The Essence of Islam – Volume II — Page 441
Heaven and Hell 441 contains the antidote of life, good alone is the means of overcoming the poison of vice. In other words, torment means the absence of comfort and salvation means the achievement of comfort and joy. . Torment is the Result of Man's Actions. Illness means the condition when the body does not function normally and health is the condition when all natural matters function in the proper way. The moving away of a hand or foot or any other limb from its proper position causes pain and if this condition persists for a time not only the affected limb becomes useless, but it begins to affect other limbs also. The same is the case with the soul. When a person moves away from God,. Who is the True Source of his life, and departs from the religion of nature, he is involved in suffering and if his heart is not dead and retains its feeling, he feels the torment keenly. If this condition is not reformed, there is an apprehension that all spiritual faculties might gradually become useless and a severe torment might ensue. . Thus no suffering comes from outside; all suffering is generated within a person. We do not deny that torment is God's action, but it is the consequence of man's actions as when a person swallows poison, God kills him. . This is indicated by God, the Glorious, in the verses: 216 تارُ اللهِ الْمُوْقَدَةُه الَّتِي تَطَّلِعُ عَلى الأفيد ة ه ). The torment of God is the fire that God kindles and its flame rises from the heart of man. . It is thus clear that the real seed of torment is the foulness of one's being which assumes the form of torment. 216 Al-Humazah, 104:7-8 [Publisher]