Surah Al-Kahf — Verse 87

Word Meanings:

• ظَلَمَ (Zalama): Here it means to commit injustice against oneself through disbelief, polytheism (shirk), and persisting in oppression after the truth has been made clear.
• نُعَذِّبُهُ (Nu'adhdhibuhu): We will punish him — referring to punishment in this worldly life.
• عَذَابًا نُكْرًا (Adhaban Nukra): A severe, terrible, and unprecedented punishment — one that is horrifying and beyond imagination.

Tafsir (Explanation):

In this verse, Dhul-Qarnayn — the righteous king and servant of Allah — responds to the people who sought his help against the nations of Gog and Magog (Ya'juj and Ma'juj). He establishes a clear and just policy, showing that his authority is not driven by arrogance or tyranny, but by wisdom and submission to Allah's law.

He says: "As for him who wrongs" — meaning the one who persists in disbelief, polytheism, and injustice after being invited to the truth — "we will punish him" in this life, which includes being killed as a consequence of his transgression and corruption. This punishment is not the final word, however. "Then he will be returned to his Lord" on the Day of Resurrection, where Allah — the Most Just — will hold him accountable and "punish him with a terrible punishment" — a punishment so severe and dreadful that its like has never been seen or imagined.

This verse carries a profound lesson for every believer and every person of conscience. It teaches us that justice in this world is a means of preserving order and protecting the innocent, but ultimate justice belongs to Allah alone. No oppressor can escape the reckoning of the Almighty, and no act of injustice — no matter how hidden — is beyond His knowledge.

At the same time, the verse reflects the beauty of Islamic governance: Dhul-Qarnayn did not punish out of personal revenge or tribal pride. He followed a balanced approach — punishing the wrongdoer, while (as we see in the following verses) showing kindness and protection to the one who believes and does good. This is the hallmark of true leadership in Islam: mercy for the righteous, firmness against the corrupt, and absolute reliance on Allah's final judgment.

Dear reader, reflect on this: if a righteous ruler — despite his immense power and authority — still acknowledges that the ultimate punishment belongs to Allah, how much more should we, as ordinary people, humble ourselves before our Creator? Let this verse inspire you to turn away from all forms of injustice, to seek Allah's mercy before His punishment, and to live a life of faith and good deeds — for the Hereafter is the true and everlasting abode.