Title: A Further Clarification on 4:165 and 7:172 Question/Comments: Salaam , Thank you for your informative response regarding the meaning of 4:165 and 7:172. You state that the belief in One God is an "a priori" facet of man's nature. Does this automatically imply that all atheists, regardless of how kindhearted or virtuous they may be, are bound to eternal punishment? If this is true, I have difficulty reconciling this with the concept of mercy. I would certainly hope that if people lacked proper exposure to divine religions, or had misunderstandings or unanswered questions about God, they would be forgiven. I lived in Japan -- one of the most law-abiding nations in the world -- for most of my childhood. Many Japanese people are good and generous citizens, but many of them do not believe in God simply because they are never taught about Him. Sometimes when I relate information like this to my Muslim friends, they reply, "They have the brains to make electronics for the whole world, but they don't have the brains to believe in God?" My first question is, on the Day of Judgment, would God reject ALL excuses from even kindhearted atheists, on the basis of 7:172? I also personally know people who are not averse to religion per se, but do not accept the existence of God -- or at least His attribute of Mercy -- on the grounds that the intractable problem of human suffering on a global scale as well as the concept of eternal punishment are too disturbing to be squared with infinite mercy. While, as a Muslim, I do not necessarily share their skepticism or doubt, I find their objections understandable. According to the Qur'an, are they bound to the Fire as well? I would greatly appreciate your thoughts. May Allah reward you for your work. Best wishes, Omar Sarwar Slovakia Answer: The implication of the referred verses, in relation to the removal of excuse for rejection, is from a general rather than a specific perspective. In other words, these verses provide adequate basis, for those who believe in the Qur'an, to say that the humankind would, generally, have no excuse for rejecting the basic truths entailed in the teachings of all the prophets of God. The case of any specific individuals would individually be decided by the Almighty - with His abounding mercy and justice - on the Day of Judgment. We neither possess the required knowledge nor are fully aware of the particular individual's perspectives and mental and emotional states. We should, therefore, strictly refrain from passing judgments about specific individuals, except in cases where the Qur'an has expressly mentioned the fate of that particular individual (as is for instance the case of Abu Lahab and his wife etc.). I hope this helps. Regards, Moiz Amjad September 6, 2001