This contradicts the view of the Jahmiyyah and their followers, who say that Allah punishes without any sin having been committed, and subjects the children of unbelievers and others to perpetual, everlasting punishment without their having committed any sin.

They maintain that a person should fear Allah unconditionally, whether or not he has committed any sin. They liken fear of Him to fear of a lion or of a domineering king whose actions and use of force are governed by no rule, and who may subjugate and punish subjects who have committed no offence.

But when a servant believes Allah’s words,

“Whatever evil befalls you is from yourself,”

he recognizes the falsehood of this view and knows that Allah chastises and punishes him only for his sins. Indeed, all the calamities that befall a servant are due to his sins. The statement of the early generations—including Ibn ʿAbbās and others—has already been mentioned: the distress and loss of resolve that afflicted them on the day of Uhud were due only to their sins. No one made any exception to this. This is one benefit of addressing the individual specifically: it prevents the statement from being understood as a general one subject to exceptions.

In the two Sahīh collections, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) is reported to have said:

“No believer is afflicted by illness, fatigue, worry, sorrow, or distress—even the prick of a thorn—without Allah expiating some of his sins through it.”