Madina Archives

Madinat al-Muslimeen Islamic Message Board

Why is there evil in the world?
bhaloo
05/10/01 at 16:12:31
slm This was an email I received today.  Does anyone want to take a crack at it? ------------ Although I have unmitigated faith in Allah, I am unable to resolve the problem of evil that has troubled me for years. Why does Allah allow so much evil to exist in the world? Innocent suffering occurs worldwide and as God is omnipotent, why does he not end it? I understand that Good cannot be appreciated without the alternative state of affairs (evil), but this does not justify the length and intensity of some people - even children's suffering. I agree with God's benevolence but how can extreme pain possibly be excused as being good or at least beneficial? I have asked a number of Islamic scholors the same question yet do not seem to recieve a satisfactory explanation. I would very much appreciate it if you could respond to this dilemma. I hope to hear from you soon
NS

Re: Why is there evil in the world?
Saleema
05/10/01 at 16:37:06
I have asked a number of Islamic scholors the same question yet do not seem to recieve a satisfactory explanation. I would very much appreciate it if you could respond to this dilemma. If the answers of scholars can't satisfy him, then what can we do on the board? So Abu Khalid, wanna take a crack at it?  :) [wlm] Saleema

Re: Why is there evil in the world?
chachi
05/10/01 at 20:43:18
I would recommend the book below to answer this question The Vision of Islam (Visions of Reality. Understanding Religions) by Sachiko Murata, William C. Chittick first of all we must be clear what evil is or as Plato said to the leader of the hedonists 'do you do what you will or what you want?' evil is a question of knowledge,intention and action which are products of time

Re: Why is there evil in the world?
Nazia
05/10/01 at 21:56:31
Assalamu Alaikum, I think questions like this are potentially quite dangerous.  Its not that they don't have clear, valid answers--because they do.  Its just that the natural mentality we possess when asking such a question is often skewed to begin with. For example, let me relate a famous correlating "difficult" question some theists encounter in the face of opposition. If some smart alec atheist were to come up to you and ask, "Can God create a rock so heavy that He himself cannot lift?" Our natural resposne would be "huh?"  And if we thought about it for even half a second we could say with stern conviction that the question itself is nonsensical!  It makes no sense, therefore any answer would be nonsensical.  What that question basically asks is: Does God have the ability to have a [i]lack[/i]. And if our answer is no, then the atheist would respond that God thus has a lack, because he can't build such a rock.  Our answer would be that on the contrary He lacks a lack, which is the same thing as not lacking anything at all :) So the moral of this story is, before we can expect a "logical" response to a question, we have to ask if the question itself makes any sense.  To me, this question doesn't make any sense.  Allah is perfect, He created everything with utmost perfection.  We are His creation, we use His blessings [i]imperfectly[/i], thus reaping our own problems.  I think what we often forget is that Allah (SWT) knows what we know not  Why do we assume that just because we don't understand something it is by default a flaw of [i]that thing[/i] and not a flaw of our own reasoning?  Anyways, Abu Khaled, wanna make me look stupid now? ;) Take Care, Wassalam, Nazia

Re: Why is there evil in the world?
bhaloo
05/11/01 at 00:03:38
slm The famous rock question. :) The problem with this rock/atheist example is that you are applying laws that apply to us in this world to the Creator of these laws.  That's where this problem fails.   But back to the question at hand.  I was expecting some more responses.  Give it a whirl, think about it, challenge yourselves.  ;)  Where you at Kashif, Arsalan, Asim, Br. Khalid?  ??? Come on guys, you are disappointing me.  Its been a while since anyone has asked me about the evil question.  I want to give a good response, and now you guys are going to force me to go look back at my notes, and probably pull out something Se7en said a long time ago.

Re: Why is there evil in the world?
bhaloo
05/11/01 at 00:56:14
slm Here is what Dr. Siddiqi (ISNA's president said), maybe someone can add to this: Indeed Allah is All-powerful (al-Aziz) and He is able to do all things (‘ala kull sha’in qadir). The Qur’an has mentioned this hundreds of times. It is also mentioned in the Qur’an that Allah is the Creator and He is the Best Creator. “Glory be to Allah, the best Creator.” (al-Mu’minun 23:14) But then the question comes why do pain and sufferings exist in the world. We find sickness, old age and death. We see things that are ugly, people who are insane and foolish. There are storms, earthquakes, floods, draught and famine. We also see people commit sins, show disloyalty, unfaithfulness, greed and insincerity. We see people commit rapes, murders; they fight and make wars. We know all these and many more problems. There are evils caused by human beings and there are natural disasters. There are suffering for individuals and there are those that involve a large number of people. But we also know that this is not the whole story. Beside all these negative things we also see beauty, health, prosperity, life, birth, wisdom, intelligence, growth and progress. We also see goodness among people, faith, sincerity, charity, love and the spirit of sacrifice. We also see a lot of virtue and piety. It is wrong to see one side of the coin and not to see the other side. Any philosophy that concentrates on one aspect of the creation and denies or ignores the other side is partially true and partial truths are no truth at all. It is also the fact that the element of good is more in the creation than the element of evil. We all see that there are more people who are healthy than those who are sick. There are more that eat well then those who starve. There are more that live decent life then those who commit crimes. Goodness is the rule and evil is the exception. Virtue is the norm and sin is the aberration. Generally trees bear fruits, the flowers bloom, the winds move smoothly. But then the question is why does Allah allow these exceptions to the rules? Let us ask this question to understand Allah’s ways in His creation. The Qur’an tells us that Good and evil whatever happens in this world happens by Allah’s Will (mashi’at Allah). Only Allah knows fully His Will. We finite beings cannot grasp fully His infinite Will and Wisdom. He runs His universe the way He deems fit. The Qur’an tells us that Allah is Wise and everything that Allah does is right, just, good and fair. We must submit and surrender to His Will. The Qur’an has not given us all the details about Allah’s Will, but it has enlightened us with the guidance that is useful and sufficient for us. There are several points that we should keep in our mind to understand this issue: First of all, Allah did not make this world a permanent world. This is a temporary world and every thing here has a time limit. When its times comes it will die, come to an end and finish. Neither the good things of this world are forever, nor the bad things eternal. We are here for a short time and we are being tested. Those who will pass this test they will find an eternal world that is perfect and permanent. Those who will fail this test they shall see the evil consequences of their sins and corruption. Allah has placed a physical law and a moral law in this universe. Allah allows suffering to occur when one or more of these laws are broken. The physical law is based on cause and effect. Sickness comes if one does not take care of one’s health or is exposed to infections. A car accident occurs when one is not alert, or drives in a careless manner, or if the cars are not checked, roads and freeways are not made and kept in right shape, or the traffic laws are not right or not properly enforced. Study of causes and effects is very important to give safeguards. Even here we should keep in mind that Allah often saves us and He does not let us suffer for every negligence. How many times it happens that we are not careful and still we reach safely to our destinations. The way people drive in some cities, it is a miracle that more accidents do not happen and more people do not suffer. Allah says: (Allah) Most Gracious! 2- It is He Who has taught the Qur’an. 3- He has created man: 4- He has taught him speech (and Intelligence). 5- The sun and the moon follow courses (exactly) computed; 6- And the herbs and the trees both (alike) bow in adoration. 7- And the Firmament has He raised high, and He has set up the Balance (of Justice), 8- In order that you may not transgress (due) balance. 9- So establish weight with justice and fall not short in the balance. 10- It is He Who has spread out the earth for (His) creatures. (al-Rahman 55:1-10) The way we exceed the measures set by Allah and violate His laws of cause and effect is incredible. It is really the mercy of Allah that we are saved. Strictly speaking the question should not be why does Allah allow suffering, but how much Allah protects us and saves us all the time in spite of our violations and negligence. The Qur’an says: If Allah were to punish people according to what they deserve, He would not leave on the back of the (earth) a single living creature: but He gives them respite for a stated Term: when their Term expires, verily Allah has in His sight all His servants. (Fatir 35:45) But sometimes Allah does punish people because of their violations of His laws whether they are physical or moral. The Qur’an tells us that many nations and communities were destroyed because of their sinful lifestyles. If they treat thy (mission) as false, so did the Peoples before them (with their Prophets), the People of Noah, and Ad and Thamud 43- Those of Abraham and Lut; 44- And the Companions of the Madyan people; and Moses was rejected (in the same way). But I granted respite to the Unbelievers, and (only) after that did I punish them: but how (terrible) was My rejection (of them)! 45- How many populations have We destroyed, which were given to wrong-doing! They tumbled down on their roofs. And how many wells are lying idle and neglected, and castles lofty and well-built? (al-Hajj 22:42-45) Suffering can also be a test and trial for some people. Allah allows some people to suffer in order to test their patience and steadfastness. Even Allah’s Prophets and Messengers were made to suffer. Prophet Ayyub (Job) is mentioned in the Qur’an as a Prophet who was very patients. Good people sometimes suffer but their sufferings heal others and bring goodness to their communities. People learn lessons from their good examples. Martyrs dies for their faith, soldiers give their lives for their nations and this brings liberation and freedom for their people. Allah allows sometime some people to suffer to test others, how they react to them. When you see a person who is sick, poor and needy, then you are tested by Allah. Allah is there with that suffering person to test your charity and your faith. In a very moving Hadith Qudsi, the Prophet -peace be upon him- said: Allah will say on the Day of Judgment, ‘O son of Adam, I was sick and you did not visit Me.’ He will say, ‘O my Lord, how could I visit You, when you are the Lord of the Worlds.’ Allah will say, ‘Did you not know that My servant so and so was sick and you did not visit him? Did you not know that if you had visited him, you would have found Me there?’ Allah will say, ‘O son of Adam, I asked you for food and you fed Me not.’ He shall say, ‘O my Lord, how could I feed you and you are the Lord of the Worlds?’ And Allah will say, ‘Did you not know that My servant so and so was looking for food and you did not feed him? Did you not know that if you had fed him, you would have found that to have been for Me?’ ‘O son of Adam, I asked you for water and you did not give Me to drink.’ The man shall say, ‘O my Lord, how could I give You water, when You are the Lord of the Worlds?’ Allah will say, ‘My servant so and so asked you for water and you did not give him to drink water. Did you not know that if you had given him to drink, you would have found that to have been for Me.’ (Muslim, Hadith no. 4661. Jesus -peace be upon him- is also reported to have said something similar. See Matthew 25:35-45) So to summarize we can say that sufferings occur to teach us that we must adhere to Allah’s natural and moral laws. It is sometimes to punish those who violate Allah’s natural or moral laws. It is to test our faith in Allah and to test our commitment to human values and charity. Whenever we encounter suffering we should ask ourselves, “Have we broken any law of Allah?” Let us study the cause of the problem and use the corrective methods. “Could it be a punishment?” Let us repent and ask forgiveness and reform our ways. “Could it be a test and trial for us?” Let us work hard to pass this test. Believers face the sufferings with prayers, repentance and good deeds. The non-believers face the sufferings with doubts and confusions. They blame Allah or make arguments against Him. May Allah keep us on the right path.
NS

Re: Why is there evil in the world?
BrKhalid
05/11/01 at 05:47:39
Asalaamu Alaikum ;-) I think the question should really be spilt into two parts: Why is there evil in the world? Allah [swt] says: [color=Blue] Whatever good, (O man!) happens to thee, is from Allah; but whatever evil happens to thee, is from thy (own) soul. and We have sent thee as a messenger to (instruct) mankind. And enough is Allah for a witness [4:79][/color] The above verse of the Qu'ran teaches us that whenever something bad happens to us, then it is not Allah's doing but as a result of our own sins. Thus the evil actions we see around us are a result of our own shortcomings and no one else. The second part of the question is: Why does Allah allow this evil to exist As has been said above Allah [swt] is the Most Wise and we as muslims surrender to this fact and surrender to the fact that Allah knows best. Wisdom is a strange concept but one way of understanding it is to accept that someone knows more about something than you do. Consequently, what seems strange to you, actually makes perfect sense to another who can see as what is often described as "the bigger picture". Mankind in general has this tendency to feel that it can make judgements and decisions because it is qualified to do so. But what happens if these judgements are based on imperfect information? Let me give you an example. When the Americas was discovered in 1492 by Columbus, many Europeans at the time thought he would fall off the edge of the Earth. Many scientists of the period thought the world was flat and that the sun rotated around the Earth. Hence they made their "judgements" that Columbus would not succeed and made "decisions" that such a journey was not worth undertaking. I point this out because when you say that there is "innocent suffering", you are in fact making a judgement on the basis of the knowledge that you possess. As with the scientists, since their knowledge was imperfect, then so were their judgements and their decisions. There is only one being with perfect knowledge and that is Allah himself, and since (as you rightly say) he is omnipotent and benevolent, we submit that the actions we see before us are for the best. At present we live in a world where we can't see this process taking place, but in the Hereafter when all will become apparent, the truth of the matter will be known May Allah forgive me if I have said anything wrong Wasalaam Br Khalid

Take heed
AbuKhaled
05/11/01 at 08:23:08
Bismillah Al-Rahman Al-Raheem Dearest Brothers & Sisters, Asslam alaikum wa rahmatullah. Forgive me, I only just saw this thread. I am currently involved in an email discussion that has spanned over a year now, which incorporates this question. I just wished to let you all know that I don’t consider myself capable of answering this question from an *essential* perspective, but even if I was to offer what crumbs I have on my little table, then I’m afraid I won’t be able to till next week now. Even then I am not sure how advisable it is to undertake this publically, here. If the original questioner is amenable might I ask him/her to email me privately? Assuming that his/her understanding is embodied by the email reproduced above, and the points made therein, then I think overcoming those contentions isn’t particularly problematic. Unlike the discussion I’m involved in presently, which is on quite a profound level, may Allah (swj) make me capable of knowing my limitations and unlearnedness. Dealing with such questions *on the level of the one asking* is crucial, and from what I’ve read above insha’Allah, with your (i.e. all of you here) du’a, it should be resolvable without too much difficulty, so the questioner might take heart in this. Though I would hastily add that that does not mean I am lauding myself as being able to allay his/her confusions, astaghfirullah, but just that this is well-trodden ground. Know that minds far greater than ours have dealt with these same questions, centuries ago. It is just that most of the best material which forms the legacy of the Islamic heritage, remains in arabic, so for non-arabic speakers, they are denied access to the books of our most illustrious Ulema, that decisively close the lid on such potentially troubling questions. It would do us well to heed the words of Shaykh Adhami, when he wrote that as Imam Ibn Arafa (ra) said “chances are that someone had addressed the idea before.” In other words, there is little – if anything – of originality in such troubling questions that plague some of us. All of it has been addressed by our predecessors, so there is nothing that is suddenly going to manage to make the Islamic edifice crumble. It is only for us to realise, and submit to that, insha’Allah. Of course, knowing that doesn’t answer the one with the questions, but what it should do is provide tranquility that the answer is out there, you just haven’t been graced by the fath [opening] from Allah ta’ala to find it yet. And know that there is a hikmah [wisdom] in that. I speak from experience, for my world was rocked by gale force doubts for the longest time. At first I believed that the answer was out there, but then, having asked so many of those I looked up to, and come away without an answer that placated me, I began to wonder of the answer truly was out there. This is the waswasa [whispering] of Shaytaan! It nearly led me to the brink of apostasy, wal iyadhubillah. But *just* as I stood on that (figurative) precipice, and was leaning forward, ready to make that stupid leap (actually I was too afraid to jump, but felt I had no good reason not to), Allah ta’ala granted me a ni’ma [gift] the like of which I had never been granted (wallahu a’lam) before. I was privileged – bi’ithnillah ta’ala [by the permission of Allah Most High] - to find myself at the feet of two of the most incredible people I was ever to meet. One was a scholar (and no ordinary one, assuming a scholar can be ordinary), and the other was a talib al-‘ilm [student of knowledge], though, I hasten to add, not just *any* student of knowledge! ;) But perhaps one of the most brilliant and upcoming next-generation scholars we will have the honour of having amongst us, insha’Allah. But you know what? They didn’t answer my questions, they answered my doubts. ;-) The wise amongst you will be able to identify the difference. What they did, in that, was to remove my doubts, even though the questions remained. And this was saved me, wallahu a’lam. This was one of the most profound and life-changing lessons I have learned in my short life experience of this astonishing way of life. There are few times in my life when I’ve undergone an epiphany of *such* immensity and magnitude, and when such things occur at the hands of the people of Allah (awj) then it cannot fail to be but a transformative experience. And this is what the lesson needs to be here I believe, and take this as a naseeha from your brother for you all. For the gulf between paying mere lip-service to what I’m about to say, and *wholeheartedly* living by it, can make the difference that will hold one in good stead before his/her Lord (swt). That whatever questions you *ever* have, whatever it is that perplexes you, confounds you, leaves you stumped, even if the answer is not forthcoming now, you *must* know that it exists. For as long as you believe that, nothing will shake your iman, insha’Allah. But the day you step into the arena of doubt, and begin to ask yourself if the answer does actually exist, if there is *anyone* who is capable of answering your question, then at that point you have exalted your question above your iman, and this could be disastrous. Avoid that *at all costs*. This is why it is *sooo* important to solidify your iman, to understand your aqeedah *properly*, to purify your heart, to rid yourself of *anything* praiseworthy within you. Because once you begin to think that you have stumbled upon an unanswerable question, you expose yourself to doubt. I have *lived* this, so I *know* what it can do to one. It can destroy you. But only if you let it. So my most beloved Brothers and Sisters, KNOW what it is to *know* that Islam is the Haqq [Truth]! So that if Allah ta’ala ever chooses to test you in this manner - by emplacing within you a question that could rock you to your core, by pestering you, gnawing away at you, and not letting go of you, such that it begins to affect your adherence to Islam - then you are up to the test. And that will only ever be when you know that Al-Rahman (awj) would not test you beyond that which you are capable of dealing with. It is only when – like me – you don’t recognise your limitations, that you overextend yourself, and that can be your undoing. It is *not* that it was beyond you, but that you allowed it to get the better of you. Because He (awj) reassured you by His (awj) Word, in His (awj) Book, and that is a Word which no wo/man can deny, ever. It is when you forget that and try, maybe not through an explicit affirmation of denial (e.g. “This is too much for me to bear”), but just through the understanding that is manifested by how you are as a result of that which troubles you, that you come unstuck, and truly He (awj) is Al-Hadi. We seek refuge in Him (awj) from the accursed Shaytaan. I did not write all this because I thought the questioner was at such a point, ma’adallah, lest anyone think I’ve over-reacted, lol. But because I have been at such a point in my life and it can be hard to climb out of. It can preoccupy you, and keep you from that which is more beneficial. Your earnestness in wanting to find the answer will be reflected in the steps taken towards seeking it out. But don’t let that crowd out the commission of, and engagement in, that uboodiyah [servitude] that will undoubtedly help you in reaching the proximity to the Favour of your Lord that is surely a pre-requisite to obtaining any fath [opening]. May Allah ta’ala make each of us firm upon the Truth, whatever and despite, Abu Khaled

Re: Why is there evil in the world?
chachi
05/11/01 at 16:51:48
bhaloo i'll answer the question if you tell me what evil is and what it's caused by ok?

Re: Why is there evil in the world?
assing
05/11/01 at 18:11:36
As salaamu alaykum, Inshallah the following commentary on "Qada" and "Qadr" by shaikh Uthaymeen may help the brother better understand this issue, whereby the shaikh began by explaining the issue of "Qada" and "Qadr", the good of it {which basicly is very easy for everyone to accept and understand}, he then began to discuss the "bad of Qadr", which he defined as: that which displeases the nature of mankind, whereby he is afflicted by pain or harm.    Shaikh Uthaymeen then said: "But if it is said; how is it Allah decrees evil and the messenger {sallahu alayhi wa salam} said "And evil is not from Him" {saheeh Muslim}?  The answer: The evil which Allah decreed is not evil due to the fact Allah decreed it, but rather {it is considered evil} due to the fact how this decree affected that particular  person, because in this dunya there is "qadr" decree and "maqdur" i.e. the person or thing affected by this decree. Thus, everything Allah decrees is not evil, as a matter of fact it is good, even if it pains and hurts a person.    To give an example Allah says in surah Ar Rum, verse 41: "Evil has appeared on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds, etc.), that Allâh may make them taste a part of that which they have done, in order that they may return (by repenting to Allâh, and begging His Pardon)."   Thus, in this ayah Allah makes clear the evil that occurs, its cause {of happening}  and why it occurs. So corruption "fasaad" is evil, it uccurs because of mankind bad deeds and the objective behind it occuring: "In order that they may return (by repenting to Allâh, and begging His Pardon)." Hence, there is a hikmah for evil being apparent on the land and on the sea, however it may something bad, but it took place for a great hikmah, and by this {the evil} being decreed it is considered something good {due to the end result it produces}.   To give another example, take illness for instance, no doubt whenever a person fall ill it is something bad with regards to him, however, it is something beneficial for him in reality. For this sickness can be a reason for his sin to be forgiven, in addition to tawbah and and seeking forgivenesss. Also he will appreciate more Allahs blessing of health upon him.  So in summary it can be said all Allahs' actions {qadr} entail goodness and hikmah, however with regards to us human being it some of it can be evil for us, not because it is from Allah, but because how we are affected by it." {Taken from shaikh Uthaymeens' book "Sharh Aqeedat'ul Waasiteeyah". This was actually a 33 set lectures the shaikh did and some of his students transcribed into a book, which by the way shows the shaikh great ability to break-down complex issues of aqeedah into simple language making it very easy to understand}     As i mention this, i would advise the brother to read the books of the aqeedah written by scholar of the past {and many of them are in English now, alhamdullilah} i.e. books of scholars  like imam Al Bukhari, imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, imam Malik, imam As shaafiee, ibn taymiyyah, etc... Because in these books they tend to make clear what the belief of a muslim should be and what it should not. Even the books of hadeeth gave much importance to aqeedah especially aspects like qadr, this is why you find Muslim in his saheeh the first hadeeth he mention was in refution of the "qadariyyah" {their basic argument was "al umoor unuf - things just happen hike that, Allah has no previous knowledge of things before they occur, and the reason they said that is they said if Allah had previous knowledge of things He would have prevented evil before it happens, therefore He must not know what will happen until it takes places, and we seek refuge in Allah from this statement of kufr}, and this is why imam Muslim mentioned this hadeeth as the first one and narrated it in the following manner: It is narrated on the authority of Yahya b. Ya'mur that the first man who discussed about Qadr (Divine Decree) in Basra was Ma'bad al-Juhani. I along with Humaid b. 'Abdur-Rahman Himyari set out for prilgrimage or for 'Umrah and said: Should it so happen that we come into contact with one of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) we shall ask him a bout what is talked about Taqdir (Division Decree). Accidentally we came across Abdullah ibn Umar ibn al-Khattab, while he was entering the mosque. My companion and I surrounded him. One of us (stood) on his right and the other stood on his left. I expected that my companion would authorize me to speak. I therefore said: Abu Abdur Rahman! there have appeared some people in our land who recite the Holy Qur'an and pursue knowledge. And then after talking about their affairs, added: They (such people) claim that there is no such thing as Divine Decree and events are not predestined {because of the previous reasons i mentioned above}. He (Abdullah ibn Umar) said: When you happen to meet such people tell them that I have nothing to do with them and they have nothing to do with me. And verily they are in no way responsible for my (belief). Abdullah ibn Umar swore by Him (the Lord) (and said): If any one of them (who does not believe in the Divine Decree) had with him gold equal to the bulk of (the mountain) Uhud and then, it (in the way of Allah), Allah would not accept it unless he affirmed his faith in Divine Decree. He further said: My father, Umar ibn al-Khattab, told me: One day we were sitting in the company of Allah's Apostle (peace be upon him) when there appeared before us a man dressed in pure white clothes, his hair extraordinarily black. There were no signs of travel on him. None amongst us recognized him. At last he sat with the Apostle (peace be upon him) He knelt before him placed his palms on his thighs and said: Muhammad, inform me about al-Islam. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: Al-Islam implies that you testify that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah, and you establish prayer, pay Zakat, observe the fast of Ramadan, and perform pilgrimage to the (House) if you are solvent enough (to bear the expense of) the journey. He (the inquirer) said: You have told the truth. He (Umar ibn al-Khattab) said: It amazed us that he would put the question and then he would himself verify the truth. He (the inquirer) said: Inform me about Iman (faith). He (the Holy Prophet) replied: That you affirm your faith in Allah, in His angels, in His Books, in His Apostles, in the Day of Judgment, and you affirm your faith in the Divine Decree about good and evil. He (the inquirer) said: You have told the truth. He (the inquirer) again said: Inform me about al-Ihsan (performance of good deeds). He (the Holy Prophet) said: That you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him, for though you don't see Him, He, verily, sees you..................all the way to the end of the hadeeth.  Thus, you see these are not new issues, but rather they were dealt with ages ago by the scholars, however, it is upon us to try our best to find these answers, as the messenger {sallahu alayhi wa salam} said: "Allah does not send a disease except He sends with it a cure, knows it who knows it, and ignorant of it who is ignorant of it" and  the worst disease that can afflict a person is that of jahl {ignorance}, so it is upon us to go seek these answers to our questions either through books or asking the scholars.   "Thus is the case judged concerning which you both did inquire." {Yusuf: 41} Btw, akh Bhaloo when the brother gets back with you, please let us know the brothers feedback to the answer you provided him. Shukran.
NS

Re: Why is there evil in the world?
nehar
05/12/01 at 16:48:20
[slm] Let me round it up 4 u, this world is a test, without suffering and evil it wud b a boring world.  Because we suffer, we appreciate good, if we didnt, we wudnt. [wlm] nehar

Re: Why is there evil in the world?
bhaloo
05/16/01 at 11:38:03
slm Jazak Allah khairen. Good to see you posting again Assing, and I haven't heard a response from the questioner, but will let you all know, insha'Allah. Questions such as these arise all the time, and its good for us to know and be prepared.  At least for me (others may be different), when I did come across such questions (in the past) they helped to strengthen my faith.

Re: Why is there evil in the world?
bhaloo
05/16/01 at 19:17:45
slm Here was the response I got back from the questioner: Assalam alaikum, Firstly, I would like to offer my thanks for providing me with such a detailed insight into the problem of evil (may Allah bless you for it). Although it justifies a very large proportions of the pain suffered in this world, I am still confused over the EXTENT of evil. The sister of one my friends, at the young age of only 8, was raped in the holy city of Mecca, whilst she went to do Umrah. How can this act be explained in terms of Allah's benevolence?

Re: Why is there evil in the world?
PacificBreeze
05/16/01 at 19:20:58
so u can be appreciative? ;) n see how u'll react...a test for the good.. ;)
Individual posts do not necessarily reflect the views of Jannah.org, Islam, or all Muslims. All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Comments are owned by the poster and may not be used without consent of the author. The rest © Jannah.Org