Promise and Threat in the Holy Qur'an: A Comparative Doctrinal Study

Abstract

    The concept of promise and threat occupies a central position in the Islamic faith, as it constitutes a fundamental pillar for guiding human behavior toward obedience and adherence to the teachings of religion. Islamic sects have differed in their approach to this concept based on their vision of divine justice, intercession, and the relationship of faith to action. Imamiyya emphasizes the balance between promise and threat, with intercession serving as a factor in mitigating punishment.

  While the Mu'tazila believed that divine justice required strict implementation of promises and threats without exception, especially with regard to the disobedient Murji'ah, they focused on the promise and hoped to overcome the threat through God's mercy, leading to a lenient view of actions. In contrast, Orientalists presented their analyses from a historical and cultural perspective.

  Their opinions varied between recognizing the usefulness of this concept in strengthening morality, and viewing it as a tool for psychological pressure on individuals. These differences in the position of the sects regarding promise and threat reveal the diversity of the Islamic understanding of these concepts. This diversity reflects the depth of the doctrinal and intellectual discussions that have

contributed to shaping the Islamic heritage and guiding the course of religious thought throughout the ag.