Haqiqatul-Wahi (The Philosophy of Divine Revelation) — Page 193
POSTSCRIPT QUESTION (2) 193 he is truthful, some promises made regarding your chastisement shall be fulfilled. !* Now the point to ponder is that if belief in the Messenger of God is unnecessary, then why was the warning of chastisement issued in the case of failure to believe? It is obvious that it is one thing to coerce someone into accepting your faith and to make one Muslim by the sword, but it is quite another to punish someone who disobeys, con- fronts, and torments a true Messenger. It is not a condition that one should become a Muslim to avoid chastisement. Rather, those who― on top of rejection-came forth in conflict, became worthy of death. Even then, God Almighty offered them the reprieve that if they chose to accept Islam, that punishment would be averted. Then again, God Almighty says at another place: إِنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِأَيْتِ اللهِ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَاللهُ عَزِيزٌ ذُو انْتِقَام 3 Part Number Meaning that, those who denied the Signs of God Almighty, for them there is a severe punishment; and God is Mighty, Lord of retribution. Now it is quite clear that in this verse, too, the disbelievers are promised punishment. It was, therefore, inevitable that they should have been visited by chastisement. Thus, God inflicted upon them the chastisement of the sword. Again, He says in the Holy Quran elsewhere: إِنَّمَا جَزْوا الَّذِينَ يُحَارِبُونَ اللهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَيَسْعَونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَسَادًا أَنْ يُقَتَلُوا أَوْ يُصَلَّبُوا أَوْ تُقَطَّعَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَاَرْجُلُهُمْ مِنْ خِلَافٍ أَوْ يُنْفَوُا مِنَ الْأَرْضِ ذَلِكَ لَهُمْ خِزْيٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَلَهُمْ فِي الْآخِرَةِ 3Part Number 6—, عَذَابٌ عَظِيمٌ - 1. The term 'some' was adopted, because it is not necessary, concerning prophecies comprising warnings, that they should all be fulfilled; for some of them can end with forgiveness. (Author) 2. Surah Al-e-Imran, 3:5 [Publisher] 3. Surah al-Ma'idah, 5:34 [Publisher]