Why Is There So Much Suffering in The World?

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why is the world falling apart with wars, natural disasters, and debilitating diseases? Why do innocent souls meet such violent endings? Why do bad people always live comfortably?

If God is so merciful, why did He write extreme suffering into the fate of so many? And what am I supposed to be doing about it?

Of the dua’s of the prophet SallAllahu ’Alaihi Wassallam was:

"لبيك وسعديك والخير كله في يديك والشر ليس إليك أنا بك وإليك تباركت وتعاليت استغفرك وأتوب إليك."

“Here I am, O Allah, in answer to Your call, happy to serve You. All good is in Your Hands, and evil should never be attributed to You. I exist by Your will and will return to You. How Blessed and Exalted are You.”

And Imam Ibn Qayyim comments on this beautiful hadith and he says, Allah is far more glorified and exalted that someone should attribute evil to Him. Rather, the only thing attributed to Him is good. And evil only becomes evil because it is removed from what it was originally attributed to and then wrongly assigned to Allah. In one narration, a man came to the Prophet SallAllahu ’Alaihi Wassallam and asked him for advice, The Prophet SallAllahu ’Alaihi Wassallam said “Do not blame Allah for something He decreed for you.” And indeed, those who get accustomed to blaming Allah for anything will fail to see their own responsibilities.

ظَهَرَ الْفَسَادُ فِى الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ اَيْدِى النَّاسِ لِيُذِيْقَهُمْ بَعْضَ الَّذِيْ
عَمِلُوْا لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُوْنَ

“Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea because of what the hands of people have earned. So He many let them taste part of the consequence of what they have done, so that perhaps they may turn Back to Him.” [Ar-Rum: 41]

When Allah first announced to the heavens that Adam was going to be created so that he could steward this earth along with his descendants, the angel said: “Are you going to place on it those the spread corruption and spill blood?” [Qur’an, 2:30] Allah answers them by saying, “I know that which you don’t know.” [Qur’an, 2:30] I know the answers to the questions you haven’t even asked. I know why I create my creation. Especially meant, I know of the prophets and martyrs and righteous ones to come from this offspring, that make the entire creation of humanity worth it despite its flaws.

The fact that The Prophet SallAllahu ’Alaihi Wassallam alone will come from this batch of creation makes it worth it. The world gave us beautiful people who would shine with their righteousness in the darkest episodes of history. As for the nature of this world: “We have certainly created mankind in toil.” [Qur’an, 90:4] and so this world is as advertised, full of trial and tribulation, pain, oppression, war, poverty, natural disaster, and the chaos of this world was meant to drive you back to the Source of Peace. But also meant to drive you to be a source of peace. Evil in this world allows you to connect with Allah’s perfect names and aspire to embody what you can of His divine attributes. Where would the opportunity to connect with al-Kareem. The most generous be, if there was no charity in poverty? Where would the opportunity be to show patience if there was no pain to be endured? And then connecting ourselves to al-Sabur, al-Haleem, the most patient and forbearing? And we see examples in people that embody what we should all the time.

Zayd ibn Suhan RadhiAllahu Ta’ala Anhu was a companion that injured his hand in one of the battles. And while the blood was flowing, he was smiling and some of the people walked up to him and asked why he was smiling, and he said, “It is a pain that has come and will be soothed by the reward of Allah. And in my smiling, there’s comfort for those believers who will follow my example.” How many Zayds have we seen in Gaza, or in Aceh, Sumatera. Who have smiled as the blood flows, reminding us of their own resilience while also waking us up to our own neglect? And so a person who witnesses the immense suffering of others realizes that their problems are so small compared to theirs and it makes them grateful for the blessings they took for granted.

It was narrated that Dawud ‘Alaihi Salaam asked Allah, “Why there is so much suffering in the world?” And Allah responded that, “It’s because he loves for people to turn back to Him in gratitude.” How many people that are wasting away in sin need a purpose to believe that they have meaning in this world beyond merely surviving it? Sometimes it takes realizing that you have a bigger role to play, so that you can stop regressing into your usual bad habits. Your cause is now bigger than your own career. It’s bigger than your own children. It’s bigger than your own happiness. It’s about bringing justice to people, who have hardships you could have never imagined. And when we waste away in sin, we burden ourselves and our ummah, whereas when we exert ourselves in good, we lift up ourselves and our ummah. And the petty grievances you once had become non-issues in the grander scheme of things.

How can I complain about anything, when they’re going through what they’re going through? Not only that, they respond with being pleased with Allah, despite that devastation, and I respond with anger to Allah, despite the many blessings I took for granted. You have a role to play in the suffering that you’re witnessing, and you’re been distracted by the illusion of your own suffering, which pales in comparison to theirs. And in Lauh Al-Mahfudz the fine print of these major stories of history are the stories of people who the history books of this world have missed. But not his heavenly tablet nor your judgement day scroll, there’s the qadr of those who change things behind the scenes. The qadr of all of those who chose to be silent bystanders while the atrocities unfolded, maybe even to a point sinfulness. The qadr of those who softened up the heart of an evil person of resisted him without anyone else ever knowing. The qadr of those who didn’t have the ability to make a major change to anything themselves, but perhaps they informed someone who could, even if unknowingly.

The qadr of those who will show up on the day of judgement as witnesses to the crime committed against humanity, and hope that the victims of those crimes bear witness to their rising to help them in some way, shape or form.

So what’s in your decree as a believer? No fatigue, nor disease, nor sadness, nor pain, nor distress befalls a Muslim even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, except that Alah removes some of his sins [Shahih al-Bukhari #5641, 5642] and what’s in the decree of this ummah of believers? The Prophet SallAllahu ’Alaihi Wassallam said, “This nation of mine is a nation covered in mercy. It has no torment in the hereafter, but rather its torment is only here in this world through its tribulations and earthquakes and killing.” [Sunan Abi Daud #4278]

So instead of asking what Allah is sending to you of hardship, ask what you’re responding back to him with.

إِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ يَفْتَحَ لَكَ بَابَ الرَّجَاءِ فَاشْهَدْ مَا مِنْهُ إِلَيْكَ ، وَإِذَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ يَفْتَحَ لَكَ بَابَ الْخَوْفِ فَاشْهَدْ مَا مِنْكَ إِلَيْهِ

If you want the door of hope opened for you, then consider what comes to you from Him. But if you want the door of fear opened for you, then consider what goes to Him from you. [Al-Hikam]

Why were you sent here on this earth? Why did Allah allow you to not only go through the tests that you did but to see the suffering of others? There is wisdom in everything He has done, and in all the moving parts of the world, you will find that there’s wisdom in your existence too. The personal issues you go through might be a purification of your sins, or a raising of your ranks, and your actions when others are suffering may be an opportunity for you to refocus and realize your purpose on earth. Once you understand how the world works, how Allah’s wisdom permeates everything and humble yourself before His plans, then you can look at your tests with new perspectives, fresh eyes, and move through life with more purpose and more gratitude.

Like Musa angry at al-Khidr for his actions that seemed unjust, it’s natural to be upset when you see something wrong in the world, but don’t forget to stand against the tyranny of the Firauns of your day and channel the selflessness of Asiya towards his victims. That wrong is a signal for you; get to work, change what you can with your own hands, so that you can go home to Allah with a truthful claim that you did everything you could to be a good stewards of this earth and the life that he gifted to you.

(Dr. Omar Suleiman – Why Me? Eps.23)