Symposium 18
Interpretation of Evils and Tribulations
Anwar:Hello Sir! Are we still discussing the divine justice?
Hasan:Yes, go ahead.
Anwar:Now that we know that the Glorious Allah does not commit the evil acts nor does He avoid the good ones, how can we explain evil acts and disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and other tribulations and misfortunes?
Hasan:Here we have two answers, one general and another in details:
The General answer says that Allah, Praised Be His
Name, is far above bad or evil acts; He is also Wise and far above ill-treatment. This is proved through reason and reported evidence. Thus, all that comes from the Glorious Allah is the very exact wisdom, the very exact good act and the very exact mercy, and consequently all forms of disasters and misfortunes are based on wisdom and for the good of mankind, but the point here is that we cannot know the wisdom and the benefit behind it.
So, our lack of knowledge should not affect the way we explain disasters or catastrophes as injustice; this is not fair at all. I’ll give you an example to make this point clear. Let’s say if we see a bulldozer destroying a beautiful house or garden, we’d think it is an evil deed. But after some inquiries if we find out that they will be building a hospital, then we’ll be happy and not only change our mind but we’ll also thank them for that matter. Again, if we could ask God to stop what we think it is an evil thing happening to us, the answer then would be like ‘in order to for you to get this certain benefit or to stop that certain damage from happening to you. This sets our minds at rest and we thank the Lord for taking such good care of us.
Anwar:This is a very reasonable point; we should not rush into judgments, especially when we know that the Doer is Just and Wise.
Hasan:Now we’ll answer in details:
Looking at a phenomenon isolated from other ones is an incomplete look, because incidents are interconnected rings in an interlocked extended chain. So, we cannot judge a particular phenomenon or incident without noting what preceded it or what will follow it.
For example, when a storm hits a coast, it demolishes many houses and trees; this is an evil act for those it happens to them, yet it is a good thing for the ships sailing in the midst of the sea. It is also considered good and valuable when it is a way to pollinates flowers or when it moves the clouds bearing rain or when it dissipates the fumes and the smoke rising from factories that may affect the environment if they remain still, and many other benefits of winds.
We understand here that damage is partial, as it affects a particular individual or a small group, when it is compared to the public benefit it brings to many others.
When those who experienced the damage know that the benefit is more than the damage, they will not be upset – this is of course if they are not selfish. The same goes for earthquakes and other incidents; if the benefit and the gain exceed the loss, they are not evil but pure good
Anwar:But what is the fault of those affected by the damage?
Hasan:Misfortunes and disasters do not always happen because people commit sins, so we should not be surprised here, and even if it was because of the sins, it is still good because the pain and the damage occurring to the sinners will be a form of expiation to their sins.
Anwar:Yet, what is the fault of the believers who suffered from the damage?
Hasan:You are still preoccupied by the idea that these incidents are only for revenge or punishment. No, my brother! We have just shown that the benefit they might have for others. Those who get affected by those misfortunes will be compensated by either expiating their sins or raising their rankings for those with no sins!
Moreover, if believers were to choose between misfortunes of this life and raising their rankings in the afterlife, they will definitely choose the raising their status and rakings in the afterlife; that is what every sane person would do.
To assure you, I will quote from Imam Al-Sadiq (PBUH):“If believers knew what a reward they will receive from their misfortunes, they would wish to be cut off with scissors”.
Thus, if believers were to know what a precious reward the Almighty Allah is hiding for them when they face misfortunes in this life, they would wish that they experience not only misfortunes but be torn apart in order to get more of that reward in the afterlife. So, how is that you judge disasters and misfortunes to mankind as an act of revenge or retaliation?
Anwar:But?
Hasan:Leave that but for next time, Inshallah.
Symposium 19
Are Misfortunes Punishment?
Anwar:I was going to ask a question, but had to stop. I was wondering why the Noble Quran says that some people experience misfortunes as a form of punishment. How can we explain this?
Hasan:Yes, there are two types of people: the first type is the believers who are sinners, and the other type is the infidels or the oppressors. The punishment for the second group is that they become an example for others. Even though, when God punishes people in this life, He is to commute a punishment or penalty for those who deserve it. This is relevant only to the second type, of course.
Anwar:I think you said there are benefits to
misfortunes. What are there?
Hasan:Benefits of misfortunes are as the following:
· They are a means to explode capacities: misfortunes force people to take precautionary procedures to protect themselves from these misfortunes. This will lead to inventions and discoveries because ‘need is the mother of innovation’ as they say and as Amir Al-Mu’menin (PBUH) explains: “Nevertheless have terrestrial trees harder wood, and have great greens more gentle skin, and are Bedouin plants burning faster and going out slower”. This is also supported by the word of Allah, Praised Be His Name:(it may happen that ye hate a thing wherein Allah hath placed much good)4;19.
· Misfortunes are warning bells: indulgence in pleasures and running after earthly affairs make people forget about the afterlife, so they need to be reminded of their Creator and the afterlife, and what is better than disasters and misfortunes to bring those gone astray back to their Lord.
· Misfortunes help to appreciate the blessings: if
·
· people always had a joyful life, they would have less respect for the blessings. This is because they got very used to it and never knew how it would feel like to lose it. So, by losing certain blessings, people would appreciate these blessings and make sure to maintain them. Tasting the sweetness and the bitterness of life is what make us understand the value of the blessings the Glorious Allah gave us. These are the benefits of misfortunes and disasters in general.
Anwar:Justice is a Pillar and there should be subdivisions originated from it. What are they?
Hasan:What results from the Divine Justice is understanding the purpose behind punishment; is it to take revenge or to make an example? It is far above the Almighty Allah to act out of emotion and agitation. So, it is not true to consider revenge as a pure purpose of punishment. It is true to say the Almighty Allah punishes to make an example for other people but this is only true for this life and not the afterlife.
Anwar:So what is the purpose behind punishment?
Hasan:I will give you a brief but conclusive answer now;