Why will Allah punish us if we do not follow his orders?

Submitted by Prashant (United States), Sep 12, 2011 at 22:30

Dear Dr Pipes:

Reader Tausif, like so many other advertisers of Islam, stated that Allah will punish us if we do not follow his orders. Why would Allah punish us if we do not follow his orders as long as we do no harm? Why would Allah not punish us if we follow his orders but cause harm to others? Why would Allah punish us for not following his, relatively trivial, advice (like how to wash hands)?

Allah probably is all merciful. He probably also wants us to be merciful. Then how come I have not met even one muslim in my entire life who has forgiven Israel even though Israel's crimes are no bigger than Muslim's crimes through the entire history of Islam? Will Allah also punish Muslims for not being merciful?

I am writing it because we have to work on Islamic fundamentalism one Muslim at a time and one thought at a time.

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