What is the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted: "And whoever intends therein [the Sacred Mosque] any deviation through injustice, We will make him taste a painful punishment"?
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The questioner : A questioner asks: What is the meaning of the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Al-Hajj 22:25] Is it because of the intention, even if he does not commit the sin?
The Shaykh : Yes, this verse was revealed regarding the Sacred Mosque. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Hajj 22:25] And the first to enter into that [deviation] are those polytheists who prevented the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions. And Allah, Mighty and Majestic, says: [Al-Hajj 22:25] "The resident" means the one who stays there, and "the one who comes" means the one who arrives there. So people are equal in it. Thus, whoever intends therein any deviation and prevents people from it unjustly, then Allah the Exalted will make him taste a painful punishment. For this reason, sins are multiplied in Makkah in quality, not in quantity. That is to say, a good deed or a bad deed cannot be more than one bad deed; rather, it is one bad deed, but its punishment is more severe, and its pain is more intense. The evidence for this is the saying of Allah, Blessed and Exalted: [Al-An'am 6:160] Where was this verse revealed?
The student: In Makkah.
The Shaykh : In Makkah, because it is in Surat al-An'am, and Surat al-An'am was revealed in Makkah. Accordingly, sins in Makkah are not multiplied in number, but in quality, meaning that the punishment is more severe than the punishment for a sin in any other place. Yes.
and [also] whoever intends [a deed] therein of deviation [in religion] or wrongdoing - We will make him taste of a painful punishment.
ومن يرد فيه بإلحاد بظلم نذقه من عذاب أليمThe Shaykh : Yes, this verse was revealed regarding the Sacred Mosque. Allah the Exalted said:
Indeed, those who have disbelieved and avert [people] from the way of Allah and [from] al-Masjid al-Haram, which We made for the people - equal are the resident therein and one from outside; and [also] whoever intends [a deed] therein of deviation [in religion] or wrongdoing - We will make him taste of a painful punishment.
إن الذين كفروا ويصدون عن سبيل الله والمسجد الحرام الذي جعلناه للناس سواء العاكف فيه والبادي ومن يرد فيه بإلحاد بظلم نذقه من عذاب أليمwhich We made for the people - equal are the resident therein and one from outside
الذي جعلناه للناس سواء العاكف فيه والباديWhoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof [to his credit], and whoever comes with an evil deed will not be recompensed except the like thereof; and they will not be wronged.
من جاء بالحسنة فله عشر أمثالها ومن جاء بالسيئة فلا يجزى إلا مثلها وهم لا يظلمونThe student: In Makkah.
The Shaykh : In Makkah, because it is in Surat al-An'am, and Surat al-An'am was revealed in Makkah. Accordingly, sins in Makkah are not multiplied in number, but in quality, meaning that the punishment is more severe than the punishment for a sin in any other place. Yes.