A summary of the concepts held by the Ahl al-Sunnah.
Partial punishment serves as a warning before the punishment of total eradication.
It is part of the wisdom of Allah, the Exalted, and His mercy toward those who transgress against themselves.
He inflicts partial punishment upon them,
as a warning before the arrival of the punishment of total eradication or destruction,
so that perhaps they might humble themselves in supplication.
If that proves of no benefit to them,
they are subjected to the Sunnah of gradual enticement (istidraj).
“Then, when they forgot that whereof they had been reminded, We opened unto them the gates of all things till, even as they were rejoicing in that which they were given, We seized them unawares, and lo! they were dumbfounded.” (6:44)
They reach the pinnacle of tyranny and corruption,
and they imagine that they have power over the earth and all that is within it.
Then the punishment comes upon them suddenly, and they are left in utter despair.
Allah, the Exalted, says:
“We have sent already unto peoples that were before thee, and We visited them with tribulation and adversity, in order that they might grow humble.” (6:42)
"We seized them with suffering and adversity,
so that perhaps they might humble themselves in supplication."
“If only, when Our disaster came on them, they had been humble! But their hearts were hardened and the devil made all that they used to do seem fair unto them!” (6:43)
“If only, when Our disaster came on them, they had been humble! But their hearts were hardened and the devil made all that they used to do seem fair unto them!” (6:43)
"...what they used to do."
"So when they forgot that with which they had been reminded,"
“Then, when they forgot that whereof they had been reminded, We opened unto them the gates of all things till, even as they were rejoicing in that which they were given, We seized them unawares, and lo! they were dumbfounded.” (6:44)
“Then, when they forgot that whereof they had been reminded, We opened unto them the gates of all things till, even as they were rejoicing in that which they were given, We seized them unawares, and lo! they were dumbfounded.” (6:44)
"...and they were left in utter despair."
“So of the people who did wrong the last remnant was cut off. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds!” (6:45)
And praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
Allah has diversified the types of partial punishment
upon Pharaoh and his people before their destruction.
Allah, the Exalted, says:
“So We sent against them the flood and the locusts and the vermin and the frogs and the blood - a succession of clear signs. But they were arrogant and became a guilty folk.” (7:133)
“So We sent against them the flood and the locusts and the vermin and the frogs and the blood - a succession of clear signs. But they were arrogant and became a guilty folk.” (7:133)
"...but they grew arrogant and were a criminal people."
When they broke the covenant and persisted in their heedlessness,
the manifest destruction came upon them.
Allah, the Exalted, says:
"But when We removed the torment from them until a term which they were to reach,"
“But when We did remove from them the terror for a term which they must reach, behold! they broke their covenant.” (7:135)
“Therefore We took retribution from them; therefore We drowned them in the sea: because they denied Our revelations and were heedless of them.” (7:136)
"...because they denied Our signs and were heedless of them."