Punishment and Reward (Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:34-35)

Punishment of the Disbelievers and Reward of the Pious Believers


Here, Allah mentions the punishment of the disbelievers and the reward of the righteous believers, after describing the Kufr and Shirk that the disbelievers indulge in,

For them is a torment in the life of this world, by the hands of the believers, killing and capturing them,

 certainly, the torment of the Hereafter which will come after they suffer humiliation in this life,

is harder  many times harder. The Messenger of Allah said to those who agreed to Mula`anah, (the curse invoked when it is believed that the spouse has committed adultery and there are no witnesses Surah An-Nur 24: 7)

Surely, the torment of this life, is easier than the torment of the Hereafter. Indeed, and just as the Messenger of Allah stated, the torment of this life ends but the torment of the Hereafter is everlasting in a Fire that is seventy times hot than our fire, where there are chains whose thickness and hardness are unimaginable. Allah said in other Ayat,

So on that Day none will punish as He will punish. And none will bind as He will bind.[89:25-26], and,

And for those who deny the Hour, We have prepared a flaming Fire. When it (Hell) sees them from a far place, they will hear its raging and its roaring. And when they shall be thrown into a narrow place thereof, chained together, they will exclaim therein for destruction. Exclaim not today for one destruction, but exclaim for many destructions. Say: "Is that (torment) better, or the Paradise of Eternity promised for those who have Taqwa'' It will be theirs as a reward and as a final destination. [25:11-15] Similarly He said;

The description of the Paradise which those who have Taqwa have been promised meaning its description and qualities;

Underneath it rivers flow,  these rivers flow in the various parts and grades of Paradise and wherever its people wish they flow and gush forth for them. Allah also said,

The description of Paradise which those who have Taqwa have been promised (is that) in it are rivers of water the taste and smell of which are not changed, rivers of wine delicious to those who drink, and rivers of clarified honey, therein for them is every kind of fruit, and forgiveness. [47:15]  Allah said next,

its provision is eternal and so is its shade for Paradise has foods, fruits and drinks that never end or finish. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Ibn `Abbas narrated in the Hadith about the Eclipse prayer that the Companions said, "O Allah's Messenger! While you were standing [in prayer], we saw you reach for something with your hand and then you brought it back.'' The Messenger said,

I saw Paradise - or was shown Paradise - and reached for a cluster (of grapes or other fruit), and had I kept it, you would have eaten from it as long as this life remains. Imam Muslim recorded that Jabir bin `Abdullah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

The people of Paradise eat and drink, and they do not need to blow their noses, or answer the call of nature, or urinate, for they pass the food excrements in belches, which smell like musk. They will be inspired to praise and glorify (Allah) as spontaneously as they breathe. Imams Ahmad and An-Nasa'i recorded that Thumamah bin `Uqbah said that he heard Zayd bin Arqam say, "A man from the People of the Scriptures came and said [to the Prophet ], `O Abul-Qasim! You claim that the people of Paradise eat and drink'

The Prophet said, Yes. By He in Whose Hand is Muhammad's life, a man among them will be given the strength of a hundred men in eating, drinking, sexual intercourse and appetite. That man asked, `He who eats and drinks needs to relieve the call of nature, but Paradise is pure [from feces and urine]'

The Prophet said, One of them (residents of Paradise) relieves the call of nature through a sweat that emanates from the skin, with the scent of musk, and the stomach becomes empty again. Imam Ahmad and An-Nasa'i collected this Hadith. Allah said in other Ayat,

And fruit in plenty, whose supply is not cut off nor are they out of reach.[56:32-33],  and,

And the shade thereof is close upon them, and the bunches of fruit thereof will hang low within their reach.[76:14]  The shade of Paradise is everlasting and never shrinks, just as Allah said,

But those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, We shall admit them to Gardens under which rivers flow, abiding therein forever. Therein they shall have pure mates, and We shall admit them to shades wide and ever deepening.[4:57]  Allah often mentions the description of Paradise and the description of the Fire together, to make Paradise appealing and warn against the Fire. This is why, after Allah mentioned the description of Paradise here, He next said,

this is the end (final destination) of those who have Taqwa, and the end (final destination) of the disbelievers is Fire. Allah said in another Ayah,

Not equal are the dwellers of the Fire and the dwellers of the Paradise. It is the dwellers of Paradise that will be successful. [59:20]



Reference: Tafsir ibn Kathir (abridged) English version.