Consequences of Man's actions

The actions of man, apart from entailing an appropriate reward or punishment in the Hereafter, are not without their consequences in the herebelow either. Indeed, some events in the world are direct results of human actions; this pertains to a subtle reality, one which the Revelation has alluded to, and of which man has an inkling.

The actions of man, apart from entailing an appropriate reward or punishment in the Hereafter, are not without their consequences in the herebelow either. Indeed, some events in the world are direct results of human actions.

There are many verses in this respect; two examples may suffice:

And if the people of the townships had believed and kept from evil; surely We should have opened for them blessings from the sky and from the earth. But they gave the lie [to the Messengers of God], and so We seized them because of their [evil] deeds. (Sura al-A'raf, 96)

The Prophet Noah reminded his people of the relationship between the avoidance of sin by man and the opening up of the gates of mercy by God:

And I have said: Seek pardon of your Lord. Lo! He is Ever forgiving. He will let loose the sky for you in plenteous rain, and will help you with wealth and sons, and will assign unto you rivers. (Sura Nuh, 10-12)