Torture within Quranist Viewpoint (16): Torment and the Divine Justice of the Almighty Lord God

Published in October 18, 2017

Translated by: Ahmed Fathy

Introduction:

1- When we were a student at the Azharite preparatory stage, at one time, we studied our lessons accompanied by our paternal uncle's son who was older than we are, he suddenly stopped talking about the book we were studying and told me while laughing moderately: "You know, if God might allow all human beings to enter into Paradise, those who were good, pious believers during their lifetimes on Earth will feel they've been tricked and deceived!", and he burst out laughing more and more. We did not laugh at the time because we felt that he might be ridiculing God and/or the Last Day. Later on, we have reflected deeply on his words; we told ourselves that Almighty God is never unjust and His Absolute Justice entails that the criminals/sinners will never be made equals to the pious, good monotheists.

2- Within our miserable childhood as an orphan, we suffered many injustices and we grew up while hating injustice very much and loving justice while sympathizing with the wronged people. Within our innate instinct, we have rejected the myths that make the Last Day appear as if a day of injustices as mediators/saints would intercede on behalf of sinners/criminals to make them enter Paradise along with the pious ones and to be spared the torment of Hell. How come then that Hell will be created on the Last Day? What would be its use, then?!  

3- Within the History Department, at Al-Azhar University, we used to excel in the English language which was difficult to most of our colleagues at the time, and we got the grade (Excellent) in this subject for three consecutive years, but not in the fourth/last year; all students including ourselves got the grade (Pass) and this injustice infuriated us; the cause of this injustice is the complicity of some men there who forced us to deliver our exam paper earlier after we finished answering all questions to allow other students to cheat and copy our answers! This scandal caused the fact that the results in that subject were the grade (Pass) for all students of the fourth/last year (class of 1973)! This injustice made our blood curdle at the time; we were thus made equal with those who never knew anything about the English language curricula! Similarly in 1973, we expected to get the grade (Excellent) we rightly deserved in the subject (Geography), but we received only the grade (Good). This professor who made this injustice against us became later our friend when we were a professor at Al-Azhar University, and he became one of the Quranists who followed us from mosque to mosque in Cairo to hear our sermons after we tendered our resignation at Al-Azhar University in 1987. Yet, we shall never forget the pain of his injustice done to us: we still think we deserved to get the degree (Excellent). We never talked to this friend about this topic; we have noticed that most professors never actually read the thousands of students' answers sheets! Most professors gave the same grade (i.e., Pass) to most students! We ourselves used to read carefully the students' answers sheets to give each of them the grade he deserved. Other professors who had no conscience while wearing the Azharite garb did not read students' answers sheets and never stopped chattering and blabbering, joking and eating, while haphazardly giving most students the grade (Pass)! We detest and feel disgusted at such professors and this made us never forget the injustices done to us; we did our best to deserve the grade (Excellent) in all subjects, and we got this grade in most subjects and the grade (Very Good) in others, for the four years at the History Department (1970-1973), till we graduated having the general grade (Very Good with Highest Honors).    

4- The year of graduation, 1973, was the year that the Egyptian army recruited many graduates to engage into the war (that actually took place in Oct. 1973) that restored Sinai to the Egyptians who defeated the Israelis. Those recruited at the time rarely left the army; within our class, a student whose performance was very poor but his father was a professor at the History Department was allowed to cheat and he got the grade of (Very Good), but his final score was less than ours. This student's corrupt father decided to appoint his son in the History Department instead of us to prevent his son's recruitment in the army! It was only we who deserved this post because of our general grade (Very Good with Highest Honors). News of this attempt to replace us within injustice and corruption reached us when we were at our village, as we never attended the lectures for four years and professors did not know us; this corrupt professor thought we would remain silent as he was about to wrong and harm us. We have been informed by this corruption that was about to happen by a letter sent to us from a man named Fouda, the cashier at Al-Azhar University, who knew us because every semester/term, we met with him to get the sum of money granted to us as a prize for being an excellent student who gets the highest degrees and scores. Fouda told them, from our own letter to him, that if this scandal occurred, we would inform the press and expose this corruption. We traveled to Cairo immediately to meet the dean of the faculty, while feeling furious and ready to fight to the last breath for our right, but eventually, this dean told us that we have been appointed as a professor at the History Department.        

5- Injustice is a crime hated by most people in this transient life; man-made laws are against injustices and punish their perpetrators. It is unjust to make the sinners/criminals as equal to the good ones on the Last Day, and this Quranic fact is denied all the time by the Muhammadans who believe in the myth of intercession. We provide more details in the points below.

Firstly: the Quranic call for racing to perform good deeds:

1- God's commands and prohibitions are the same in all divine scriptures: "...Whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him work righteousness, and never associate anyone with the service of his Lord." (18:110).

2- Within the command to adhere to piety and righteousness, we read this Quranic direct address toward people about competing and vying for performing as many good deeds as possible to earn God's pardon and to enter Paradise on the Last Day: "Race towards forgiveness from your Lord; and a Garden as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers. That is the grace of God; He bestows it on whomever He wills. God is the Possessor of Immense Grace." (57:21); "And race towards forgiveness from your Lord, and a Garden as wide as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the righteous." (3:133). This means that one is to repent soon enough, as early as possible, and to perform many good deeds to earn God's forgiveness. Real, pious believers will get the highest degrees/levels of Paradise, as God addresses all humanity directly in the following verses: "Those who, from awe of their Lord, are fearful. And those who believe in their Lord's Verses. And those who associate no partners with their Lord. And those who give what they give, while their hearts quake, knowing that to their Lord they will return.It is they who race towards goodness. It is they who will reach it first. We never burden any soul beyond its capacity. And with Us is a record that tells the truth, and they will not be wronged." (23:57-62); "Who is he who will lend God a loan of goodness, that He may double it for him, and will have a generous reward?" (57:11); "Who is he who will offer God a generous loan, so He will multiply it for him manifold? God receives and amplifies, and to Him you will be returned." (2:245). 

3- God calls both the People of the Book and Quran-believing people to compete in performing good deeds: "And We revealed to you the Book, with Truth, confirming the Scripture that preceded it, and superseding it. So judge between them according to what God revealed, and do not follow their desires if they differ from the Truth that has come to you. For each of you We have assigned a law and a method. Had God willed, He could have made you a single nation, but He tests you through what He has given you. So compete in righteousness. To God is your return, all of you; then He will inform you of what you had disputed." (5:48).

Secondly: response to this call for racing to perform good deeds:

1- God describes the previous prophets as such: "...They used to vie in doing righteous deeds, and used to call on Us in love and awe, and they used to humble themselves to Us." (21:90).

2- The dead people of all previous eras had their chance within the test of life during their lifetimes; some of them are among the winners and some are among the losers. God addresses the living people who still live through the test of life: "Or do you think that you will be left alone, without God identifying which of you will strive, and take no supporters apart from God, His Messenger, and the believers? God is well Aware of what you do." (9:16); "Or do you expect to enter Paradise before the example of those who came before you had reached you? Adversity and hardship had afflicted them, and they were so shaken up, that the Messenger and those who believed with him said, "When is God's victory?" Indeed, God's victory is near." (2:214).

3- Eventually, God is NEVER biased for any human groups in particular: all human beings are tested and judged within equality and justice, regardless of labels or banners: Sabians, the People of the Book (i.e., Jews/Israelites and Christians), Quranists, etc. Thus, any human beings who believe in God within monotheism and perform good deeds will be among the allies of God in the Hereafter who never fear grieved or afraid on the Last Day; this fact is asserted in the Quran many times: "Those who believe, and those who are Jewish, and the Christians, and the Sabians - any who believe in God and the Last Day, and act righteously - will have their reward with their Lord; they have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve." (2:62); "Those who believe, and the Jews, and the Sabians, and the Christians-whoever believes in God and the Last Day, and does what is right-they have nothing to fear, nor shall they grieve." (5:69).

4- Of course, all human beings in all eras vary in their reactions to God's call to repent and to compete in good deeds and monotheistic faith; there are (1) those sinners and disobedient ones, (2) those who repent and reform their faith and perform good deeds, and (3) those Forerunners who are nearer to Almighty God than anyone else as they performed so many good deeds within monotheism for most of their lives.

5- This division into three groups applies to the People of the Book, as they are not the same in terms of faith and deeds: "...Had the People of the Book believed, it would have been better for them. Among them are the believers, but most of them are sinners." (3:110); "...Among them is a moderate community, but evil is what many of them are doing." (5:66); "They are not alike. Among the People of the Book is a community that is upright; they recite God's revelations throughout the night, and they prostrate themselves.They believe in God and the Last Day, and advocate righteousness and forbid evil, and are quick to do good deeds. These are among the righteous. Whatever good they do, they will not be denied it. God knows the righteous." (3:113-115).

6- This division into three groups applies to the Quran-believing people, as they are not the same in terms of faith and deeds: "" (35:32).

7- This division into three groups applies to all dying persons in all eras and locations: good people who are allies of God (who are of two types: those on the Right and the Forerunners who excelled more than those on the Right) and the losers who are allies of Satan. God says in the Quran: "So when it has reached the throat. As you are looking on. We are nearer to it than you are, but you do not see. If you are not held to account. Then bring it back, if you are truthful. But if he is one of those brought near. Then happiness, and flowers, and Garden of Delights. And if he is one of those on the Right. Then, "Peace upon you," from those on the Right. But if he is one of the deniers, the mistaken. Then a welcome of Inferno. And burning in Hell. This is the certain Truth. So glorify the Name of your Lord the Great." (56:83-94).

8- This division into three groups applies to all human beings on the Day of Resurrection: "Those on the Right-what of those on the Right? And those on the Left-what of those on the Left? And the Forerunners, the Forerunners. Those are the nearest." (56:8-11).

Thirdly: it is justice that sinners/criminals are not made equals to good, pious people in the Hereafter:

1- Within the obscurantist countries of Muhammadans who are ignoramuses, injustices prevail and dominate their lives, and tyrannical rulers are on top of the list of the unjust ones, followed by the deep-state affluent-class persons: clergymen, media figures, etc. who deify and sanctify tyrants, while victims who are weak on Earth suffer torment and humiliation inflicted on them by the unjust, corrupt ones. Goodness and justice win and prevail only in movies; in the countries of the Muhammadans, the tyrants and criminals win momentarily, as they lose upon dying as they know at that moment about torment of Hell waiting for them. This is unlike the nations of the West, where justice, human rights, freedom, and democracy prevail. Of course, justice is the supreme value and aim of all celestial messages of God via His prophets/messengers: "We sent Our messengers with the clear proofs, and We sent down with them the Book and the Balance, that humanity may uphold justice. And We sent down iron, in which is violent force, and benefits for humanity. That God may know who supports Him and His messengers invisibly. God is Strong and Powerful." (57:25). In the Hereafter, the divine justice is absolute: "We will set up the scales of justice for the Day of Resurrection, so that no soul will suffer the least injustice. And even if it be the weight of a mustard-seed, We will bring it up. Sufficient are We as Reckoners." (21:47).  

2- It is justice that sinners/criminals are not made equals to good, pious people in the Hereafter and in the transient world: "Shall We treat the Muslims like the criminals? What is the matter with you? How do you judge?" (68:35-36); "Or are We to treat those who believe and do righteous deeds like those who commit corruption on Earth? Or are We to treat the pious ones like the sinners?" (38:28); "Do those who perpetrate the evil deeds assume that We will regard them as equal to those who believe and do righteous deeds, whether in their life or their death? Evil is their judgment!" (45:21); "Is he who worships devoutly during the watches of the night, prostrating himself and standing up, mindful of the Hereafter, and placing his hope in the mercy of his Lord? Say, "Are those who know and those who do not know equal?" Only those possessed of reason will remember." (39:9); "Is someone who pursues God's approval the same as someone who incurs God's wrath and his refuge is Hell-the miserable destination? They have different ranks with God, and God is Seeing of what they do." (3:162-163).

3- The disbelievers among the Qorayish tribesmen assumed wrongly that they have religious authority by serving the Kaaba and pilgrim; the same wrong assumption pertains now to the Saudi kind and the royal family members, and God refutes such a myth here: "It is not for the polytheists to attend God's places of worship while professing their disbelief. These-their works are in vain, and in the Fire they will abide forever. The only people to attend God's places of worship are those who believe in God and the Last Day, and pray regularly, and practice regular charity, and fear none but God. These are most likely to be guided. Do you consider giving water to pilgrims and maintaining the Sacred Mosque the same as believing in God and the Last Day and striving in God's path? They are not equal in God's sight. God does not guide the unjust people." (9:17-19).

4- Subsequently, the final destinations (either in Hell or Paradise) of all human beings differ as per deeds and faith; those who died as sinners, criminals, and evil/disobedient ones must enter into Hell and real, pious believers who performed good deeds must enter into Paradise: "Is someone who is faithful like someone who is a sinner? They are not equal. As for those who believe and do righteous deeds, for them are the Gardens of Shelter-hospitality for what they used to do. But as for those who transgressed, their shelter is the Fire. Every time they try to get out of it, they will be brought back into it, and it will be said to them, "Taste the suffering of the Fire which you used to deny."" (32:18-20).

Fourthly: it is justice that believers are divided into two categories as per the amount of good deeds:

1- Not all winners have the same grade or degree/level within Paradise, as the quality and quantity of their good deeds differ: "They all have ranks according to what they did; and your Lord is not unaware of what they do." (6:132); "There are degrees for everyone, according to what they have done, and He will repay them for their works in full, and they will not be wronged." (46:19). This is why Paradise dwellers are divided into two groups: those Forerunners and those on the Right.

2- This difference in good deeds in terms of quality and quantity is exemplified further in these verses: "Not equal are the inactive among the believers-except the disabled-and the strivers in the cause of God with their possessions and their persons. God prefers the strivers with their possessions and their persons above the inactive, by a degree. But God has promised goodness to both. Yet God favors the strivers, over the inactive, with a great reward. Degrees from Him, and forgiveness, and mercy. God is Forgiving and Merciful." (4:95-96); "And why is it that you do not spend in the cause of God, when to God belongs the inheritance of the heavens and the earth? Not equal among you are those who contributed before the conquest, and fought. Those are higher in rank than those who contributed afterwards, and fought. But God promises both a good reward. God is Well Experienced in what you do." (57:10).

3- Torment inflicted on criminals/sinners is justice, and without this punishment (in this world and the next), the criminals/sinners would be made equal to the good persons, and this equality is utter injustice. "...God desires no injustice for the humankind." (3:108). As always, God says nothing but the Absolute Truth.