These approximate statistics show that the world today is experiencing many problems that solving them is so difficult that they seem almost impossible to solve. People are and have always been suffering from hunger, poverty, violence, war, physical and psychological disorders or diseases, and the like.
The question is, “What does Allah Almighty do about all these?”
Evil proves that Allah doesn’t exist
Some people may ask “If Allah Almighty exists and He is omnipotent and loves his worshipers, why do people suffer while He can prevent all these problems?”
Those believing in Allah Almighty mostly argue that the discipline in the world and the harmony between its parts prove that there is a God who has made all these. On the other hand, those who disbelieve in Allah Almighty respond that the world is full of evils, as well, and the difficulties in the world are uncountable and unbearable.
In return, the believers say that the discipline of the world is a sign of the existence of Allah Almighty whether some evils exist or not. They don’t say that to prove the existence of Allah Almighty we should prove the whole world is disciplined but there is an adequate amount of harmony in the world that proves there is a Creator.
The Holy Quran and the Shiite Imams have answered the problem of evil in various ways.
We know that Allah is pure good, but He sometimes lets us suffer because through enduring these sufferings and hardships, we can achieve something better which couldn’t be possible to achieve without experiencing those difficulties.
Sometimes, Allah tests us with hardships and difficulties, so He sees how we react and if we do well, we will be worthy enough to be rewarded by Allah. If Allah doesn’t test us, how can we show our worthiness?
The Holy Quran says,
We will certainly test you with a touch of fear and famine and loss of property, life, and crops. Give good news to those who patiently endure* — who, when faced with a disaster, say, “Surely to Allah we belong and to Him we will ˹all˺ return.”* They are the ones who will receive Allah’s blessings and mercy. And it is they who are ˹rightly˺ guided. * (2:155-157)
In this regard, Imam Sadiq (AS) says,
Indeed, there is a [high] place in the heavens that no one can reach except with enduring hardships regarding their bodies. (7)
Also, Imam Ali (AS) says about the advantages of difficulties,
Remember that the tree of dry plains is the best for timber, while green twigs have soft bark, and the wild bushes are very strong for burning and slow in dying off. (8)
Now we can understand why the believers are suffering from their issues more than the disbelievers. Allah wants to give us greater rewards in the hereafter. Imam Sadiq (AS) says,
Among people, the prophets suffered the most, and after them the ones who are like them. (9)
He also says,
Believers will suffer as much as their righteous deeds. Therefore, if they have a true religion and do good deeds, they will suffer from so many difficulties. This is because of the fact that Allah hasn’t created this world as a reward for the believers and not as a punishment for the disbelievers. (10)
Our Imams, especially Imam Hussein (AS), are the best examples of what Imam Sadiq (AS) says. If you study their history, you would see that they lived in the hardest circumstances.
The Holy Quran says,
Fighting has been made obligatory upon you ˹believers˺, though you dislike it. Perhaps you dislike something which is good for you and like something which is bad for you. Allah knows and you do not know. (2:216)
Imam Sadiq (AS) says,
The ones who disgust by the hardships of this world are like the kids who disgust by the bitter medicines and get angry when it is forbidden for them to eat some delicious food (which is harmful to them). (11)
For instance, imagine someone getting fired. This would make them so sad and they would think that Allah has forgotten about them. However, when they search for a new job, Allah gives them a better job opportunity which makes them understand getting fired was actually a gift because it made them go for another job. Notice that sometimes we think some event is bad but actually is a gift.
Our needs are mostly the only things that make us think about God. When everything is good and we have no problems in our lives and everything is just as we want, most of us forget about Allah and that He is the one who has given us all these gifts.
The Holy Quran says,
Indeed, man becomes rebellious * when he considers himself without need. (96:6 - 7)
It also says,
And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the [eternal] life, if only they knew.* And when they board a ship, they supplicate Allāh, sincere to Him in religion [i.e., faith and hope]. But when He delivers them to the land, at once they associate others with Him.* So that they will deny what We have granted them, and they will enjoy themselves.
But they are going to know.(29:64-66)
Allah almighty clarifies why he sometimes let people suffer,
We will certainly make them taste some of the minor torment ˹in this life˺ before the major torment ˹of the Hereafter˺, so perhaps they will return ˹to the Right Path˺. (32:21)
It means that Allah punishes us in this world because of forgetting about Him and committing sins and by this punishment, He tries to make us understand that we should stop and repent. This way Allah protects us from the greater punishment of the hereafter.
Every evil in this world is not always because of the will of Allah but it is sometimes the consequence of humans’ deeds. The Holy Quran says,
Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea as a result of people's actions, so He will make them taste [the consequences of] some of their actions so that perhaps they will return [to righteousness]. (30:41)
Whatever affliction befalls you is because of what your own hands have committed. And He pardons much. (42:30)
Allah gave humans free will and would not force us to do or not to do anything. Therefore, humans must face the result of their actions.
Take World War I and II as examples. Many people were killed and butchered by soldiers of the opposite party. Were these wars by the will or order of Allah? If one refuses to study and work hard while young, he/she will have to work hard and suffer from poverty in the future. It is the consequence of his/her deeds not the will of Allah.
Resources
- https://www.wfp.org/global-hunger-crisis
- https://ourworldindata.org/homicides#in-some-countries-homicide-is-one-of-the-leading-causes-of-death
- https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/murder-rate-by-country
- https://worlddata.io/portfolio/world-poverty-clock
- https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/mortality-and-global-health-estimates
- https://www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/
- Vasa’il ash-Shia, Sheikh Hurr al-Ameli, vol.3, pg.261
- Nahjul Balagha, Letter 45
- Vasa’il ash-Shia, Sheikh Hurr al-Ameli, vol.3, pg.261
- The same
- Tohid, Mufazzal ibn Umar, pg.168
In the previous article, we explained the importance of generosity in Islam. This article presents you with six codes of behavior that are to be observed in the acts of charities and alms-giving. The religion of Islam attaches great emphasis to the way how we offer our generous help and kindness to others. Some of the rules regarding generosity in Islam are as follows:
“‘We feed you only for the sake of Allah. We desire no reward from you, nor thanks’” (76:9)
In this verse, Allah praises the family of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH&HP) [Ahlul-Bayt (AS)], who would give their food to the needy only for the sake of God's grace and satisfaction without asking for rewards and even waiting for thanks.
“As for him who gives and is Godwary” (92:5)
The companionship of generosity in Islam with piety is to avoid stinginess in almsgiving and also to earn and spend in lawful (Halal) ways. You can choose a deceitful way to reach a laudable aim since the ends can never justify the means.
“Do not keep your hand chained to your neck, nor open it all together, or you will sit blameworthy and regretful ” (17:29)
This verse stresses the importance of moderation saying we should neither quit almsgiving by being tight-fisted nor be too open-handed in our act of kindness towards others.
“O you who have faith! Do not render your charities void by reproaches and affronts” (2:264)
Expressing or reminding your favor upon others may hurt their feelings and would definitely invalidate your charitable act. Islam strongly recommends us to treat each other with dignity and respect. Therefore, we should seriously avoid any kind of hurtful behavior or words which we think might offend the receiver of help.
“O you who have faith! Spend of the good things you have earned [through trade and the like] and of what We bring forth for you from the earth, and do not be of the mind to give the bad part of it, for you yourselves would not take it unless you ignore…” (2:267)
We are surely reluctant to receive anything worthless; so how could we give away something we do not like ourselves in the path of Allah? This is definitely disrespectful to our fellow brothers and sisters, insulting the high status of God.
It is highly recommended in Islam to give charity in secret so that the needy does not feel embarrassed and to safeguard his/her dignity and self-esteem. We should know that we are never superior to the one we are helping no matter how great our charity is.
Shall We Help the One Whom Allah Would Help if He Wished?
This question is asked by the disbelievers when Allah tells them to give charity: “When they are told, ‘Spend out of what Allah has provided you,’ the faithless say to the faithful, ‘Shall we feed [someone] whom Allah would feed if He wished? You are only in manifest error’” (36:47).
You might also wonder why Allah does not provide for the destitute Himself and orders the rich to help them! To resolve this doubt one should think about how people would develop virtues if they were all the same and had the same facilities! What would responsibility mean then? What about freedom of choice? Wouldn’t it be deterministic if God chose to help the ones He wished? “Does man suppose that he has been abandoned to futility?” (75:36)
There would be only one answer to all these questions: Each of us is responsible for everything that happens to us and also for our fellow human beings. The teachings of generosity in Islam are recommended in many verses of the holy Quran and stories from our infallible Imams to help us all lead a better life.
Not only that, psychologists and researchers of modern sciences have proven the positive impacts generosity has on our lives, as well. That is why people around the world nowadays are getting more and more engaged in many charitable acts like voluntary works, donations, etc., which would help the cycle of “good” going and make us all live in a happier world.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH & HP) has been sent as a perfect role model for human beings, both in deeds and behavior. This is emphasized in the Quran (33:21) and the sayings of Infallible Imams (AS): “Certainly, in the Prophet of Allah (PBUH and HP) was sufficient example for you and a proof concerning the vices of the world, its defects, the multitude of its disgraces and its evils” [1]. Being mercy to all humans, Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH & HP) compassion included not only Muslims but every human being. This fact is evident in his manner towards opposers and how he dealt with the followers of other religions that we reviewed some of them in the first part of the topic and the rest will be introduced here.
As mentioned in the Quran, Islam is a religion for the people all around the world: “We did not send you except as a bearer of good news and warner to all mankind” (34:28). Hence, it was a duty over the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH & HP) to promote Islam in other parts of the world, too. As soon as his message had been spread in the region of Hejaz, and the Islamic government had been established after the settlement of conflicts among parties in dispute, Prophet (PBUH & HP) received the divine order to universalize his mission (9:33-48:28). Accordingly, he sent several messages to the governors of various countries. In these messages, he neither threatened to war nor obliged them to obey him. Instead, he used kind words to invite them to monotheism (Tawhid). About 185 messages are reported that had been sent to the leaders of countries, heads of tribes, and emperors, which all shared a peaceful approach [2].
All the messages he sent to Al-Muqawqis, the ruler of Egypt, Heraclius, the Emperor of the Byzantine Empire, and Al-Najashi, the king of the Kingdom of Aksum, started with salutations and greetings. Then, they were asked to let their people hear the divine message that Prophet (PBUH & HP) had and decide freely whether they want to follow it or not. The reason behind sending letters to the heads of countries and tribes was that, if the leader of a group were convinced to change his\her mind and accepted Islam, then he\she would let his\her people hear the message of Islam and invite them more easily to Islam; like what happened with Al-Najashi. Hearing the Surat Maryam and realizing the truth, he let those Muslims who had moved from Mecca to Aksum to save their lives and settle down safely in his realm. This permission caused Islam to be spread readily in that land, and many people accepted Islam willingly.
This matches the principles of “peaceful coexistence” and “religious coexistence” that are encouraged in Islam [3]: “Say, ‘O People of the Book! Come to a common word between us and you: that we will worship no one but Allah, that we will not ascribe any partner to Him, and that some of us will not take some others as lords besides Allah.” (3:64).
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH & HP) always encouraged Muslims to justice, fairness, respecting the rights, and avoiding harassment in dealing with the followers of other religions [2]. He said: “Whoever oppresses who is in agreement with Muslims and imposes a burden on him more than his tolerance, I will be against him on the judgment day.” [4] and “whoever offends who is under the protection of Islam, has offended me.” [4]. Those who were under the protection of Islam were the Jews and Christians who participated in providing the expenses of the Islamic government in return for being protected by paying money called “Jizya.” This shouldn’t be confused with paying for the right of life, but it means that the Jews and Christians were considered as common citizens who lived in a friendly ambiance with Muslims in the society, and no one was permitted to hurt them.
Moreover, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH & HP) cared about the living conditions of non-Muslims such that he ordered Muslims to give charity to the People of the Book (Jews, Christians, Sabians, and Zoroastrians) who were in need [5]. This was an act of humanity, and not a religious obligation, that originated from Prophet’s (PBUH & HP) exemplary character.
He respected non-Muslims such that once he was among his companions that people brought the corpse of a Jew. Prophet (PBUH & HP) stood up as a sign of respect. The companions told that the dead one was a Jew. He answered that one should stand up to respect the dead body, whether it belongs to a Muslim or a non-Muslim [6].
From what has been discussed above, one can see that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH & HP) has truly represented the peaceful essence of Islam through his words and acts. And actually, many of his enemies and non-Muslims embraced Islam due to his lovely noble character.
References:
- “Nahjul Balaqa,” Sermon 160.
- A. Ahmadi Miyanji, “Makatib al-Rasul,” p. 261-263.
- M. A. Amini, “The principle of peaceful coexistence with non-Muslims in Islam,” Ma’rifat Journal, no. 165, p. 35-52.
- S. Balaqi, “Justice and judgment in Islam,” p. 57.
- A. A. F. Thibarah, "Ruhuddin al-Islami," p. 276.
- Jafar Sobhani, “Introduction to principles of Islam,” p. 528-529,