The (PBUHH) said...

The (PBUHH) said: “If you knew the extent of divine mercy, you would rely on it so much that you would perform only a few good deeds; and if you knew the extent of God’s wrath, you would think that you could never be saved” . [5] Imam al-Sadiq (AS) narrated that his father said: “There is no believing servant except that within his heart are two lights: the light of fear and the light of hope. If one were weighed, it would not outweigh the other” .

[6] And another narration recorded in Ghurar al-Hikam from Imam Amir al-Muminin Ali (AS): “Fear your Lord with a fear that distracts you from over-reliance on His mercy, and hope in Him with a hope that does not make you feel safe from His fear” . [7] The Causes of Divine Wrath At this point, a question arises: how does divine mercy or wrath come upon a people? Does it happen randomly, without any rule or measure? Or are there specific laws that govern the manifestation of divine mercy and wrath?

Without doubt, the second is true. Divine mercy and wrath never occur without reason. The determining factors are known as Divine Laws (sunan ilahiyyah) that govern history. In summary, divine mercy and wrath operate according to precise laws, and societies, through their own actions, create the conditions for them.

[8] In Nahj al-Balagha, Imam Ali (AS) beautifully describes this balance: “He is the One whose punishment is severe upon His enemies despite the vastness of His mercy, and whose mercy encompasses His friends despite the intensity of His wrath. Whoever contends with Him is subdued; whoever opposes Him is destroyed; whoever defies Him is humbled; and whoever becomes His enemy is defeated” .

[9] He also says: “Whoever supports God with his heart, hand, and tongue, surely God, exalted be His Name, guarantees to support the one who supports Him and to honor the one who honors Him” . [10] Elsewhere, he recalls his and his companions’ steadfastness beside the Prophet (PBUHH) in the face of Islam’s enemies: “We were with the Messenger of God, fighting our fathers, sons, brothers, and uncles; and this only increased our faith and submission.

When God saw our sincerity, He brought humiliation upon our enemies and granted us victory, until Islam became firmly established” . [11] As can be seen from the words of Amir al-Muminin (AS), victory and defeat are both in God’s hands. Yet God’s actions are never arbitrary or without cause.