Fāṭir: (45) And if Allāh were to punish the people...

When Allāh warned those who denied the previous nations, and because of the intensity of their obstinacy and the corruption of their beliefs, they hastened the punishment, saying, "Hasten our punishment to us!" Allāh said: The punishment has a set term.

Allāh does not punish people merely for committing injustice, for indeed, humankind is profoundly unjust and ignorant. Rather, He punishes them for persistent wrongdoing, for the despair of the people regarding faith, and when those whom Allāh has decreed to believe are no longer present. If there remains no one who believes among them, the deniers are destroyed. If He were to punish them merely for the injustice itself, destruction would occur every day.

This raises several issues:

Issue 1: If Allāh punishes people for what they earn, why are the beasts destroyed?

The answer is multifaceted:

1. The Beasts are a Blessing: The creation of beasts is a blessing. When people are ungrateful, Allāh removes His blessings. Beasts are among the closest blessings because the singular (individual) is mentioned first, then the composite. The composite is either mineral or growing. The growing is either animal or plant. The animal is either human or non-human. Thus, beasts occupy the highest rank among creatures in the elemental realm, second only to humans.
2. Sign of the Severity and Universality of Punishment: The destruction of beasts demonstrates the severity and universality of the punishment. The existence of things depends on humans, just as the existence of humans depends on things. Humans manage and rectify things, so things remain, and then humans benefit from them, so humans remain. If the destruction is universal, no human remains to maintain things, so buildings and crops perish, and domestic animals perish because their survival depends on humans protecting them from ruin through watering and feeding.
3. Cessation of Rain: The sending down of rain is a favor from Allāh to His servants. When they no longer deserve this favor, the rains are cut off, resulting in drought upon the face of the earth, causing all land animals to die. Regarding the verse, {He left not upon its surface any moving creature}, the third explanation covers the land animals due to the cessation of rain. As for sea creatures, they survive by the water of the seas.

Issue 2: The meaning of His saying, {upon its surface} (على ظهرها).

This phrase is an allusion to the Earth, which is not explicitly mentioned. How is this known?

It is known from what precedes and what follows:

• What Precedes: His saying, {And Allāh was not to be incapable of anything in the heavens nor in the earth}. The Earth is the closest mentioned entity to which the pronoun (her/its) can refer.
• What Follows: His saying, {any moving creature} (من دابة), because creatures move upon the surface of the Earth.

If it is argued: How can what creation inhabits be called the "face of the Earth" (وجه الأرض) and the "surface/back of the Earth" (ظهر الأرض), when the face is opposite the back, like opposites?

The answer is: It is called the "back of the Earth" (ظهر الأرض) because the Earth is like a beast carrying burdens, and the load is carried on the back. It is called the "face of the Earth" (وجه الأرض) because it is what faces the creation and is visible to them. Furthermore, the back (ظهر) is in opposition to the belly (بطن), and the apparent (ظاهر) is from one category, while the hidden/inner (باطن) and belly (بطن) are from another. Thus, the face of the Earth is its back because it is the apparent aspect, and everything else on it is hidden or its belly.

Issue 3: Regarding His saying, {but He postpones them to a specified term} (ولاكن يؤخرهم إلى أجل مسمى).

There are several interpretations:

1. Until the Day of Resurrection: This is a specified term mentioned in many passages.
2. Until a Day When No Believer Remains: As previously mentioned, when no one is left who believes.
3. The Term for Each Nation: Every nation has a term, and every term has a decree. The term for the nation of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) includes the days of killing and captivity, such as the Day of Badr and others.

Issue 4: His saying, {And when their term comes, then indeed, Allāh has been, of His servants, Seeing} (فإذا جاء أجلهم فإن الله كان بعباده بصيرا).

This is a consolation for the believers. After Allāh stated, {He left not upon its surface any moving creature} and {It will not strike those who do wrong among you exclusively}, He then said: When the destruction comes, Allāh is Seeing concerning His servants. Either He saves them, or their passing away is a drawing near to Allāh, not a punishment.

It might be objected: You previously stated that Allāh does not punish merely for injustice, but only when people universally agree upon misguidance. If destruction comes, how can the believer be destroyed?

We reply: We mentioned that if death and annihilation are for the purpose of torment, then it is punishment for sin and destruction. But if it is for conveying reward, it is neither destruction nor punishment. Allāh only punishes people upon the general prevalence of disbelief.

His saying, {Seeing} (بصيرا), is a more complete expression for consolation than "Knowing" (عليماً) or similar terms, because the one who is Seeing something—who is looking upon it—is more deserving of salvation than the one who merely knows its state without seeing it.

And Allāh knows best. Peace and blessings be upon our Master Muhammad, his family, and all his companions.