Transliteration:( Maa yaf'alul laahu bi 'azaabikum in shakartum wa aamantum; wa kaanal laahu Shaakiran 'Aleema (End Juz 5) )
“Allah has no gain by punishing you if you are grateful and accept faith. And Allah is Appreciative, Aware [429].”
This verse explains that Allah does not punish out of need or anger the way worldly rulers do. Kings on earth may punish offenders for three reasons:
Fear of personal loss—to protect their wealth, honor, or throne.
Personal anger—to avenge an insult or offense.
To enforce discipline or make an example of the offender.
Allah Almighty is pure from the first two reasons. He is not in need of anyone’s obedience, nor is He affected by anyone’s disbelief.
If Allah punishes, it is only because the offender:
Did not accept faith, and
Did not show gratitude through worship and righteousness.
Had they believed and been grateful, Allah would have no reason to punish, because He gains nothing from harming His creation.
Instead, Allah is Shakoor (Appreciative)—He rewards even the smallest acts of obedience, and He is Aleem (All-Aware)—fully knowing the intentions and actions of every individual.
Thus, this verse invites reflection:
If we are grateful and faithful, punishment has no place in our destiny, for Allah's nature is mercy and appreciation, not vengeance.
The tafsir of Surah Nisa verse 147 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Nisa ayat 144 which provides the complete commentary from verse 144 through 148.
(4:147) Why should Allah deal chastisement to you if you are grateful[175] to Him and believe? Allah is All-Appreciative,[176] All-Knowing.
175. Shukr denotes an acknowledgement of benefaction and a feeling of gratitude. This verse states if a person does not behave ungratefully towards God then there is no reason why God should punish him.
The attitude of gratefulness to God consists of acknowledging His benefaction in one’s heart, in confessing it in one’s speech and by manifesting it in one’s deeds. It is the sum-total of these which is termed shukr. This attitude requires:
(1) that a person should ascribe the benefaction to its real source, letting no one share in either the gratitude or the acknowledgement of benevolence;
(2) that his heart should be overflowing with love for, and loyalty to, the Benefactor, and that he should have no attachment to His opponents;
(3) that he should obey the Benefactor and should not use His bounties contrary to His directives.
176.The word used here is shakir which we have translated as ‘All-Appreciative’. In the context of the God-man relationship, when the word shukr is used in respect of God, it denotes ‘appreciation of services’. When it is used in respect of man, it denotes his acknowledgement of God’s benefaction and his sense of gratitude to Him. To say that God ‘thanks’ His creatures stresses that God is fully appreciative of the services which His servants have rendered and will recompense them liberally. This contrasts sharply with the attitude of human beings, who are generally slow and uncharitable in appreciating the services rendered to them, and quick and severe in censuring people for their omissions. As for God, He is lenient and prone to overlook man’s omissions. On the contrary, He rewards man manifold for his good deeds.
[228]- Of repentance, self-discipline and good deeds, rewarding for them abundantly.
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