Punishment Of The Evil-Doers In This World And The Next

Thus, in many of ayaat containing warnings for those who disobey Allah, Allah mentions His punishment of the evil-doers in this world as well as the punishment which He has prepared for them in the next life.

In other verses, He mentions only the punishments of the next life, because its punishment is much greater, and its reward is much greater, and it is the place of permanence. So, when the punishments of this world are mentioned, they are secondary to the mentioning of the punishments of the next life, as in the following story of Yusuf (peace be upon him):

“In this way we empowered Yusuf in the earth, he moves therein wherever he pleases. We will not negate the reward of those who do good, and the reward of the next life is better for those who believe, and used to fear Allah.” [Surah Yusuf: 56-57]

“And so Allah gave them the reward of this life, and the best of rewards for

the next life.”  [Surah Al- ‘Imran:148]

“And those who migrated for the sake of Allah after they had been oppressed, we will establish them in the earth in a goodly fashion, and the reward of the next life is greater, if they only knew. Those who have patience, and depend fully on their Lord.” [Surah An- Nahl: 41-42]

Allah said about Ibrahim (upon him be peace) in another ayah:

“And we gave him his reward in this life, and verily he is among the righteous in the next life.” [Surah An- Nahl: 122]

As for what Allah has mentioned about the punishment of this life and the next, we can look to Surah An-Nazi'at in which He said:

“By those (angels) who violently tear out (the souls of the wicked at death)

And by those who gently draw out (the souls of the righteous at death).”

[Surah An-Nazi'at: 1-2]

And then, in the same Surah, Allah said:

“On that day when the great trembling and quaking occurs (upon the first sounding of the Horn, which signals Allah's putting to death of all creation)

Which is followed by another, similar (the second sounding of the Horn, which signals the bringing to life of the whole creation).” [Surah An-Nazi'at: 6-7]

In which He mentioned the day of Qiyamah in general, and then He said: “Has the story of Musa reached you? * When his Lord called him in the sacred valley of Tuwa * (Saying) Go to Fir'aun, for verily he has transgressed * And say to him: Do you have any desire to be purified? * And that I should guide you to your Lord so that you should fear Him? * Then Musa showed him the Great Sign * But Fir'aun rejected and disobeyed * Then he turned away, striving hard (against the truth) * Then he collected his forces, and made a proclamation * Saying: I am your lord, most high * So Allah destroyed him, and made an example of him in the hereafter, and in this life * Verily in this there is an instructive warning for those who fear Allah.” [Surah An-Nazi'at: 15-26]

Then, Allah mentioned the place of beginning, and the place of return in detail saying:

“Are you more difficult to create or the heavens? Allah has constructed them  * He raised high the canopy, and gave it order and perfection  ...  *And so, when the great overwhelming event arrives (i.e. Qiyama) * On that day, man will remember all that he used to strive for * And hell-fire will be made plainly visible for all who see * Then, as for the one who transgressed * And preferred the life of this world * Verily (for such) the fire is the final abode * And as for those who had fear of their standing before their Lord, and forbid themselves the dictates of their hawaa *Verily the Garden (of Paradise) is their final abode.” [Surah An-Nazi'at: 27-28, 34-41]

Also, in Surah al-Muzammil, Allah mentions His own statement:

“And leave me with those who deny the truth, who possess the good things of this life, and leave them for a short time   *Verily, we have fetters (to bind them) and fire (to burn them) *And food that chokes, and a painful punishment *One day, the earth and the mountains will tremble and quake, and the mountains will be like a heap of sand poured out and flowing down  *Verily, we have sent to you a Prophet as a witness over you, just as we sent to Fir'aun a Prophet   * But Fir'aun disobeyed the Prophet, so we seized him with a heavy punishment.” [Surah Al-Muzammil: 11-16]

Also, in Surah Al-Haaqqah, Allah mentions the stories of the disbelieving nations such as Thamud, 'aad, and Fir'aun, and then says:

“When a single blast is sounded on the Horn *And the earth and the mountains are lifted up and crushed to powder at a single stroke.” [Surah Al-Haaqqah: 13-14]

Then, in verses 15-37 Allah describes the people of heaven and hell, and their condition on the day of Qiyamah and after.

In Surah Al-Qalam, Allah mentions the story of the owners of the garden (i.e. farm) who conspired to withhold the rights of the poor from them and were punished by the destruction of their crop. Then Allah says:

“Such is the punishment, and the punishment of the hereafter is of greater magnitude, if they only knew.” [Surah Al-Qalam: 33]

Again, in Surah At-Taghabun, Allah says:

“Didn't the news reach you of those who rejected faith before? They tasted the results of their actions, and for them is a painful punishment   *That was because Messengers used to come to them with clear signs, but they said: Should mere human beings guide us? So they rejected faith, and turned away. And Allah is in no need. Allah is free of all needs, worthy of all praise *The disbelievers imagine that they will not be raised up (for judgement) Say: Yes, by my Lord, you will be raised up, then you will be informed of all that you did, and that is very easy for Allah.” [Surah At-Taghabun: 5-7]

Allah has mentioned the condition of those who oppose and disobey the prophets, as well as the threatened punishments which await them in the hereafter in many chapters of the Qur’an. Among them: Qaf, Al-Qamar, Al-Mu'minun, As-Sajdah, Az-Zukhruf, Ad-Dukhan, and many others.