and is not a cause of them.

Indeed, they may even say that sins are merely a sign of punishment because the two occur together, not that sins cause it. This contradicts the Quran, the Sunnah, the consensus of the early generations, and reason.

The Quran explains in numerous places that Allah has never destroyed or punished anyone except because of a sin. Here He says:

“Whatever misfortune befalls you is from yourself.”

Concerning Uhud, He said to them:

“Why, when a calamity struck you, although you had inflicted twice as much, did you say, ‘Where has this come from?’ Say, ‘It is from yourselves.’”

The Most High says:

“Whatever misfortune befalls you is because of what your hands have earned, and He pardons much.”

The Most High also says in Sūrat al-Shūrā:

“But if some misfortune befalls them because of what their hands have sent forth, then man is indeed ungrateful.”

The Most High says:

“Say, ‘Consider: if His punishment should come upon you by night or by day, what part of it would the criminals seek to hasten?’”

The Most High says:

“We never destroyed a town without it having warners, as a reminder; and We were never unjust.”

The Most High says:

“Your Lord would never destroy the towns until He had sent to their chief town a messenger reciting Our verses to them. Nor would We destroy towns unless their people were wrongdoers.”

The Most High says:

“Corruption has appeared on land and sea because of what people’s hands have earned, so that He may make them taste some of the consequences of what they have done, that they might return.”

The Most High says:

“We will surely make them taste the lesser punishment before the greater punishment, so that they may return.”

The Most High says:

“Or He could destroy them because of what they have earned, yet He pardons much.”

The Most High also says in Sūrat al-Qalam concerning the owners of the garden, whom He presented as an example when He destroyed it with that