Reward and punishment

6 passages · search this phrase →

Often appears with: justice as a virtue · judgment, heaven, and hell · crime and punishment · unbelievers wish they were dust · trumpets and proclamations · the problem of evil and theodicy · the passions and the emotions · the nature and attributes of God · the fear of death · sura xliii idolatry and warning · speaking what is right · soul's ascent

Usually: argument (4) · detachment (3) · exhortation (3) · confronting death (2) · indignation (2) · commentary or gloss (1) · reflection (1) · crisis of belief (1) · sudden reversal of fortune (1) · the test or trial (1)

Quotable

“Ye get of me good fame none, By God! and therefore go your way.” Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems · precept

“Verily, We have warned you of a Penalty near, the Day when man will see (the deeds) which his hands have sent forth, and the Unbeliever will say, "Woe unto me! Would that I were (mere) dust!” Ali, Abdullah Yusuf; Pickthall, Marmaduke William; Shakir, M. H., Three translations of the Koran (Al-Qur'an) side by · observation

“Wings, also, will I fasten to thy mind wherewith thou mayst soar aloft, that so, all disturbing doubts removed, thou mayst return safe to thy country, under my guidance, in the path I will show thee, and by the means which I furnish.” Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy · insight

The Koran (Al-Qur'an) secondary

G. Margoliouth (George) · 610-632 CE (revelations compiled progressively; book published after the prophet’s death)
Book carefully concocted from various sources, and with much extraneous aid, and published as a divine oracle, then it would seem that the author is at once open to the charge of the grossest imposture, and even of impious blasphemy. The evidence rather shews, that in all he did and wrote, Muhammad was actuated by a sincere desire to deliver his countrymen from the grossness of its debasing idolatries-that he was urged on by an intense desire to proclaim that great truth of the Unity of the Godhead which had taken full possession of his own soul-that the end to be attained justified to his mind the means he adopted in the production of his Suras-that he worked himself up into a belief that he had received a divine call-and that he was carried on by the force of circumstances, and by gradually increasing successes, to believe himself the accredited messenger of Heaven. The earnestness of those convictions which at Mecca sustained him under persecution, and which perhaps led him, at any price as it were, and by any means, not even excluding deceit and falsehood, to endeavour to rescue his countrymen from idolatry,-naturally stiffened at Medina into tyranny and unscrupulous violence. At the same time, he was probably, more or less, throughout his whole career, the victim of a certain amount of self-deception. A cataleptic13 subject from his early youth, born-according to the traditions-of a highly nervous and excitable mother, he would be peculiarly liable to morbid and fantastic hallucinations, and alternations of excitement and depression, which would win for him, in the eyes of his ignorant countrymen, the credit of being inspired. It would be easy for him to persuade himself that he was "the seal of the Prophets," > Book is no other than a warning and a clear Koran, (3/104)

In Sura XLIII the argument continues: idolatry is rejected, blame falls on those who deny revelation, and the passage discusses rewards, Satan, divine power, and prophets like Abraham and Moses, mentioning disputes over the Koran’s revelation.

And they say, "Had but this Koran been sent down to some great one of the two cities6 . . .!" Are they then the distributors of thy Lord's Mercy?7 It is we who distribute their subsistence among them in this world's life; and we raise some of them by grades above others, that the one may take the other to serve him: but better is the mercy of thy Lord than all their hoards. But for fear that all mankind would have …

The Koran (Al-Qur'an) primary

Muhammad (Al-Qur'an content traditionally attributed; Rodwell as translator) · c. 610–632 CE (revelations compiled into the Qur'an after the prophet’s death)
Book carefully concocted from various sources, and with much extraneous aid, and published as a divine oracle, then it would seem that the author is at once open to the charge of the grossest imposture, and even of impious blasphemy. The evidence rather shews, that in all he did and wrote, Muhammad was actuated by a sincere desire to deliver his countrymen from the grossness of its debasing idolatries–that he was urged on by an intense desire to proclaim that great truth of the Unity of the Godhead which had taken full possession of his own soul–that the end to be attained justified to his mind the means he adopted in the production of his Suras–that he worked himself up into a belief that he had received a divine call–and that he was carried on by the force of circumstances, and by gradually increasing successes, to believe himself the accredited messenger of Heaven. The earnestness of those convictions which at Mecca sustained him under persecution, and which perhaps led him, at any price as it were, and by any means, not even excluding deceit and falsehood, to endeavour to rescue his countrymen from idolatry,–naturally stiffened at Medina into tyranny and unscrupulous violence. At the same time, he was probably, more or less, throughout his whole career, the victim of a certain amount of self-deception. A cataleptic13 subject from his early youth, born–according to the traditions–of a highly nervous and excitable mother, he would be peculiarly liable to morbid and fantastic hallucinations, and alternations of excitement and depression, which would win for him, in the eyes of his ignorant countrymen, the credit of being inspired. It would be easy for him to persuade himself that he was "the seal of the Prophets," > Book is no other than a warning and a clear Koran, (53/104)

Sura XI (Houd) opens with a call to worship only God and seek pardon, discusses God’s knowledge and providence, challenges denial of resurrection, and teaches that people’s responses to mercy reveal their character.

And if after trouble hath befallen him we cause him to taste our favour, he will surely exclaim, "The evils are passed away from me." Verily, he is joyous, boastful. Except those who endure with patience and do the things that are right: these doth pardon await and a great reward. Perhaps thou wilt suppress a part of what hath been revealed to thee, and wilt be distress at heart lest they say, "If a treasure be not…

An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume 1 secondary

John Locke · 1689
BOOK I NEITHER PRINCIPLES NOR IDEAS ARE INNATE > CHAPTER XXVIII. (2/10)

Locke defines “person” as a forensic term that assigns actions and their merit, extending accountability to the past only through consciousness, with final justification at the great day.

3. Ideas of Instituted or Voluntary relations. Thirdly, Sometimes the foundation of considering things with reference to one another, is some act whereby any one comes by a moral right, power, or obligation to do something. Thus, a general is one that hath power to command an army, and an army under a general is a collection of armed men obliged to obey one man. A citizen, or a burgher, is one who has a right to cer…

The Canterbury Tales, and Other Poems primary

Geoffrey Chaucer · c. 1387–1400 (composition of The Canterbury Tales and included poems; some items likely earlier/later)
i.e. > Act, which was passed soon after, 5 H. IV. c. iv., to make it felony ‘to multiply gold or silver, or to use the art of multiplication.’” Tyrwhitt finds in the prologue some colour for the hypothesis that this Tale was intended by Chaucer to begin the return journey from Canterbury; but against this must be set the fact that the Yeoman himself expressly speaks of the distance to Canterbury yet to be ridden. (102/112)

Fame’s Hall fills with companies from many regions who kneel and ask for good fame; Fame grants some, refuses others, and orders her messenger Aeolus to blow two trumpets—Cleare Laud for praise and Slander for defamation.

deeds As be on trees rookes’ nests; But it a full confus’d mattere Were all these gestes for to hear, That they of write, and how they hight.* *are called But while that I beheld this sight, I heard a noise approache blive,* *quickly That far’d* as bees do in a hive, *went Against their time of outflying; Right such a manner murmuring, For all the world,…

Three translations of the Koran (Al-Qur'an) side by side primary

Ali, Abdullah Yusuf; Pickthall, Marmaduke William; Shakir, M. H. · -610 to -632 (revelation); Qur'an as compiled afterward
Chapter 1: > Chapter 78: (3/3)

It warns humans that a near punishment is coming, that people will see what their hands sent ahead, and that unbelievers will wish they were only dust.

that the Spirit and the angels will stand forth in ranks, none shall speak except any who is permitted by (Allah) Most Gracious, and He will say what is right. P: On the day when the angels and the Spirit stand arrayed, they speak not, saving him whom the Beneficent alloweth and who speaketh right. S: The day on which the spirit and the angels shall stand in ranks; they shall not speak except he whom the Beneficent…

The Consolation of Philosophy primary

Boethius · c. 523–525 CE
BOOK I. > BOOK IV. (1/18)

Philosophy explains that God’s order prevents good rulers’ realm from honoring evil: the good are always strong and rewarded, the bad weak and punished, and the guide will lead the speaker home.

I. Softly and sweetly Philosophy sang these verses to the end without losing aught of the dignity of her expression or the seriousness of her tones; then, forasmuch as I was as yet unable to forget my deeply-seated sorrow, just as she was about to say something further, I broke in and cried: 'O thou guide into the way of true light, all that thy voice hath uttered from the beginning even unto now has manifestly seem…