answer my question

[Periwinkle18]

:sl:

if an athiest ask us y is there so much suffering in the world y is a person dying cuz of hunger and says tht u guys say Allâh burdens not a person beyond his scope.(surah baqarah 286) where does this ayah fit n what should one say??

[tigerkhan]

:sl:
u just think, if a person of old age see a doctor of now a days doing a open heart surgery. how will he feel. surely he got upset why that man has cut the heart of other person. same is our example. we are human and with no knowledge and wisdom, so how can we understand the one who has unlimited wisdom. He is Al Hakim and we are zalomman jahoola. what we need to do, obey HIm and seek His blessing.

[CosmicPathos]

:sl:

if an athiest ask us y is there so much suffering in the world y is a person dying cuz of hunger and says tht u guys say Allâh burdens not a person beyond his scope.(surah baqarah 286) where does this ayah fit n what should one say??

w salam.

easy. Ask the atheist "so why dont you take away the burden of that person?"

Although it does not answer his question, but it does remind him of his own bigotry. Who gave him the right to question Allah? Allah cannot be questioned while humans will be questioned.

As for more philosophical answer, Allah created man, Allah can do whatever He wishes with man. Moreover, maybe that man suffering can tolerate the burden, how the hell this atheist know the strength of that person!! Who gave this atheist the right to assign criteria of strength to people?!!

did some atheist in pak ask you that question?

salam

[Perseveranze]

Ask the Atheist what is he doing about it? Tell him that there's enough resources in the world to feed the whole world over for longer than they could ever bother to count.

Tell him that people in USA die from Obesity, yet people in Africa die from hunger.

And finally, tell him that God has given us all that we could ask for, he's given us food, resources, shelter, you name it. Is it His fault that mankind is so stingy and won't share, despite the fact that we have more then we need? Ask him, due to this stingyness, why does he think Islam puts so much emphasis on charity, to the point that Islam is the only religion that has a obligatory Charity tax for the poor. And if the whole world paid this tax, we wouldn't have poverty.

Tell him, that's why Islam is the solution.

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['Abd-al Latif]

:sl:

if an athiest ask us y is there so much suffering in the world y is a person dying cuz of hunger and says tht u guys say Allâh burdens not a person beyond his scope.(surah baqarah 286) where does this ayah fit n what should one say??

Why Does Allah Allow Suffering and Evil in the World?
Written by Yusuf Estes
Monday, 12 June 2006

Question:
I was wondering if you could possibly help me resolve some conflicting issues. If God is All-Powerful, He must be able to prevent evil. If God is All-Good, He must want to prevent evil. But evil and suffering exist. How is it possible for God to be both All-Powerful and All-Good and still allow a world in which evil and suffering exist? I would greatly appreciate a response.
In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Thank you for the question you posed, it is a very important topic these days, as many people have this same question in Christianity as well. In response to your question, Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi, Director of the Islamic Society of Orange County and (past) President of the Islamic Society of North America, states:

Answer: Date 16/June/2003 : Answer provided by: Dr. Muzammil Siddiqi, past president of I.S.N.A.

Indeed Allah is All-Powerful (Al-`Aziz) and He is able to do all things (Allahu 'ala kuli shayin qadir). The Quran has mentioned this hundreds of times. It is also mentioned in the Quran that Allah is the Creator and He is the Best Creator. Glory be to Allah, the best Creator. (Al-Mu'minoon: 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. Besides 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 than those who starve.

There are more that lead decent life than 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 Quran tells us that good, evil and whatever happens in this world happens by Allah's Will (mashiat 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 Quran 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 Quran 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:

1. First of all, Allah did not make this world a permanent world. This is a temporary world and everything 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 will find an eternal world that is perfect and permanent. Those who will fail this test shall see the evil consequences of their sins and corruption.

2. 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 ones 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 facilitate safeguards. Even here we should keep in mind that Allah often saves us and He does not let us suffer from 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! It is He Who has taught the Quran. He has created man: He has taught him speech (and Intelligence). The sun and the moon follow courses (exactly) computed; and the herbs and the trees both (alike) bow in adoration. And the Firmament has He raised high, and He has set up the Balance (of Justice), in order that you may not transgress (due) balance. So establish weight with justice and fall not short in the balance. It is He Who has spread out the earth for (His) creatures."
(Ar-Rahman: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 Quran 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:45)


But sometimes Allah does punish people because of their violations of His laws whether they are physical or moral. The Quran 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. Those of Abraham and Lut; 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)! 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: 42-45)


3. 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 is mentioned in the Quran as a Prophet who was very patient. Good people sometimes suffer but their sufferings heal others and bring goodness to their communities. People learn lessons from their good examples. Martyrs die for their faith, soldiers give their lives for their nations and this brings liberation and freedom for their people.

4. Allah sometimes allows 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 (Divine Hadith) 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 in need of 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)

Prophet `Isa (Jesus), peace be upon him, is also reported to have said something similar in the Injeel (Gospel or New Testament of The Bible). (See Matthew 25: 35-45) So to summarize, we can say suffering occurs 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, Amen!

Allah Almighty knows best.

[credit to: Dr. Muzamil Saddique and www.IslamOnline.net]

['Abd-al Latif]

:salamext:

Praise be to Allaah.


Allaah (God) Almighty, is most merciful and compassionate, without any doubt. Yet his actions can not be fully comprehended by our incompetent minds. What simplifies this issue is that we all agree that Allaah is fair, just, wise and knowing. That means whatever he-Almighty- does, is with a legitimate purpose although we may not be able to understand, just why. For example, a caring and loving doctor and father may be forced to amputate the leg of his only son. There is no doubt that this father loves his son. Yet his action was for the sake of this beloved son, although it may seem cruel to those who do not understand the circumstances. Allah –Almighty – has the greater and higher example, and it is not to any of his creatures to question his doings as it is mentioned in Sura 21 verse 23 (interpreted means: “He cannot be questioned for His acts, but they will be questioned (for theirs)”.


It is a Muslim’s belief that suffering of pain, hunger, tragic accidents etc, are due to one’s sins, for Allaah wants this suffering to erase these sins which were made by this Muslim. Allaah says in Sura 42 verse 30 interpreted means: “Whatever misfortune happens to you, is because of the things your hands have wrought, and for many (of them) He grants forgiveness”. It is also apparent that man in times of crisis gets closer to Allaah and starts repenting, while in times of ease and comfort he is far from remembering the blessings of Allaah and he uses these gifts and blessings in committing sin after sin.

Allaah -Almighty- has shown man the path of good and evil, and he gave him the power and will to choose. Therefore, man is accountable to his deeds and the punishment he receives for them, for life in this world is merely a test, but the results are to be known in the hereafter and Allaah knows best.

Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid

['Abd-al Latif]

And finally, on a similar topic.

Praise be to Allaah. All people should know that Allaah is All Wise, and that there is great wisdom behind His commands and decrees. He may let His slaves or some of them know the wisdom behind them, or it may be concealed from them as a test and a trial.

What He decrees in general matters happens for a general reason, such as sending the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). Allaah has told us that He sent him as a Mercy to the worlds. And similarly He created the jinn and mankind so that they might believe in Him and worship Him alone.

Ibn Taymiyah said:

Based on this, everything that He does, we know that there is wisdom behind it. This is sufficient for us in general terms, even if we do not know the details. Our lack of knowledge about the details of His wisdom is like our lack of knowledge about the details of His Essence. Just as it is proven that His attributes are perfect but we cannot know how His Essence is, so we do not reject what we know and are sure of (that He is perfect) because of what we do know (the details of His perfection). Similarly we know that He is All-Wise in all that He does and commands. The fact that we may not know the wisdom behind some minor decrees and issues should not undermine the basic principle of what we know of His wisdom. So we should not deny what we know of His wisdom because we do not know all the details of His wisdom. We know that whoever realizes the brilliance of mathematicians, doctors and grammarians but does not share their attributes by virtue of which they deserve prominence, cannot criticize what they say because he does not comprehend what they are saying. People are less likely to understand the wisdom of Allaah in His creation than the common man is to understand mathematics, medicine and grammar. So objecting to Allaah’s wisdom is more ignorant and the one who does that is worse off than an ignorant man who criticizes mathematics, medicine and grammar without having any knowledge of these disciplines. (Majmoo’ al-Fataawa, 6/128)

Undoubtedly in Allaah’s allowing children to suffer there is great wisdom which may be hidden from some people, thus they object to the Divine decree and the Shaytaan takes advantage of this issue to turn him away from the truth and right guidance.

Among the reasons why Allaah allows children to suffer are the following:

1. It is a means to show that the child is sick or in pain; if it were not for that suffering it would not be known what sickness he is suffering from.
2. The crying that is caused by the pain brings great benefits to the child’s body.
3. Learning lessons: the family of this child may be committing haraam actions or neglecting obligatory duties, but when they see the suffering of their child, that prompts them to give up those haraam actions such as consuming riba, committing zina, not praying or smoking, especially if the child’s suffering is due to an illness that they caused, as happens in the case of some of the haraam things mentioned above.
4. Thinking about the Hereafter, for there is no true happiness and peace except in Paradise; there is no suffering and pain there, only good health, well-being and happiness. And thinking about Hell, for that is the abode of eternal and never-ending pain and suffering. So one will do that which will bring him nearer to Paradise and take him further away from Hell.

Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah said:

Then think about the wisdom of Allaah in causing children to cry a lot, and the benefits that that brings to them. The doctors and naturalists have attested to the benefits of that and the wisdom behind it. They said: There is moisture in children’s brains which, if it were to remain in their brains, would cause a great deal of harm. So crying draws that moisture out and drains it from their brains, which makes them stronger and healthier.
Moreover, crying and yelling widens the breathing passages and veins, and strengthens them, and it strengthens the nerves.
How greatly do children benefit from the crying and yelling that we hear from them. If this is the wisdom with regard to crying that is caused by pain and the wisdom behind this never crossed your mind, the same applies to the suffering of children and its causes and good consequences. There is a great deal of wisdom that may be hidden from most of the people and they are greatly confused about it. (Miftaah Daar al-Sa’aadah, 2/228)

He also said:

These pains are one of the inherent features of man’s development from which no man or animal can be free. If man were free of pain he would not be a man, rather he would be an angel or some other creature.

Children’s pain is not more difficult than the pain experienced by grown-ups, but grown-ups have become accustomed to pain so it is no longer a big issue for them. What a great difference there is between what a child suffers and what a rational adult suffers.

All of that is one of the main aspects of the human condition. If man were not created like that he would be a different creature. What do you think if a child gets hungry or thirsty or cold or tired – is it something that he was singled out for and tested with that the grownups are not tested with? Man – and indeed animals – have been created on this basis.

They said: If someone were to ask: Why has man been created thus? Why was he not created without this vulnerability to pain and suffering?
This is a flawed question, because Allaah has created him in a world of trials from a weak substance. So he is vulnerable to diseases and suffering, and Allaah has created him in such a way that he is vulnerable to all kinds of pain…

The fact that these pains and pleasures coexist is one of the signs of the Hereafter, for divine wisdom has decreed that there should be two abodes: an abode that is devoted fully to pleasure, in which there is no pain at all, and an abode that is devoted fully to pain in which there is no pleasure at all. The former abode is Paradise and the latter abode is Hell. (Miftaah Daar al-Sa’aadah, 2/230, 231)

And Allaah knows best.


Islam Q&A

[TrueStranger]

Most suffering is man-made. Look a little bit deeper into "developmental" discourses. Poverty is micro-managed by economic and political policies that produce more poverty or intensify manageable situations. I think we Muslims have to take a closer look at how power is distributed, produced, and maintained. Structural Adjustment Programs are designed to force governments to cut down on social programs so they could pay their debts. Women, children, and the elderly who mostly depend on government agencies suffer the most. And honestly, that is just the tip of the iceberg. Political and economic policies of whole societies are deconstructed and restructured again to make them dependent upon Western aid. Most developing countries have no control over their resources, and people continue to suffer while multinational corporations exploit their countries. Suffering exists as a result of imbalance of power, which usually leads to inequality, discrimination, and political and economic disenfranchisement.


Tell the atheist guy to look into human policies and behaviors that contribute to the suffering of people.

[Periwinkle18]

did some atheist in pak ask you that question?

well he didnt ask me he asked my boss n my boss told us n wanted to know how to reply to the atheist

jazakAllah khayr everyone :)