The Holy Quran and the Reasons for Divine Torment

Divine punishment exists in both the worldly life and the Hereafter. The nature of punishment in the worldly life and the Hereafter is both physical and spiritual. The language of the Holy Quran regarding punishment is realistic and factual. The primary purpose of Allah in creating human beings is for them to reach Paradise and divine mercy, but within that purpose, there is also a secondary and subsidiary objective. Sinners are punished due to their inappropriate deeds. Due to the difference between this world and the Hereafter, the philosophy of divine punishments in the worldly life and the Hereafter differs. Hardships in the worldly life serve various purposes, including the elevation of believers’ ranks, learning lessons, as a means of humility and repentance, as a test, and as punishment and torment for the wrongdoers. There are many evidences for punishment in the Hereafter, including divine justice, the guarantee of fulfilling obligations, divine grace, warning, divine retribution, and the manifestation of actions. Various opinions have been presented regarding the relationship between actions and retribution, such as the levels of existence and the spiritual realms. The relationship between action and punishment is constructive and real, not merely theoretical.