"The recompense of an evil is an evil like unto it. Yet whosoever pardons and sets matters aright, his reward with with God. Truly he loves not the wrongdoers."
Quran 42:40
This brief, but profound, passage is drawn from the 42nd surah, al-Shura, here rendered as "Counsel." It's hardly a unique passage in the Quran, but it's also one that every time I read it I reflect upon the number of Christians who would think it's drawn from the Gospels because they have assume that Islam is an angry, vengeful religion. Are there seemingly "angry" passages in the Quran - and are there angry Muslims - yes, of course, but overwhelmingly we are reminded to control our anger and to forgive, and the vast majority of Muslims I know (sadly, all too often not me) are extraordinarily good at controlling their anger and forgiving others.
As Nasr informs us in the Study Quran commentary, "If understood as a general statement, this verse alludes to the Quranic dictum that people are only punished for their bad deeds in a measure that is equal to the sins they have committed, but that they are rewarded tenfold or greater for food deeds." (p. 1184) I know we've discussed this subject before but I'll repeat my earlier opinion: even if this is only a metaphor it speaks to an optimistic faith based on hope and a positive view of human nature, and not an angry based on a view of a corrupted human nature wherein punishment is required.
Quran 42:40
This brief, but profound, passage is drawn from the 42nd surah, al-Shura, here rendered as "Counsel." It's hardly a unique passage in the Quran, but it's also one that every time I read it I reflect upon the number of Christians who would think it's drawn from the Gospels because they have assume that Islam is an angry, vengeful religion. Are there seemingly "angry" passages in the Quran - and are there angry Muslims - yes, of course, but overwhelmingly we are reminded to control our anger and to forgive, and the vast majority of Muslims I know (sadly, all too often not me) are extraordinarily good at controlling their anger and forgiving others.
As Nasr informs us in the Study Quran commentary, "If understood as a general statement, this verse alludes to the Quranic dictum that people are only punished for their bad deeds in a measure that is equal to the sins they have committed, but that they are rewarded tenfold or greater for food deeds." (p. 1184) I know we've discussed this subject before but I'll repeat my earlier opinion: even if this is only a metaphor it speaks to an optimistic faith based on hope and a positive view of human nature, and not an angry based on a view of a corrupted human nature wherein punishment is required.
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