Allah - The God of Islam - Retaliation and destruction

This is a continuation of a multi-post article. You can read the first post here and you can read the previous post here. This is also part of a larger series called "The Koran from a Christian perspective." You can find other posts in this series here.

God is a God of justice. All men shall one day give account for all they have done. Those who have done well shall receive rewards while those who have done evil shall pay the penalty for their evil. Justice demands just and fair retribution for wrongs done and the rewards for good rendered. In this justice God is fair and complete. Nothing shall be left that shall not be properly adjudicated at the end of the age. However, God's justice is without passion and emotion; it is the expression of pure and undefiled justice. This is not so with the God of Muhammad. The Koran tells us,

"God is terrible in retribution." (Koran 3:9)

In reading the Koran you get the impression that, for God, punishment is about more than justice; it is personal, it is about achieving retribution against those who did not believe and who offended and wronged God by their disobedience. Allah wants more than justice, He wants to get even. This attitude is even taught to the faithful by Allah and the Koran.

"O believers, prescribed for you is retaliation, touching the slain; freeman for freeman, slave for slave, female for female... In retaliation there is life for you" (Koran 2:174, 175)

This is quite a departure from the words of Jesus,

"But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you." (Matthew 5:39-42)

Paul taught is to not pursue vengeance or retaliation against our enemies, rather to leave justice and vengeance to the Lord.

"Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, 'Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,' says the Lord. 'But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals on his head'. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:19-21)

While God does take vengeance, it is vengeance for those whom have been wronged, not for Himself. God is beyond hurt and offense and therefore has no need of vengeance or retaliation. However, the God of the Koran almost seems to take pleasure in retaliation and in giving unbelievers their just deserts.

"Assuredly I shall fill Gehenna [hell] with jinn and men all together." (Koran 32:13)

Not only does Allah's retaliation wait for the end of the age, but He actively participates in wars and destruction against those who have wronged Him. Repeatedly, throughout the Koran, Allah boasts and reminds men of the many cities and nations He has destroyed in His retaliation towards men.

"[Of old, too,] We have destroyed the likes of you." (Koran  54:51)

"How many a city We have destroyed! Our might came upon it at night, or while they took their ease in the noontide [their midday slumber]" (Koran 7:3)

"Have We not established for them a sanctuary [sacred] secure [precinct], to which are collected the fruits of everything, as a provision [gift for their support] from Us? But most of them know not. How many a city We have destroyed that flourished in insolent [wanton] ease!" (Koran 28:57-58)

Such behavior seems more appropriate to men than to deity. The God of the Koran seems more in keeping with the nature of Muhammad than the nature of an all powerful and all knowing God. God's emotions are not petty and retaliatory and His justice is true and right and not tainted with emotions. Petty emotionalism may be true of Muhammad but it is not true of God.

David Robison