The Promise Accompanied by Threat

God after promising the descent of the heavenly table said that if anyone among them disbelieves in it after its descent, He will afflict him with an unparalleled painful punishment: “But should any of you disbelieve after this, I will indeed punish him with a punishment such as I do not punish anyone in all creation.” This statement, which was a kind of threat to those requesting the table, contains a divine threat (waʿīd) and indeed explicitly states it, although whether this punishment is worldly or otherworldly is not clear.

Indeed, if God first grants a blessing to someone, that beneficiary is obligated to be grateful; that is, to recognize that blessing as being from God and use it in its proper place, and his ingratitude (kufrān) brings with it the danger of the removal of that blessing and the possibility - not certainty - of punishment for him. But if someone requests a blessing through God’s prophet and that prophet petitions God and his prayer is answered, the duty of the requester is not merely pure gratitude, but he must completely avoid any form of ingratitude toward the blessing, because God might afflict him with severe and unparalleled punishment as a result of ingratitude toward the blessing.

In the verse “If you are grateful, I will surely enhance you [in blessing], but if you are ungrateful, My punishment is indeed severe” (271) this threat (waʿīd) comes implicitly; that is, “and if you are ungrateful, I will punish you”; but in the verse under discussion where the Children of Israel requested the descent of the heavenly table, the threat is also explicitly stated.

Note: Some among the people of gnosis (ahl al-maʿrifa) hold that “initial blessing” (niʿmat ibtidāʾī) differs from “blessing preceded by request” (niʿmat masbūq bi-l-darkhwāst); that is, for example, if someone initially receives a particular leadership and governance from God that was not preceded by his request, God raises an angel for his guidance and support, but if he attained it as a result of a request, God leaves him to that same leadership and he is left to that same position. (272)