Surah An-Nisa (4): 147

There are several issues concerning this verse:

Is Allah punishing you for satisfaction (revenge), to gain a benefit, or to avert harm?

• All these possibilities are impossible concerning Him. Allah is self-sufficient (Ghani) by His very essence, independent of needs. He is exalted above bringing about benefits or averting harms for Himself.
• The true purpose is to compel the accountable person (mukallaf) to perform the best deeds and abstain from the ugly ones. If you perform the good and leave the bad, how would it befit His generosity to punish you?

The Mu'tazilites argue that this verse supports their doctrine.

• They claim the verse proves that Allah did not create creation for the purpose of punishment or chastisement. His statement, "What will Allah do with your punishment if you are grateful and believe?" clearly indicates He did not create anything for the goal of punishment.
• Furthermore, the verse indicates that the doer of gratitude (shukr) and belief (iman) is the servant, not Allah. If the action belonged to Allah, the meaning would be: "What will Allah do with your punishment if He creates gratitude and belief in you?" This construction is nonsensical, and we have previously addressed these arguments.

Our scholars argue that this verse proves that the perpetrator of a major sin (sahib al-kabira) is not punished (if they maintain belief).

• We are discussing the case of one who was grateful and believed, but then committed an act like drinking or adultery. This person, according to this verse, should not be punished because of the statement: "What will Allah do with your punishment if you are grateful and believe?"
• If they argue, "We do not concede that the perpetrator of a major sin is a believer," we reply that we have presented numerous arguments in this book establishing that such a person is indeed a believer.

There are two views regarding why gratitude (shukr) is mentioned before belief (iman):

1. It is a matter of sequence in presentation, meaning: "If you believe and are grateful," because belief precedes all other acts of obedience.
2. If we hold that the conjunction 'wa' (and) does not necessitate order, then the question is moot.
3. When a person reflects upon himself, he sees the immense blessing inherent in his creation and organization. He offers a general expression of gratitude (shukr in a summary form). Then, upon completing his reflection to know the Bestower (Allah), he believes, and subsequently offers detailed gratitude (shukr in a specific form). Thus, this initial, summary gratitude preceded belief, which is why it was mentioned first.

Then He said: "And Allah is ever a Thankful, Knowing."

• Since Allah commanded them to be grateful, He metaphorically names the reward for gratitude as "Thankful" (Shakir). Therefore, the meaning of Shakir concerning Him is that He is the One who rewards the grateful.
• The meaning of Him being "Knowing" (Alim) is that He knows all particulars, so error never occurs for Him. Consequently, reward reaches the grateful, and punishment reaches the one who turns away.

7 < { Allah does not love the public utterance of evil, except by one who has been wronged. And Allah is Ever Hearing, Knowing. } > 7 !