doubling of punishment in 7:38 and equal punishment in 6:160

Started by Adil Husain, July 18, 2012, 09:45:32 PM

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Adil Husain

(Monotheist translation)

6:160  Whoever comes with a good deed, he will receive ten times its
worth, and whoever comes with a sin, he will only be recompensed
its like;
they will not be wronged.

7:38 He said: "Enter with the multitude of nations before you from
mankind and Jinn to the Fire!" Every time a nation entered, it
cursed its sister nation, until they are all gathered inside it; then
the last of them says to the first: "Our Lord, these are the ones
who have misguided us, so give them double the retribution of
the Fire!" He replied: "Each will receive double, but you do not
know."
'I must strive for reformation of myself and the world'

optimist

Salam Alaikum,

The point is not difficult to understand.  In verse 7:38, both will get double punishment; one for following the wrong path and the other for misleading others, those who came after them.  This does not contradict verse 6:160.  The double nature of sin is confirmed in many other verses;

"They not only go astray themselves but also induce others to follow the wrong path. Therefore, on the Day of Reckoning, they will bear, not only the full weight of their own burden, but also part of the burden of those ignorant ones whom they misled. How unbearable will be the burden they will have to bear!" (16:25)

But they shall, surely, bear their own burdens, and other burdens along with their own burdens.(29:13)

And they say : Our Rabb! Oh ! we obeyed our chiefs and our great men and they misled us from the way. Our Rabb! Oh ! give them double torment and curse them with a mighty curse (33: 67-68)

Similarly, the one who commits a crime and throws it on another, he commits a double crime: "And if any one commits a mistake or a crime himself and then foists it on to the innocent, he carries (on himself) (both) the burden of a calumny and a flagrant sin."(4:112)

The meaning which was lost in all our divisions will not be understood until our perceptions become untainted -  Allama Iqbal

Adil Husain

Walaikum salaam , Thank you brother. I understood your reply of double sin so double punishment .
As i understood now .
Last nation (after which no other nation came) will not get any benefit compared to previous nation because they have not done anything good compared to previous one , they will not get any benefit for being the individuals of last nation . Because allah has decided that no other nation will come after them . Its not their goodness . What do you think ?
'I must strive for reformation of myself and the world'

optimist

I think there is a clarity issue in the translation of the verse 7:38.   It is not the last nation (after which no other nation came) blaming the first one....   The point is actually every nation blaming the one preceding it.  قَالَتْ أُخْرَاهُمْ لِأُولَاهُمْ  I notice that Muhammed Ayub Khan and Parwez translated taking care avoiding any likely confusion;

"when they have all reached there, the last of them shall say regarding the earlier of them, `Our Lord, these led us astray, so give them a double punishment of the Fire'. He will say, `for everyone is a double, but you do not know"(Muhammed Ayub Khan)

"When they are all gathered, the last one pointing to the one preceding it, will say "O Our Rabb, these are the people who had misled us; give them double chastisement." Allah will say: "All of you will have double chastisement - one for following the wrong path and the other for misleading others (16/25). You do not realise all this." (Parwez)

Allah will say: All of you will have double chastisement - one for following the wrong path and the other for misleading others.
The meaning which was lost in all our divisions will not be understood until our perceptions become untainted -  Allama Iqbal