🧭 Core Message
Both Christianity and Islam affirm that justice belongs to God. Believers are called to respond to wrongs with:
- Patience
- Forgiveness
- Goodness
📖 From the Bible: Romans 12:19–21 (NIV)
“Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath… Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Reflection
- True strength is shown through mercy, not retaliation
- Evil is conquered by goodness
- Trusting God’s justice brings peace
📜 From the Qur’an: Parallels in Islamic Teaching
1. Forgiveness Instead of Revenge
“The recompense of an injury is an injury equal thereto; but if a person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah.” — Surah Ash-Shura (42:40)
- Justice is permitted, but forgiveness is nobler
- Forgiveness earns divine reward
2. Responding to Evil with Goodness
“Repel evil with what is better; then the one you have enmity with will become as close as an intimate friend.” — Surah Fussilat (41:34)
- Goodness transforms enemies into friends
- Mirrors Paul’s call to overcome evil with good
3. Trusting in Divine Justice
“Be patient, for indeed, Allah does not allow the reward of the righteous to be lost.” — Surah Hud (11:115)
- Patience and righteousness are never wasted
- God’s justice is perfect and assured
🤝 Unified Reflection
| Shared Teaching | Bible | Qur’an |
|---|---|---|
| Justice belongs to God | Romans 12:19 | Surah 42:40 |
| Respond to evil with good | Romans 12:21 | Surah 41:34 |
| Trust divine justice | Implied in Romans | Surah 11:115 |
🕊️ Final Insight
This is not a call to weakness. It is a call to:
- Trust God’s wisdom over emotion
- Let go of revenge
- Become instruments of peace
- Reflect divine mercy in a world that often seeks retaliation
In a world that often encourages retaliation and resentment, both Christianity and Islam offer a powerful and countercultural message. They teach that justice belongs to God alone, and that human beings are called to respond to wrongdoing not with revenge, but with mercy, patience, and goodness.
The Apostle Paul, writing to the early Christian community in Rome, offers this guidance: “Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath. For it is written, ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord. On the contrary, ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” (Romans chapter twelve, verses nineteen to twenty one)
Paul’s words challenge believers to resist the impulse to retaliate. True strength is not found in striking back, but in showing mercy. Evil cannot be defeated by more evil. It is conquered only through acts of goodness. When believers choose forgiveness, they reflect the character of God and free themselves from the burden of bitterness. Trusting in divine justice allows them to live with peace in their hearts.
This same call to forgiveness and moral courage is found in the Qur’an. In Surah Ash Shura, verse forty, it is written: “The recompense of an injury is an injury equal to it. But if a person forgives and makes reconciliation, his reward is due from Allah. For Allah does not love those who do wrong.”
This verse affirms that while one may seek justice, forgiveness is the more noble path. It is a choice that earns divine reward and lifts the soul above anger. Forgiveness is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of spiritual strength and trust in God’s wisdom.
The Qur’an also speaks of the power of goodness to transform relationships. In Surah Fussilat, verse thirty four, we read: “The good deed and the evil deed are not equal. Repel evil with what is better. Then the one you have enmity with will become as close as an intimate friend.”
This teaching mirrors Paul’s message to overcome evil with good. It suggests that compassion can soften even the hardest hearts. When believers respond to hostility with kindness, they open the door to healing and reconciliation.
Finally, both Scriptures remind us that divine justice may not be immediate, but it is never absent. In Surah Hud, verse one hundred fifteen, the Qur’an declares: “Be patient, for indeed, Allah does not allow the reward of the righteous to be lost.”
Patience in this context is not passive waiting. It is active trust. It is the quiet confidence that God sees every act of goodness and will reward it in perfect time.
Together, these teachings form a unified spiritual vision. The Bible and the Qur’an call believers to walk a higher moral path. This path is marked by forgiveness, patience, and unwavering faith in divine justice. It is not an easy path. It requires humility, courage, and deep trust. But it is the path that leads to peace—peace within, peace with others, and peace with God.
To forgive does not mean to abandon justice. It means to entrust justice to the One who judges perfectly. By letting go of revenge, believers become instruments of mercy. They reflect divine love in a world that often seeks retaliation. In doing so, they embody the heart of their faith and become agents of healing in a broken world.
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