Just as Hadrian had erected a Temple to Zeus on the top of Mt Gerizim close to which the Samaritan Temple stood, it isnt inconceivable that he had erected a similar temple in Jerusalem, more precisely a temple dedicated to Jupiter, next to his imperial statue, as some scholars suggest. It was not until the Christianization of the Roman empire late in the 4th century that these pagan "abominations" were eventually torn down. Stones from the ruined sanctuary were looted for use in later Christian structures. On the neglected esplanade the Byzantine emperor Justinian built a church to Mary Mother of God but little else.
When Jerusalem became Christianity's holy city, the Christian authorities would allow entry to some exiled Jews once a year to mourn the destruction of their Temple. One cannot but notice the cynicism of the Christians who viewed in the desecrated ruins, the triumph of their religion, the fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy and thus satisfactorily left it as it is. In the Quran, besides them being subdued up to this day to the Christians, God warns them of further chastisement 17:8 whenever they return or persist in their wrong ways. Their known long and painful history in Christian lands bears testimony to this. The Quran further condemned them to have their security fully in the hands of others
3:112"Abasement is made to cleave to them wherever they are found, except under a covenant with Allah and a covenant with men".
It isnt God Himself who would repel their numerous enemies and Who would give them the upper hand on more powerful foes as he did in the times of Moses. Such security could either come from some Muslim states (of the past and today) in the name of Allah or from some non-Muslim states for other reasons. This is because
3:112"they have become deserving of wrath from Allah, and humiliation is made to cleave to them; this is because they disbelieved in the communications of Allah and slew the prophets unjustly; this is because they disobeyed and exceeded the limits".
Here the Quran plays on the concept of shade, the comfort provided by the pillars of clouds during their lengthy exodus, telling them they are now under the shadow of humiliation and oppression instead of the shadow of peace, comfort, protection, sustenance.
In its usual pattern of drawing a line and not generalizing, the Noble Quran continues
3:113"They are not all alike; of the followers of the Book there is an upright party.."
Their own books speak of their cursed state, made to hang upon them, and destined to expire only at what they call "the end of days", which in their terminology refers to the Messianic era of bliss and utopia
Zech8:13"And it shall come to pass that [just] as you were a curse among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you-and you shall be a blessing. Fear not; may your hands be strengthened".
By the year 638, Muslim troops led by the Caliph Umar entered Jerusalem and as they cleared the garbage on the Temple mount and uncovered scattered jumble of architectural elements, they identified the ruins as those of Solomon's Temple, instead of Hadrian's, and decided to clear an area of around 35 acres. It was covered in garbage and debris of all sorts that were cynically left to be accumulated by the Christians as a reminder of Jesus' vindication, then a small prayer house was built on the site. The whole area of the mount that was cleared is what is known today as Masjid Al-Aqsa, sometimes also referred to as Haram Al-Sharif. Umar also uncovered what is suspected to be the Foundation Stone; the Rock from where it is speculated the prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven on the Night Journey 17:1, and which is believed by the Jews to be the first part of the Earth to come into existence and from where Adam, Cain, Abel, and Noah offered sacrifices to God. Umar, contrary to the islamophobic rant, did not steal temple mount, he restored this area that was abandoned by both Jews and Christians, to its purpose, dignifying and honoring it.
It would be interesting to mention here the passage of Genesis 49. The writer promises that rulership over Israel will stay in the house of Judah and that the law will remain studied and kept. Historically neither were fulfilled. Then it mentions shiloh and how nations will gather around that figure, followed by metaphors of abundance. This isnt the concept of an end times figure that shall reestablish Jewish glory and law. As assumed earlier by the author, both are supposed to remain uninterrupted, up to the point of the arrival of "shiloh". Christians claim Jesus is this shiloh.
But assuming Jesus is traced to Judah, despite it being a violation of Jewish law due to him not having a biological father, how can he be the shiloh when it says the scepter shall not depart from Judah UNTIL shiloh comes? It implies that kingship rights will be removed from Judah at some future point and then given to shiloh (which etymologically means "the one to whom it belongs"). For Jesus to be shiloh in that sentence, he needs to be from other than Judah, which doesnt fit the Christian position. Further, neither shiloh nor Jesus appeared when Jewish self-government was over with the capture of the last king from the tribe of Judah, Zedekiah, in about 586 B.C.E. And even when Jesus did appear, he did not do so as a ruler over the Jews. To preserve the integrity of their text, the rabbis are now forced to reinterpret the promise and project it to the long haul, as Christians do with Jesus' second coming as ruler. To the rabbis, "the scepter not departing from Judah" became an allusion to right of governance instead of actual rulership and "the one to whom it belongs" (shiloh) a future ruler who shall establish it. Yet this still doesn't solve the problem of the removal of Judah when shiloh appears. The solution for them is elsewhere. Up to the arrival of the Ishmaelite prophet and the establishment of the Muslim nation as the new torch bearers of the truth to the world, the Jews could have potentially returned to their former glory, provided they repented and returned to the straight path; abiding by their covenant and accepting the last messenger sent to them, Jesus. When shiloh "the one to whom it belongs" appeared, that door was shut and will remain so until the day of resurrection
Ps132:12"If your sons keep My covenant, and this, My testimony, which I shall teach them, also their sons will sit on your throne forever".
The current state of Israel is illegitimate, ethically, legally, let alone scripturally. That is why it is a deeply fractured, majoritarly secular society and that despite the apparent independence, is actually living under humiliating subjugation to other nations on whose support its survival depends, as the Quran even tells them (as referenced earlier).
The Jews, until now and as corroborated by their rabbis and their books, have still not been given the divine authority to rebuild their destroyed temple on its previous location, in order to re-dedicate it to their religious rituals. Per the Torah it is God that must give them the right to do so, when a Jewish king and prophet is among them, to indicate the now lost original dimensions, the location of the altar, let alone get the Jews out of several insurmountable ritualistic difficulties such as sacrificing a red heifer, complicated purity requirements, identifying the priests, the specificities of their clothings. Jews cannot just decide to go and build the temple arbitrarily. So they're waiting, and will keep on waiting, for their promised messiah to come and do the job. In the meantime, another nation has been raised in their stead as the torch bearers of the truth among the nations, with its own divinely restored Temple and its altar.
Some 50 years later, the Caliph Abdul Malik ibn Marwan constructed within this area of masjid al aqsa, the Dome of the Rock (with the golden roof) or Masjid As-Sakhrah, covering the Foundation Stone much to the Jews' dismay who find it difficult to believe that non-Jews could effectively build a place of worship on the spot of the "Holy of Holies". So they attempt to find other possible locations to the historic foundation stone (Even haShetiya).
In answer to the video "Can We Trust the Apostle Paul? (Answering Islam Part 19)"
After Jesus' salvation from his enemies, the Quran outlined the punishment to his rejectors, in line with the sunna of Allah on the destruction of the rejectors of His messengers sent with clear signs. A similar hypothetical scenario is given in 43:41 where the prophet is told that should he be taken away or even eventually martyred as happenned to previous prophets 36:26-32 the divine law of retribution against a rejecting nation will still be applied, however Allah has desired otherwise with the prophet Muhammad
43:42"We will certainly show you that which We have promised them; for surely We are the possessors of full power over them".
Among the punishements the Israelites had to face in this very world 3:56, they were subdued to the followers of Jesus until the Day of Resurrection
61:14,3:55"and make those who follow you above those who disbelieve to the day of resurrection".
Allah is addressing Jesus and is speaking of the dominion of those who follow him over his enemies. It isnt speaking in terms of proselytising success, as is alluded to in Acts with Jesus posthumously telling his missionaries they will have the power to disseminate Christianity in all corners of the world. The early gentile converts from around the region had no enmity towards Jesus nor his followers. The verse is speaking in terms of dominion of one group above another, through subduing them, not assimilation
"So a party of the children of Israel believed and another party disbelieved; then We aided those who believed against their enemy, and they became uppermost".
This dominance is granted to all those who claim to be his followers, whether they are from those who call themselves Christians, or from those ascribing to the beliefs of the earlier sects that believed in Jesus. The common denominator between all of them being, believing in Jesus and in Allah. Besides prevailing in a wordly sense, the followers of Jesus have also been granted spiritual victory. His teachings, despite the very few original adherents to them, regardless of the amount of falsehood that later were grafted unto them, were successfully disseminated, against the will of Jesus' enemies, whether contemporaries to him or those that still hate him today. This favor of God is a obvious reality of our times.
The Israelites are condemned to the humiliating reality of being entirely dependant on Christian whims for their survival, reluctantly accepting "bribe" money and deceitful "love" from the followers of the one they bitterly rejected. All this for the sake of maintaining a state that is the shadow of what was once God's conditional favor upon them. Today, the evangelical zionist movement that finds its inspiration in Paul deceptive missionary methods, masks its real intentions towards the Jewish people by corrupting their audience with money. Probably no nation needs this money more than Israel for its survival, exactly as God prophecised when He stated in the Quran that the Israelites, those who were Jesus' enemies, will be under the Christians' dominion until the Resurrection. This bribe money serves the purpose of gathering Jews from all over the world so that a massive slaughter begins. Christian eschatology reveals the anti semitism of its gentile Greek writers to the fullest. Towards the end of days, 2/3 of Israel will be destroyed and damned for rejecting the man/god of the trinity. Their Armageddon theology is detailed in the book of Revelation -a Book not even considered God inspired until very late in Church history-.
Those damned Jews, the Jews of the "flesh", labelled as such because of lacking spirituality and rejecting Jesus Rom2:28-9, those sons of Satan Jn8:44, worshipping in their satanic synagogues Rev2:9 will be made to bow down at the feet of the true Jews, meaning the Christians Rev3:9. This way Jesus’ beloved church is vindicated. After that humiliation they will be sent for eternal damnation.
It is these kinds of satanic association that helped produce a portrait for faithful Christians throughout the centuries of the “evil” Jew representing satan on earth. By persecuting those satanic Jews, the church and its faithful followers were in a way hastening the day when Jesus would fulfill his promise to
“make them [the synagogue of Satan] come and bow down at your feet”.
What is ironic is that the contrary is depicted in the HB, with the non-Jews, including Christians, coming at the Jews' feet. Although the messianic prophecies in the HB agree that there will be mass slaughter of those that do not believe in the Jewish God, this war shall occur prior to the messiah's arrival and universal recognition Isa59:19-20. None will be required to "believe" in the Jewish messiah because his universal rule will be an undeniable fact. An utopic era will be ushered, where only one truth reigns supreme, that of the Hebrew Bible. Every other belief system will be abolished and erased, its people destroyed, by natural calamity or others means like God's jealous and furious fire of destruction. God is often likened in the HB as a smith selecting through fire the trash from the precious metal, concretely resulting in "purifying" the people's hearts and lips. Once purified, all those surviving non-Jews will prostrate to the One true God
Zeph3:8-9,Zech14:9-17"And the Lord shall become King over all the earth; on that day shall the Lord be one, and His name one".
Some modern apologists have attempted to negate that idea of universal forceful conversion using Micah4:5. It is ironic that this same verse is used in rabbinic comentaries to prove the opposite. The context itself speaks of the streaming of nations into Jerusalem to learn Judaism, God's judgement of nations afar, in a time where "all peoples shall go, each one in the name of his god, but we will go in the name of the Lord, our God, forever and ever". The non-Jews "going" to their false gods implies "going for destruction" in contrast to the Jews who will go on "forever". This will usher a time not only of religious monopoly but of forcible, physical subjugation of all non-Jewish peoples, made to crawl like abject creatures to the Jews' feet, in fear of
Micah7:17"our God",
transfering in addition all their riches to their new masters
Isa66:12"like a flooding stream",
or be destroyed
Zech14,Isa45:22"Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God, and there is no other"
Isa49:23"And kings shall be your nursing fathers and their princesses your wet nurses; they shall prostrate themselves to you with their face on the ground, and they shall lick the dust of your feet, and you shall know that I am the Lord, for those who wait for Me shall not be ashamed"
Isa60:"..And foreigners shall build your walls, and their kings shall serve you..For the nation and the kingdom that shall not serve you shall perish, and the nations shall be destroyed...And the children of your oppressors shall go to you bent over, and those who despised you shall prostrate themselves at the soles of your feet..".
The end of the book of Isaiah is repleat with such references of "glad-tidings" to the Jews towards the end of times, the messianic era, a time where Isa66:23"all flesh shall come to prostrate themselves before Me" and where the remaining lucky survivors will see all around them
"the corpses of the people who rebelled against Me, for their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring for all flesh".
This represents, according to Zech13:8-9 roughly 2/3 of the world population, exterminated, with 1/3 remaining for having converted to Judaism. Following their subjugation and destruction, the wicked will be sentenced to gehinnom (see Rashi on Ps6:11).
But God's favoring of the current Christians above the disbelieving Jews does not mean they are absolved of their deviations in faith. It is for this reason that the very next verse addresses those same favored Christians, telling them
3:57"And as to those who believe and do good deeds, He will pay them fully their rewards; and Allah does not love the unjust".
It firstly clarifies that correct belief, joined with good deeds, are the only means for salvation in the hereafter. It seperates between
"those who follow you"
and
"those who believe and do good deeds",
emphasizing that among Jesus' followers from his contemporaries to present-day christians, Allah will pay fully their reward only to those of them who hold the correct belief and do good deeds. The unusual ending of this type of verse with
"Allah does not love the unjust"
is clearly directed at those followers of Jesus who strayed from the correct belief of their ancestors
5:77"O followers of the Book, be not unduly immoderate in your religion, and do not follow the low desires of people who went astray before and led many astray and went astray from the right path".
Verses with promises of mercy and paradise usually end with Divine Names of mercy and forgiveness, or on praises of those addressed in the verse but in this case it ends with a stern warning to the followers of Jesus who have deviated, they are being unjust to their own souls.
