Al-Mu'minun 23:94–96

Commentary

قُل رَّ‌بِّ إِمَّا تُرِ‌يَنِّي مَا يُوعَدُونَ رَ‌بِّ فَلَا تَجْعَلْنِي فِي الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ

(0 prophet) say (in prayer), "0 my Lord, if You are to show me (in my life) that (punishment) which they (the infidels) are threatened with, then, my Lord, do not place me among the wrongdoing people." (23: 93, 94)

There are many verses of the Qur'an which contain warnings of punishment to the unbelievers. While the award of punishment is a certainty on the Day of Judgment, it is possible that it may be awarded in this world also - and even during the life time of the Holy Prophet ﷺ . And when Allah's wrath descends upon a people, it is not confined to sinners alone, but sometimes it afflicts virtuous people too, who may not be punished in the Hereafter and may even be compensated by extra rewards for the undeserved punishment which they suffered in this world. The Qur'an says اتَّقُوا فِتْنَةً لَّا تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنكُمْ خَاصَّةً (And beware of a punishment which shall not fall on the wrongdoers only - 8:25). In these verses, the Holy Prophet has been told by Allah to pray to Him that if His wrath were to descend upon the infidels in his life time, then He should be removed from their company. This prayer was suggested to the Holy Prophet ﷺ in spite of the fact that he was impeccable and infallible, the intention being that He should at all times remember Allah and beseech His mercy so as to increase his own reward in the Hereafter.

وَإِنَّا عَلَىٰ أَن نُّرِ‌يَكَ مَا نَعِدُهُمْ لَقَادِرُ‌ونَ

And of course, We do have the power to show you what We threatened them with. (23:95)

Some commentators say that even though Allah has promised, on account of His regard for the Holy Prophet ﷺ that He will not punish the entire community while he (Holy Prophet ﷺ) lives among them وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعَذِّبَهُمْ وَأَنتَ فِيهِمْ (And Allah is not to send punishment upon them while you are in their midst-- 8:33) yet the punishment of some selected persons in special circumstance does not negate the promise. The punishment of the infidels of Makkah through famine and through their defeat at the hands of the Muslims at the Battle of Badr had taken place in the lifetime of the Holy Prophet ﷺ ، which is emphasized in this verse that "We have the power to show you what We threatened them with".

ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ السَّيِّئَةَ

Repel evil with that which is best - 23:96

Allah instructs the Holy Prophet ﷺ to counter evil with good, oppression with justice and cruelty with mercy. These virtues of conduct have been taught by Allah to the Holy Prophet ﷺ and are generally observed in settling affairs among the Muslims. Later on these instructions were repealed in so far as the infidels and the unbelievers were concerned when Allah permitted Muslims to embark on (Jihad). Nevertheless even during Jihad the Muslims were told to adopt a humane approach towards the enemy. For example they were forbidden to kill women and children or the priests who did not engage in battle against the Muslims. Similarly, mutilation of the dead bodies of enemies was strictly forbidden. It is for this reason that the Holy Prophet ﷺ is instructed in the next verse to seek protection from Shaitan's evil suggestions even in the battle fields where he may arouse emotions to act against ethics.