The Qur‘an: an Encyclopedia
The 
concepts of punishment, affliction, suffering and torment are interconnected and most often expressed (around 400 times) by the word 
The origin of 
may be a human ruler, but most often it is God who punishes. God allots chastisement to individuals and communities in this world, as well as to individuals in the hereafter (the chastisement of fire in hell). Expressions like ‘a painful chastisement’ (3.177) are often synonymous with ‘hell’. Occasionally, the word 
may also mean ‘legal punishment’ (4.25).
Punishment stories are an important type of 
narrative, especially in the Meccan period. Throughout history, unbelief and rebellion against God and his Messengers are punished by divine intervention. The people of Thamud, for example, rejected the Divine Messengers sent to them and ‘the chastisement seized them’ (26.158) as a sign for humanity.
In 5.112 Jesus 
is asked by his disciples to ask God to send down a table with food from heaven. Jesus’ request is granted, but the divine voice says ‘Verily, I do send it [the table] down to you. Whoso of you hereafter dis-believes, verily I shall chastise him with a chastisement wherewith I chastise no other being’ (5.115).
A 
concept is ‘the pun-ishment in the tomb’ 
al-qabr). It was extensively developed in Tradition and depicts how angels question and test man between death and the Day of Judgement. This idea led to the concept of two judgements, one immediately after an individual’s death and another at the Day of Judgement. In support of this doctrine, 
verses like 6.93 are quoted:
See also: suffering
STEFAN WILD
This is the complete article, containing 307 words
(approx. 1 page at 300 words per page).
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