The Worldly And Otherworldly Forms Of Recompense For The People Of Truth And The People Of Falsehood In Surah Al-Imran

Abstract

This text discusses the manifestations of worldly and otherworldly recompense for the people of truth and the people of falsehood as presented in Surah Al-Imran. It highlights four main aspects of this recompense: two for the believers and two for the disbelievers.

On the worldly side for the people of truth, the text presents the image of support through victory, where God grants triumph to the believers despite their weakness, as seen in the Battle of Badr. The interpretations of scholars such as Ibn Mas‘ud, Al-Tabari, and Rashid Rida are cited regarding the verse: {And Allah supports with His victory whom He wills}. As for the otherworldly recompense, it is manifested in the whitening of faces, symbolizing purity, eternal bliss, and divine pleasure, with references to the interpretations of Abu Zahra and Al-Sha‘rawi.

On the side of the people of falsehood, the casting of terror is shown as a worldly punishment that strikes the hearts of the disbelievers due to their weak arguments and their association of partners with God. They live in constant fear that disables their ability to confront, as explained by commentators like Al-Tabari, Al-Maraghi, and Ibn ‘Ajibah. In the Hereafter, the blackening of faces represents shame, regret, and humiliation, reflecting the darkness of the heart. This has been interpreted by Al-Maturidi and Abu Zahra as an indication of the extinguishing of the innate light.

The text concludes that these images represent divine laws that guarantee the support of the believers and the humiliation of the disbelievers, and that the otherworldly recompense reflects the essence of one’s life in this world.