Allah is severe in Punishment and Allah is Oft-forgiving, Most Merciful

Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions. Allah warns those who disobey His commands against severe punishments, and, on the other hand, promises to grant them forgiveness if they return to Him and obey His commands and instructions. He Says in the Holy Qur'an: {And fear Allah, Verily, Allâh is Severe in punishment}[59:7]. And also He Says: {…but help ye one another unto righteousness and pious duty. Help not one another unto sin and transgression, and keep your duty to Allah. Lo! Allah is severe in punishment}[5:2]. And He Says: {And seek Forgiveness of Allâh. Verily, Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most-Merciful}[2:199]. He further Says: {But whosoever repents after his crime and does righteous good deeds (by obeying Allah), then verily, Allah will pardon him (accept his repentance). Verily, Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.}[5:29]. These Ayahs (verses) and many others show the great extent of Allah's mercy and the scope of His forgiveness for those who repent. They (verses) similarly bespeak His severe and unbearable punishment for those who insist on sin without repenting. Yet, some points are to be taken into consideration in this regard: 1) Allah does never forgive anyone for polytheism, i.e., associating gods or peers along with Him in worship, unless he repents from this grave sin. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {Verily, Allâh forgives not that partners should be set up with him in worship, but He forgives except that (anything else) to whom He pleases,}[4:48]. As for sins lesser than that, if the wrongdoers give them up and repent to Allah (SWT), then He will forgive them. But if they do not give them up, then they will be under Allah's will; He either forgives them or punishes them. 2) Allah's Mercy surpasses His wrath and punishment. According to an authentic Hadith (Prophet's tradition): After Allah completed the formation of the creation, He wrote in His Book (Preserved Tablet) which is over the Throne that 'My Mercy has surpassed My Wrath' . [Narrated by Al-Bukhari ] 3) Allah Forgives whomever He pleases and punishes whomever He pleases. Nothing is compulsory on His Majesty. None has the ability to argue or reject His commands. He Says: {Then He (Allah) forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. And Allâh is Able to do all things}[2:284]. He also Says: {He forgives whom He wills, and punishes whom He wills. And Allâh is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.}[3:129]. Allah has stated the conditions of forgiveness such as repentance, regret for what the sinner has done, doing righteous deeds frequently, asking forgiveness frequently, and persistently entreating and supplicating Allah for forgiveness. Allah Says at the tongue of Prophet Noah (Alaihi Salaam): {I (Noah) said (to them): 'Ask forgiveness from your Lord; Verily, He is Oft-Forgiving. He will send rain to you in abundance…}[71:11-12]. In another verse, Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {The revelation of the Book (this Qur'ân) is from Allâh the All-Mighty, the All-Knower. The Forgiver of sin, the Acceptor of repentance…}[40:1-2]. Allah Says in an authentic Qudsi Hadith (Qudsi Hadith means that the meaning is from Allah and the wording is from the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam): O son of Adam! Whenever you call on me and entreat me, I will forgive you without measure, no matter what you did. O son of Adam! Even if your sins (are so abundant that they) reach the sky then you ask my forgiveness, I will forgive you without measure. O son of Adam! If you commit sins the earth size (so much so that they cover the earth) then you meet me without associating anything with Me in worship, verily I will meet you with (the earth-size of) forgiveness (in similar abundance) . [Narrated by At-Tirmizi and sorted as authentic by Al-Albani ] Allah knows best.