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August 9, 2008
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Annihilation at the Order of God
The roots of holy war are to be found in the Torah (which constitutes the first five books of the Hebrew Bible or Christian Old Testament) where the Israelites' experience after their Exodus from Egypt was presented in a bloody sacredness. Though the term holy war is not used in the Old Testament, other close terms were used such as "the battles of the Lord" (1 Samuel 25:28) and "the wars of the Lord" (Numbers 21:14).
Thousands of innocent people, including women and children, were indiscriminately slaughtered in order to prepare the ground for the Israelites' entry into the Holy Land. These Israelite wars of extermination were not in any sense justifiable self-defense, but an offensive war at the order of God — a God Who is presented in the Torah as a warrior: "The Lord is a warrior" (Exodus 15:3); and a soldier fighting on behalf of Israel: "The Lord will fight for you" (Exodus 14:14).
The idea of God supporting His people in the battlefield is not strange in any of the three Abrahamic faiths, nor is territorial expansion novel in the history of Christianity or Islam. What makes the Hebrew experience scripturally distinctive in this context is the legitimization of the indiscriminate extermination of a whole population through slaying every human soul in the defeated towns. The Jews believed they were given a divine order to kill every human being who became an obstacle in their way: "in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you" (Deuteronomy 20:16–17).
The warrior-God of the Torah warned the Israelites against showing any mercy or pity: "When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations … then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy" (Deuteronomy 7:1–2). This "divine" order was followed to the letter: "At that time we took all his towns and completely destroyed them—men, women and children. We left no survivors" (Deuteronomy 2:34).
Illustrating the texts of the Torah, British scholar Karen Armstrong concluded that "in a Jewish holy war, there was no question of coexistence, mutual respect, or peace treaties... When the Jews had to establish themselves in the Promised Land, ordinary morality ceased to apply" (8).
From Just War to Holy War
The idea of holy war was not conceivable in Christianity for almost a thousand years because Jesus was pacifist. But the destruction of the Roman Empire pushed Saint Augustine and other Christian theologians to look for scriptural justification for waging war. They developed a concept of just war strikingly similar to that of Islam.
Only a few verses in the New Testament would help a warmonger, such as these verses that make Jesus (peace be upon him) say "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34); "I have come to bring fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!" (Luke 12:49); "Do not think I came to bring peace on earth; No, I tell you, but division" (Luke 12:51); "those enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them — bring them here and kill them in front of me" (Luke 19:27).
Some non-Christians took these verses as evidence of moral deficiency or logical inconsistency of the message of Jesus (peace be upon him), but most Christian theologians interpreted these texts metaphorically or understood them as an apocalyptic prediction, not a moral approval of violence. The "sword" and the "fire" in these verses were interpreted as the powerful word of Jesus and his spiritual light. The whole context of the words and deeds of Jesus (peace be upon him) supports such peaceful interpretations of the war language of the Gospels, though Jesus in his Second Coming will be far from pacifist — at least if we take seriously what some American evangelicals are saying about him today.
The criteria that make a war just in Christian classical theology include just cause, right intention, proportionality, probability of success, and immunity of non-combatants. These are very important principles from the moral and practical perspectives. But Christians did not give much attention to these principles during their Crusades against the Islamic world and the Byzantine Empire in the 12th and 13th centuries, and during their expansion throughout the New World and beyond. The guide to the Western wars since the 12th century is the extermination of Joshua and David, not the theology of Saint Augustine or Thomas Aquinas.
The Gospel of Jesus was not helpful to justify the new wars of extermination, but Christians found what they needed in the Old Testament (which constitutes about 75% of the Christian holy book). The initiators of the Crusades, such as Pope Urban II and Pope Innocent III, used the Old Testament more than the New Testament Gospels as a reference to justify their call for crusading — a call that led to two centuries of atrocities against Muslims of Palestine; brought suffering to Jews, Syrian Christians, and Byzantines; and devastated the Cathars of southern France who were seen as heretics. Needless to say that the barbarity of these 12th- and 13th-century Crusades left a deep wound that has ever since poisoned relations between the Islamic world and the West.
Sometimes Just but Never Holy
The theology of holy war has no place in Islam, and terms like holy war and war of God do not appear in any Qur'anic verses nor in any Prophetic hadith. But the concept of just war was a part of Islamic teaching since its inception. In Islam, God's grace is not to be separated from His justice, and the right of self-defense is a self-evident right. Therefore, war in Islam is a means to establish justice, but never a holy act.
Armstrong sees Islam as a middle way between the pacifism of Jesus and the annihilation of Joshua. Rejecting a common misconception in the West, Armstrong affirms that "Islam does not justify a total aggressive war of extermination, as the Torah does in the first five books of the Bible. A more realistic religion than Christianity, Islam recognizes that war is inevitable and sometimes a positive duty" (36). The Qur'an speaks of three grounds when it comes justification of war:
First, fighting in self-defense. [To those against whom war is made, permission is given to fight, because they are wronged; and verily, Allah is most powerful for their aid; those who have been expelled from their homes in defiance of right, for no cause except that they say "our Lord is Allah "] (Al-Hajj 22:39–40).
Second, defending people who cannot defend themselves from oppression and tyranny. [How should ye not fight for the cause of Allah and of the feeble among men and of the women and the children who are crying: Our Lord! Bring us forth from out this town of which the people are oppressors! Oh, give us from Thy presence some protecting friend! Oh, give us from Thy presence some defender!] (An-Nisaa' 4:75).
Third, safeguarding religious freedom by protecting houses of worship, regardless of the faith of the worshipers. [Had not Allah checked one set of people by means of another, there would surely have been pulled down monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques, in which the name of Allah is commemorated in abundant measure](Al-Hajj 22:40).
The Qur'an explicitly forbids the expansive use of the right of self-defense to initiate war: [Fight in the way of Allah against those who fight against you, but begin not hostilities. Lo! Allah loves not aggressors] (Al-Baqarah 2:190). And Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) established war ethics that strictly preserved non-combatants from the perils of war: "Do not be treacherous. Do not mutilate. Do not kill children… « (Muslim) Abu Bakr, his first successor in the leadership of the Muslim Ummah, ordered his army thus: "Do not betray or be treacherous. Do not mutilate. Do not kill the children, the aged, or the women. Do not cut palm trees or fruitful trees. Do not slay a sheep, a cow, or a camel except for your food. And you will come across people who confined themselves to worship in monasteries; leave them alone to what they devoted themselves for." (At-Tabari, volume 3, p. 213)
Playing the Empire Game
Someone might ask, if Islam is against aggressive wars, then why was there this long history of Islamic conquests that led to the establishment of an empire stretching from the borders of China to the heart of Spain? The answer is that in a world divided between empires, wars of expansion were not illegitimate. Empires did not have legally defined borders, nor did they have internationally agreed-upon norms of coexistence and diplomatic relations. What was and remains illegitimate is to annihilate the population or to convert them by force.
Islamic scripture did not ask Muslims to invade other people's lands, but Muslims played the empire game like anybody else when that game was the only available means of survival. No Muslim believes today that imperial expansion and colonization is justifiable because we are no longer living in a world of empires. The international system of today's world, though ineffective and manipulated by the powerful, is morally and legally binding because without it, mankind would go back to the bloody logic of the empires.
Muslims subjugated many nations to the authority of their empire in the past, but they never coerced the people to convert to Islam, despite the fact that Islam is a proselytizing religion. The reason for this religious tolerance is unequivocal Qur'anic verses: [Let there be no compulsion in religion: truth stands out clear from falsehood] (Al-Baqarah 2:256); [Say (O Muhammad): This is the truth from the Lord of you all. Then whoever wishes let him believe, and whoever wishes let him disbelieve] (Al-Kahf 18:29). Moreover, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is told in the Qur'an that his mission is to teach and preach, not to impose or compel: [Remind them, for you are only a reminder. You are not a coercer over them] (Al-Ghashiyah 88:21–22); [You are not one to overawe them by force. So admonish with the Qur'an those who fear My Warning! ] (Qaf 50:45).
In terms of war ethics, and within the traditions of the empires, history puts Muslims on the highest level of nobility and humane treatment of the defeated. In his book La Civilisation Arabe, the French historian and sociologist Gustav Le Bon affirmed that the world had never known a conqueror more merciful than Muslims.
From Holy War to Holy Peace
Though the three monotheistic faiths found one way or another to justify war for self-defense, they have much more to say about holy peace than about holy war, and the sanctity of the human life is the core of the teachings of all of these three faiths. Despite the problematic texts of the Torah we quoted before, a fair student of religion cannot ignore the fact that the oldest text on the sacredness of human life in the Abrahamic legacy is a text from the Torah, the fifth commandment that unambiguously warned "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13). Peace is presented in the Hebrew scripture as a great bounty from God, though it is not a universal peace for all, but an exclusive peace for Israel: "But those who turn to crooked ways the LORD will banish with the evildoers. Peace be upon Israel (Psalm 125:5); "And may you live to see your children's children. Peace be upon Israel" (Psalm 128:6).
In his famous Sermon on the Mount, Jesus emphasizes the virtues of peace saying "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9) and telling his followers "Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also" (Mathew 5:39). God is repeatedly presented in the New Testament as "the God of peace" (Romans 15:33 and 16:33; Hebrews 13:20; Philippians 4:9), "the God of love and peace" (2 Corinthians 13:11) and the "Lord of peace" (2 Thessalonians 3:16). The New Testament unequivocally urges Christians to "be at peace with each other" (Mark 9:50) and to live in peace with other human beings: "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone" (Romans 12:18).
One of the beautiful names of God in Islam is "the Peace" (Al-Hashr 59:23) and His path is described as "the path of peace" (Al-Ma'idah 5:16). Muslims are invited in the Qur'an to "enter into peace" and to avoid war, which is depicted as a Satanic endeavor: [O ye who believe! Enter into peace whole-h eartedly; and follow not the footsteps of Satan; for he is to you an avowed enemy] (Al-Baqarah 2:208).
Muslims are forbidden from waging war except for the aforementioned reasons: [If they leave you alone, refrain from fighting you, and offer you peace, then God gives you no excuse to fight them] (An-Nisaa' 4:90). Muslims also have no option but to accept peace whenever the door to it is open, even when their enemy is not honest in his peaceful inclination: [If the enemies incline towards peace, you must also incline towards peace, and trust in Allah: for He is the One who hears and knows all things. Should they intend to deceive you, then surely Allah is sufficient for you] (Al-anfal 8:61–62).
Foundations of Holy Peace
The way to holy peace is always open, and the three monotheistic faiths provide solid foundations for it. But holy peace requires a commitment to justice, honesty, and wisdom. It also requires a better interpretation of religious texts, by reading these texts within the context of God's grace, mercy, and benevolence.
Justice is the foundation of holy peace. The Qur'an teaches that establishing justice is the goal of all messages and messengers of God: [We sent aforetime our messengers with Clear Signs and sent down with them the Book and the Balance of Right and Wrong that humans may stand forth in justice ] (Al-Hadid 57:25). Oppressors are always asking for "peace" and seeking "stability," but what they want is submission to their wrongdoings, the "peace of the graveyard" as one European philosopher rightly called it.
Honesty is another foundation of holy peace. Honesty means avoiding self-righteousness and self-justification. I was profoundly moved by the graphic description of the Holocaust atrocities in the Night of the great American Jewish novelist and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, and how he and his father passed through a terrifying process that degrades human life and dignity. But I was not impressed by the tone of self-righteousness and self-justification in Wiesel's Dawn, namely when he says "The commandment thou shalt not kill was given from the summit of one of the mountains here in Palestine, and we were the only ones to obey it. But that all over … in the days and weeks and months to come, you will have only one purpose: to kill those who have made us killers" (144).
Every Jew, Christian, and Muslim can claim some true and imagined virtues of the past for his or her people. However, building a holy peace for the future needs everyone to avoid using the past atrocities as a moral justification for the present aggression, occupation, and oppression. Moreover, the Palestinians of today are evidently not responsible for the wrongdoings of the Germans of yesterday.
Wisdom is the third foundation of holy peace. The definition of wisdom in the Arabic language is "putting everything in the right place." Wisdom is a combination of morality and practicality. Some chronic conflicts between individuals and nations are difficult to solve on the basis of justice only. Justice is sometimes too late or too costly. But these conflicts can be solved through wisdom. The goal of conflict resolution based on wisdom is to save the future, not to avenge the past. Since wisdom is a moral process, not a legal one, some level of compassion and forgiveness is necessary to reach a wise solution.
A sound interpretation of the holy texts is another challenge to the holy peace. Religion is a complex phenomenon and can be used as a practical guide for peacemaking and an effective tool for inciting war as well. The intensity of religious texts, and the ease of interpreting them in very different — even contradictory — ways, adds to the complexity of this issue. Because I read the Qur'an differently from some other Muslims, I understand why the pacifist Neturei Karta interprets the Torah differently from the belligerent Yesha Rabbinical Council, and why the pacifist Quakers read the Gospel differently from the apocalyptic Southern Baptists.
Holy peace is the way to discover our common humanity. But it requires a high level of intellectual courage, moral honesty, and a strong desire for forgiveness and reconciliation. A good place to start is to appreciate what the other has and be honest about one's shortcomings and wrongdoings. No doubt that "it is distressing to examine the sins of one's own culture" (Armstrong xvi), but this painful self-examination is our only way to holy peace in today's world of violence and mistrust.
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July 13, 2008
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“Allah Almighty has granted intellect to human beings. The intellect entails responsibility. The more intellect a person has the more he/she is responsible. When the intellect is missing, the responsibility is also not there. Little children are not held responsible, because their intellect has not yet developed. The insane are not responsible, because they have lost the intellectual capacity.
However, part of our being human is also that we make mistakes. Sometime, we make mistakes without deliberation and intention. But sometime we knowingly and deliberately sin and do wrong to others. It is said, “to err is human and to forgive is divine.” Both parts of this statement are very true. As human beings we are responsible, but we do also make mistakes and we are constantly in need of forgiveness. Islam speaks about two aspects of forgiveness: a) Allah’s forgiveness; b) Human forgiveness. We need both, because we do wrong in our relations to Allah as well as in our relations to each other.
A. Allah’s Forgiveness:
Allah Almighty is the Oft-Forgiving. There are many Names of Allah given in the Qur’an. Some of these Names are related to His mercy and forgiveness. Let me mention some of these names:
1-Al-Ghafoor (The Oft-Forgiving): This name occurs in the Qur’an more than seventy times. There are other names from the same root, such as Ghafir and Ghaffar. The meaning of the Arabic word “ghafara” is to cover, to hide and from it comes the meaning “to excuse”, “to pardon”, “to remit” and “to forgive”. Allah Almighty does all these things. In the Qur’an, it is mentioned that Allah does not forgive the Shirk (without repentance) but He may forgive every other sin for whomsoever He wills. (al-Nisa’ 4:116) We must turn to Allah to seek His forgiveness.
2-Al-`Afuw (The Pardoning): This has another aspect of forgiveness. This Name occurs in the Qur’an five times. Literally the Arabic word `Afw means “to release”, “to heal”, “to restore”, “to remit”. Thus in relation to Allah it means “to release us from the burden of punishment due to our sins and mistakes”, “to restore our honor after we have dishonored ourselves by committing sins and making mistakes.” Sometimes in the Qur’an both names: `Afuw and Ghafoor come together.
3-Al-Tawwab (The Acceptor of repentance): This Name of Allah is mentioned in the Qur’an about 11 times. Allah accepts the repentance of those who sincerely repent and turn to him. The Arabic word “tawwab” gives the sense of “oft-returning” which means that Allah again and again accepts the repentance. We make sins and mistakes then we repent, He accepts our repentance. Then again we commit sins and make mistakes and when we repent, He again very kindly accepts us and gives us another chance.
4-Al-Haleem (The Clement): This Name is mentioned fifteen times in the Qur’an, and it means that Allah Almighty is not quick to judgment. He gives time. He forebears and is patient to see His servant returning to Him.
5-Ar-Rahman and ar-Raheem (Most Gracious and Most Merciful). These Names are the most frequent in the Qur’an. Ar-Rahman is mentioned 57 times and ar-Raheem is mentioned 115 times. Ar-Rahman indicates that Allah’s grace is abundant and plenty and al-Raheem indicates that this is always the case with Allah. He is full of love and mercy and He is ever Merciful.
The Qur’an teaches that Allah is a Judge and He also punishes, but Allah is not bound to punish. The justice of Allah, according to Qur’an is that Allah does not and will not inflict undue punishment on any person. He will not ignore the good of any person. But if He wishes to forgive any sinner, He has full freedom to do that. His mercy is unlimited and His love is infinite.
There are many verses in the Qur’an and Hadiths of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, on the love, mercy and forgiveness of Allah. In one of the prayers that the Prophet taught, he said, “O Allah, You are Most Forgiving One, You love to forgive, so forgive me.” (reported by at-Trimidhi and Ibn Majah). We need Allah’s mercy and forgiveness all the time. It is wrong to assume at any time that one will find eternal salvation without the forgiveness of Allah.
B. Human Forgiveness in Islam:
Just as it is important to believe in the mercy and forgiveness of Allah, it is also necessary to base human relations on forgiveness. We cannot expect Allah’s forgiveness unless we also forgive those who do wrong to us. Forgiving each other, even forgiving one’s enemies is one of the most important Islamic teachings. In the Qur’an Allah has described the Believers as “those who avoid major sins and acts of indecencies and when they are angry they forgive.” (ash-Shura 42: 37) Later in the same Surah Allah says, “The reward of the evil is the evil thereof, but whosoever forgives and makes amends, his reward is upon Allah.” (al-Shura 42: 40) In another place the Qur’an says, “If you punish, then punish with the like of that wherewith you were afflicted. But if you endure patiently, indeed it is better for the patient. Endure you patiently. Your patience is not except through the help of Allah.” (an-Nahl:126-127)
In one Hadith, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said that Allah has commanded him about nine things; one of them he mentioned was “that I forgive those who do wrong to me.”
The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was the most forgiving person. He was ever ready to forgive his enemies. When he went to Ta’if to call the people to Islam, its people mistreated him. They abused him and hit him with stones.
He left the city humiliated and wounded. When he took shelter under a tree, the angel of Allah visited him and told him that Allah sent him to destroy the people of Ta’if because of their sin of mistreating their Prophet. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, prayed to Allah to save the people of Ta’if, because what they did was out of their ignorance. He said, “O Allah, guide these people, because they did not know what they were doing.”
When he entered the city of Makkah after the victory, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, had in front of him some of his staunchest enemies. Those who fought him for many years, persecuted his followers and killed many of them. Now he had full power to do whatever he wanted to punish them for their crimes. It is reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, asked them, “What do you think I shall do to you now?” They pleaded for mercy. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Today I shall say to you what Joseph…” (referring to Prophet Yusuf, peace be upon him, as mentioned in the Qur’an, Yusuf 12:92) “…said to his brothers, ‘No blame on you today. Go, you are all free.” Soon they all came and accepted Islam at his hands. He forgave even Hind who had caused the murder of his uncle Hamza, may Allah be pleased with him. After killing him she had his body mutilated and chewed his liver. When she accepted Islam, the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, even forgave her.
A very striking example of forgiveness we find in the Qur’an in reference to the most unfortunate event of “Slander of Sayidah A’isha’”. Some hypocrites of Madinah accused her. They tried to put dirt on her noble character. One of the slanderers turned out to be Mistah, the cousin of ‘Aisha’s father, Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, used to give financial help to this young man. After he slandered his daughter, Abu Bakr vowed not to help him any more. But Allah reminded Abu Bakr and through him all the Believers, “Let not those among you who are endued with grace and amplitude of means resolve by oath against helping their kinsmen, those in want and those who migrated in the path of Allah. Let them forgive and overlook. Do you not wish that Allah should forgive you? Indeed Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Al-Nur 24:22) Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, came out of his home and said, “Yes, indeed, I want Allah’s forgiveness.” He not only continued to help him but he gave him more.
Islam emphasizes justice and punishment of the wrong doers, but it equally strongly emphasizes mercy, kindness and love. Justice, law and order are necessary for the maintenance of a social order, but there is also a need for forgiveness to heal the wounds and to restore good relations between the people. We must keep in mind that as much as we need Allah’s forgiveness for our own sins and mistakes, we must also practice forgiveness towards those who do wrong to us.”
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July 5, 2008
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Indeed, Allah is all-powerful and he is able to do all things and Qur’an mentioned this hundred of times. It is also mention that Allah is the creator, the best creator. “Glory be to Allah, the best creator” (almuminun14).
Looking around us, 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 and murders; they fight and make wars. We know all these and so many 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 can’t deny that 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 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 who 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 and winds move smoothly.
But why does Allah allow these exceptions to the rules?
The Qur’an tells Muslims that good, evil and whatever happens in this world happens by Allah’s will. 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:
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 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 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 Qur’an. 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 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: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. 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 Ayub is mentioned in the Qur’an 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. (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, Amen!
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