So Said The Promised Messiah (as) — Page 140
that jealousy of God is roused and He destroys these cruel and unjust people for the sake of him whom He has com- missioned to ret\. nm the world. That is what happened in the days of Noah. That is what happened in the days of Lot. This kind of punishments are always meted out to the people because of thL'i1 mischief that is perpetrated against the pro- phets of God and their followers. Otherwise so far as mere denial is concerned, it is never punished in this world. God deals with these people in another world (the next world). The punishments descend on the people because of their acts of teasing and troubling those who are commissioned by God, and because of taking the denial to the extent of mock- ing at them. If somebody says in a gentle manner that he has not understood such and such points and that is why "I do not fall in line with you and do not believe," it would not make that person deserving of the punishment of God, for, this is his simple mindedness and lac_k of knowledge. I tell you the truth that if the people of Noah had objected to his prophethood in a gentle manner, they would not have been punished by God. The punishment of all the peoples is the result of their own deeds. God has said even this much that those who come to listen to the Holy Quran should be taken to a place of security, even though they may be opponents and disbelievers. It is because there is no compulsion in Islam, as the Holy Quran says: 140 Laa-ikraha fiddin (There is no compulsion in the matter of religion). (Malfoozat Vol. IIl, p. 162. )