Painful Punishments for Concealing Truth
Addressing a Quran interpretation session, Mohsen Faqihi discussed the points in verses 174 and 175 of Surah Al-Baqarah. Following are excerpts from his speech:
“Those who conceal what Allah has sent down of the Book and sell it for a small price shall swallow nothing but fire into their bellies. On the Day of Resurrection, Allah will neither speak to them nor purify them. Theirs shall be a painful punishment. Such are those who buy error for guidance, and punishment for pardon. How patiently they will be in the Fire.” (Surah Baqarah verses 174-175)
Verse 174 of the Surah talks about concealing the truth which is a great sin. Sins are usually committed to gaining worldly benefits, money, status and facilities. The one who conceals the truth has in fact sold his existence deserving Paradise for the small price of the world and he has no worth before God.
The concealment of realities will lead to the elimination of the truth. Some people condone a wrong deed with their word, their silence, or their deed. No sin deserves such a painful punishment in the verses of the Quran which say these sinners shall swallow nothing but fire in their bellies and Allah will not speak to them.
These are the ones who have lost the guidance, which is the noble nature of humans that is truth-seeking, for worldly benefits and have purchased astray to gain power, wealth, etc.
Concealing the truth is the reason that their bellies have been filled with painful punishment and the worst is that they change the forgiveness of God for themselves to punishment and make barriers on the path of Divine forgiveness.
Humans should know that the result of gaining wealth, reputation, etc. by concealing the truth, will be punishment in the Hereafter and the Hellfire.
Although all humans may commit this sin, its consequence is more severe when it is done by scholars and great figures, and their Tawbah (repentance) will not be accepted just by asking for forgiveness because concealing the truth by these people leads society astray.
Their Tawbah will be accepted when they try to direct those who went astray because of concealing the truth to the right path. Therefore, seminary figures, scholars, and the learned have a great responsibility to make society aware. If they conceal the truth, they will be punished by God.
Someone may say that he has said night prays a lot and done many good deeds. These are very good but remaining silent when we should say the truth and speaking when we should remain silent is more important. Perhaps, concealing the truth will also remove the reward of all worships. That is because keeping silent when we witness corruption will cause them to grow so much that cannot be stopped. While if it was stopped at the beginning it would not grow that much.
However, it should be said that concealing the truth has different levels. Sometimes it is to destroy people’s beliefs through concealing the principles of religion which are monotheism, prophethood and Imamate and sometimes it is concealing religious truths and expediencies for people that there will be different punishments for each of them.
