Why Does God Allow Suffering to Happen?

God’s Supremacy

God is the creator of the vast universe. He is also the One Who created life and tuned the whole universe and the laws of nature to support this life on Earth. Therefore, God has the Power and Might to do anything.

“Blessed is He in whose hand is the sovereignty, and Who has power over everything.” (Qur’an 67: 1)

Why then doesn’t God with all His Might prevent suffering?

There are two sides of the coin

It is true that there are a lot of sufferings. For instance, people may suffer from sickness and depression and they may die from cancer. Bad people may steal, rape and murder innocents. Millions may be killed in wars and may become homeless after the destruction of their cities. Sudden natural disasters like storms, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods, may kill thousands of people.

However, this is only one side of the coin. In contrast to the above, some people may show goodness, faith, sincerity, charity, love, virtues and piety. Also, there are more healthy people than those who are sick and there are more who eat well than those who starve. In addition, although natural disasters do occur, they do not happen everywhere or every day.

How do unbelievers react to suffering?

For unbelievers, evil is just a blind, random and non-rational physical phenomenon. It is a force that blindly and indiscriminately chooses its prey. Therefore, suffering, sacrifice and pain have no real meaning. They have no emotional and rational perspectives to help to relieve the pain of the evil of suffering. They have no recourse, and therefore, they may even put an end to their suffering by committing suicide.

Christian approach to suffering

According to Christianity God is all-good and all-loving. In the New Testament, according to James’ Epistle (James 1:13-15), “God tests no one”. He is always working for our good (Romans 8:28). Therefore, the fact that God lets disasters to happen and stands watching thousands of lives ripped apart is a confusing paradox.

However, in the Old Testament of the Bible, we find that sufferings may be caused by God, Satan and human beings.

For instance, the Bible speaks of some human suffering because of their sins as in the story of the flood at the time of Noah (PBUH). However, after the flood, God promised in the book of Isaiah not to be angry and rebuke humans again.

“To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again.” (Isaiah 54:9)

In addition God promised not to tempt people.

“For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.” (James 1:13)

Some Christian theologians have tried to exempt God from causing all natural disasters and simply blame Satan. They presume that sometimes Satan is the cause of natural disasters. This is exemplified in the Bible in the story of Job, in which Satan caused calamities to Job, though he was an upright man (Job 1:1-22).

On the other hand, some contemporary philosophers and Christian theologians think that it is a mistake to attribute to God a human feeling like anger because God lies beyond human reality. Therefore, believing that hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes are “God’s punishment” reduces the divine to human terms. Instead of dwelling on God’s wrath, in times of crises and distress, it is better to think of God’s love and mercy that enable some to reach those who need comfort and assistance.

Islamic approach to suffering

In Islam, sufferings are functions of God’s profound Power and Wisdom. They are also part of God’s ultimate Divine purpose of absolute Goodness and Mercy. To be able to understand the Divine purpose, we need first to clarify a few things.

Everything happens with the Will of God

As the Qur’an tells us everything in the universe or the Earth happens with the Will of God, Who is the Wise, Just, and Fair.

“He regulates all affairs, from the heavens to the earth.” (Qur’an 32:5)

In other words, everything is under the control of God. It is not as some people think, that evil comes from Satan, who opposes God and everything good. In Islam, it is God Who tests mankind with both prosperity and diversity.

“Every soul will taste death, and We are putting you to trial by passing you through prosperity and bad adversity, And to Us, you will be returned.” (Qur’an 21: 35)

Life is temporary

This world and everything on it is temporary and has an end. We do not stay on the Earth forever. We live a short life and we eventually leave. Therefore, our sufferings in this life are also temporary.

God has given us a free will

God has given us a free will and has guided us through His prophets so that testing us in this life becomes meaningful.

“We guided him (man) to the Right Path, regardless of whether he chooses to be thankful or unthankful.” (Qur’an 76:3)

“And say, “The truth is from your Lord. Whoever wills—let him believe. And whoever wills—let him disbelieve.” (Qur’an 18:29)

God sent prophets and messengers to guide us

God would not punish people without sending in advance a prophet to guide them. The prophets were sent to guide people to know, worship and serve God. They set good example for their people and demonstrated to them how to establish a balance between this world and the next.

“To every community We sent a messenger: “Worship God, and avoid idolatry.” Some of them God guided, while others deserved misguidance. So travel through the earth, and see what the fate of the deniers was.” (Qur’an 61:36)

There is a reward and punishment in the Hereafter

God tests us in this world. Those who pass the test will be rewarded with a perfect and permanent, eternal life in the paradise. Those who fail the test will be punished for their sins and corruptions in fire.

“Whoever comes up with a good deed will have ten times its like; and whoever comes up with an evil deed will be repaid only with its equivalent—they will not be wronged.” (Qur’an 6:160)

Our conduct may be reflected on this life

God has set up moral laws, which should be observed. God may reward people or may punish them in this life.

“Had the people of the towns believed and turned righteous, We would have opened for them the blessings of the heaven and the earth, but they rejected the truth, so We seized them by what they were doing.” (Qur’an 7:96)

“If God 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 God has in His sight all His servants.” (Qur’an 35:45)

We have to take by the means

God has set up physical and moral laws in the universe. An example of breaking the physical laws is exemplified in a car accident. It may happen if one is not alert, drives in a careless way; does not have his car checked, etc. Therefore, we have always to take by the means. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said to a man:

“Tie (your camel) then put your trust in God”. (Narrated by Al-Termizy)

Wisdom behind sufferings

Although we may not fully comprehend all the sides of God’s infinite Wisdom, we still can understand some of the wisdom behind suffering in the light of the Qur’an and the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).

• God may let some people suffer to bring them closer to Him. So, when people suffer they turn to God asking Him for help. They pray, repent and try to do good deeds. In other words, people who are suffering get closer to God to ask for His help.

“And We afflicted them with suffering and hardship, that they may humble themselves.” (Qur’an 6:42)

“Or, who answers the one in need, when he prays to Him and relieves adversity” (Qur’an 27:62)

“Those who, when a calamity afflicts them, say, “To God, we belong, and to Him, we will return.” (Qur’an 2:156)

• God may let some people suffer in order to test their patience and steadfastness. Even God’s Prophets and Messengers suffered. However, the suffering of good people sometimes bring goodness to their communities, by setting good examples for them. For instance, martyrs may die for their faith; soldiers may give their lives for the liberation and freedom of their nations.

“We will certainly test you with some fear and hunger, and some loss of possessions and lives and crops. But give good news to the steadfast.” (Qur’an 2:155)

• It is through suffering that we know the attributes of God. For instance, how would we know that God is the Healer unless we experience sickness and how would we know that He is the Rich and the Bountiful unless we experience poverty?

“And when I get sick, He heals me.” (Qur’an 26:80)

• Suffering enable us to appreciate the countless bounties of God. It is through illness, we recognize the grace of health; through hunger, we recognize the grace of food; through danger, we realize the grace of security and through ignorance, we appreciate the grace of knowledge.

“Whatever blessing you have is from God. And when harm touches you, it is to Him that you groan.” (Qur’an 16:53)

• God sometimes allows some people to suffer to test the response of the others. So if a person is sick, poor or needy, would the others respond with condolence, charity and kindness to him?

“And they feed, for the love of Him, the poor, and the orphan, and the captive.” (Qur’an 76:8)

• Suffering enable us to appreciate our need for God’s support. If there were no suffering, people arrogantly might think that they do not need God and transgress the boundaries of His Laws.

“In fact, man oversteps all bounds. When he considers himself exempt. But to your Lord is the return.” (Qur’an 6:42)

“Until, when the earth puts on its fine appearance and is beautified, and its inhabitants think that they have mastered it, Our command descends upon it by night or by day, and We turn it into stubble as if it had not flourished the day before.” (Qur’an 10:24)

• God may prevent a greater evil by a lesser one. For instance, we may miss a train and we think we will suffer from waiting for another train, but we then discover afterwards that the train we missed collided and the passengers were killed and injured. In the story in the Qur’an, a family lost its child because God wanted to replace them with a better one. Naturally, the parents grieved deeply for their loss. They naturally did not know the wisdom of God.

“As for the boy (who died), his parents were true believers, and we feared he would overwhelm them with oppression and disbelief. So, we wanted their Lord to replace him with another child who is more righteous, and closer to mercy.” (Qur’an 18:80-81)

• Sometimes sufferings remind us that we have gone wrong somewhere in our conduct. Therefore, we need to revise our conduct and return back to the right track.

“Whatever misfortune befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned; and yet He pardons much.” (Qur’an 42:30)

• Through sufferings, God erases our sins and purifies us enough to be admitted to the paradise. In other words, the sufferings we face are beneficial because they are means of spiritual purification.

“No calamity befalls a Muslim, but that God expiates some of his sins because of it, even though it were the prick he receives from a thorn.” (Narrated by Bukhari)

“Amazing is the affair of the believer, surely all of his affairs are good, and this is for no one except the believer. If something of a good befalls him, he is grateful and that is good for him. If something of harm befalls him he is patient and that is good for him.” (Narrated by Muslim)

• Victims of natural catastrophes are considered martyrs. In other words, he will enter Paradise, because martyrs enter paradise in the Hereafter.

“He (the prophet, PBUH) said: “He who is killed in the way of God is a martyr; he who dies naturally in the Cause of God is a martyr; he who dies of plague is a martyr; he who dies of a stomach disease is a martyr, and he who is drowned is a martyr.” (Narrated by Muslim)

• Man, sometimes thinks that he has the upper hand and he can control anything. Natural disasters like earth quacks, tsunami, and hurricanes demonstrate how humans are helpless.

“Corruption has appeared on land and sea, because of what people’s hands have earned, to make them taste some of what they have done, so that they might return.” (Qur’an 30:41)

• Disasters inspire humans to create something useful. For instance, we learn from floods to build dams which store water for us and generated electricity and protect us from future floods.
• Our life on the Earth is temporary and therefore, our sufferings in this world are also temporary. On the contrary, life in the Hereafter is permanent.

“Know that the worldly life is only play, and distraction, and glitter, and boasting among you, and rivalry in wealth and children. It is like a rainfall that produces plants and delights the disbelievers. But then it withers, and you see it yellowing, and then it becomes debris. While in the Hereafter there is severe agony, and forgiveness from God, and acceptance. The life of this world is nothing but an enjoyment of vanity.” (Qur’an 57:20).

• In paradise, the reward of the believers is so immense that all their sufferings on Earth would vanish. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:

“… The person who had suffered the most affliction in the world of those destined for Paradise will be brought forth and merely dipped into Paradise for a moment. Then he will be asked ‘O son of Adam, have you ever seen suffering? Have you ever experienced hardship in your life?’ He will reply, ‘No my Lord, by God. I have never undergone suffering. I have never seen hardship.’” (Narrated by Muslim)

Conclusion

There are different lessons to learn from sufferings. Among many discussed in this article, suffering purify us from our sins and even those who die in natural catastrophes like earthquakes, floods, tsunamis, etc. are considered martyrs and God would admitted them to paradise.

Suffering enable us to review our lives and discover where we have deviated from God’s Straight Path so that we can straighten our lives to get closer to God. Therefore, for Muslims, sufferings are, in fact, mercy to prepare them for an eternal bliss in the Hereafter.

On the contrary, non-believers face suffering with doubts and confusion and they may fail to withstand it and may put an end to their lives.

Therefore, through Islam, we can make sense of suffering, forebear and face it. Islam guarantees for Muslims peaceful and a happy life in this world and the world to come.

“And when My servants ask you about Me, I Am near; I answer the call of the caller when he calls on Me. So, let them answer Me, and have faith in Me, that they may be rightly guided.” (Qur’an 40:7)

“Our Lord, You have encompassed everything in mercy and knowledge; So, forgive those who repent and follow Your Path, and protect them from the agony of the Blaze.” (Qur’an 40:7)