How Wrongdoers Are Punished — Essence of Islam Vol. 2

14 Sep, 2026 Essence of Islam 0

Essence of Islam Book Cover by Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS)

Introduction

In this discourse from Essence of Islam (Volume 2), Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (AS), the Promised Messiah and Mahdi, expounds upon How Wrongdoers Are Punished, presenting profound spiritual insights and scriptural verities.

Book Series: Essence of Islam (Volume 2)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian (AS)
Section: Part 14: Punishment In This World
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: Why Some Disbelievers Are Punished in This World | Next: Punishment Follows Upon Misconduct »

153

Messengers before thee were also subjected to ridicule, but We gave respite to the disbelievers who mocked, and when they reached the limits in their mockery, We seized them and people witnessed how Our chastisement overtook them. Again it is said: 154

The disbelievers devised a plan for wiping out Islam, and We also devised a plan. That is to say, We let them go forward with their plans till they reached a stage of wrongdoing which, according to the way of Allah, attracts His chastisement…. All these verses show that Divine chastisement is inflicted in this world only when a person transgresses the extreme limits in mischief, wrongdoing, arrogance, haughtiness and exaggeration. It does not happen that a disbeliever is inflicted with the lightning of Divine chastisement who is fearful in the extreme, or that a polytheist may be stoned who is terrified to death on account of his fear. God Almighty is Merciful and Compassionate to the highest degree. He seizes with punishment in this world only those who provide with their own hands the cause for such punishment.
[Anwar-ul-Islam, Ruhani Khaza’in , vol. 9, pp. 14-16, footnote I]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 370]

God Almighty deals with offenders in two ways, and offenders are of two types.

First, there are those offenders who do not transgress the limits, and though out of extreme bigotry they persist in their effort yet they do not carry their persecution to the extreme limit. These will be punished in the hereafter. God, the All-Knowing, does not seize them in this world inasmuch as their attitude is not one of severe hostility. For the punishment of sins the appointed day is the Day of Judgement.
Secondly, there are those offenders who transgress the limits in their wrongdoing and persecution and desire to rend the Messenger of God and the righteous like wild beasts and to wipe them out altogether, and to consume them like a blazing fire. With regard to such offenders who carry their wrath to the limit, the way of Allah is that His wrath is roused against them and they are punished in this world in addition to their chastisement in the hereafter. In the idiom of the Qur’an they are designated the maghdubi-‘alaihim155.
[Tohfah Golarviah, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 17, pp. 213-214]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 370]

It should be kept in mind that for being delivered from afflictions it is not necessary that people should become Muslims, inasmuch as the Day of Judgement is appointed for calling people to account for their religious errors. It is, however, necessary that people should refrain from every type of misconduct and should not revile the holy Prophets of God, nor oppress the poor, and should spend freely in charity and should ascribe no equal to God, neither stone, nor fire, nor man, nor water, nor sun, nor moon and should discard the ways of arrogance and mischief.
[Chashma-e-Ma‘rifat, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 23, p. 404]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 371]

reward by the Master of the Day of Judgement. No one of these four attributes comprises a design which would harm man; they are all designed for his good. But in the case of a person who, through his misconduct and extravagant behaviour, puts himself outside the operation of these attributes, they begin to operate to his harm. For instance, Rububiyyat takes on the aspect of destruction and annihilation, and Rahmaniyyat is manifested in the shape of wrath and anger, and Rahimiyyat is manifested in the shape of revenge and harshness, and the design of good recompense takes on the terrifying aspect of punishment and torment.
This change in the expressions of Divine attributes is brought about in consequence of a change in man’s own condition. Thus punishment, and warning of punishment, are not comprised in the basic attributes of God, inasmuch as God’s warning of punishment is not absolute so long as the person warned is alive and has the capacity to carry out a change in himself. Therefore, a change in respect of the promised chastisement is not a breach of promise. Every warning of chastisement is conditional though no condition may be expressly mentioned, except when the warning is expressed in absolute terms in which case it becomes an absolute decree and is not subject to change. This is a grand and valued principle relating to the comprehension of Divine attributes which is inherent in the Surah Fatihah.
[Anjam-e-Atham, Ruhani Khaza’in, vol. 11, pp. 7-10 footnote]
[Essence of Islam, Vol. 2, p. 371]

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Introduction