The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam — Page 159
153 mind in this connection that God Almighty does not afflict any creature of His with a misfortune from Himself. He merely confronts a person with his own evil deeds. At another place He has said: 199 اِنْطَلِقُوا إلى ظِلَّ ذِى ثَلَثِ شُعَبِ لَّا ظُلِيْلٍ وَلَا يُغْنِي مِنَ اللَّهَبِ O the wicked! The errant proceed towards three pronged shadow which has three branches they can neither provide shelter nor can they protect from scorching heat. The three branches mentioned here represent bestiality, savageness and wild imagination. In the case of those who do not regulate these faculties and thus convert them into moral qualities, they will manifest themselves in the Hereafter as three branches of a tree which are bare of leaves and can afford no shade or protection against fire, so that such people would be consumed by the fire. As a contrast, God Almighty has said concerning the dwellers of heaven: يَوْمَ تَرَى الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَتِ يَسْعَى نُورُهُمْ بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَ بِأَيْمَانِهِمْ 200 That is, on that day you will see that the light of the 199. Aye, move on towards a shadow which has three sections, Neither affording shade, nor protecting from the flame. ' (The Holy Quran, al- Mursalat 77:31-32) 200. And think of the day when you will see the believing men and the believing women, their light running before them and on their right hands, (The Holy Quran, al-Hadid 57:13)