Why is God unfair? A Paradox that is unexplainable

[greenhill]

Salaam br. Signor, to summarise what you said above,

Everything counts.

He knoweth whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf doth fall but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered) but is (inscribed) in a Record Clear (to those who can read). (6:59) No misfortune can happen on earth or in your souls but is recorded in a decree before We bring it into existence: that is truly easy for Allah: in order that ye may not despair over matters that pass you by … (57:22-23)

Everything is recorded for judgment later on.

How many times, in our human condition, have we suffered an obstacle or calamity which turned out to be a blessing days, months, or years later? Perhaps we then find ourselves a bit ashamed in front of Allah (swt) for not being patient and thus loosing the opportunity of earning Allah’s good pleasure.

Like the cartoon depiction of missing the Titanic, what is to happen in the future is still a mystery. Take the right path through the trials, you will get a better reward.

On no soul doth Allah place a burden greater than it can bear. (2:286)

So in another way, a highly intelligent person will be tested more severely intellectually than a relatively 'simple' person. The greater the power, the greater the temptations.

So We answered his call, and We removed the distress that was on him, and We restored his family to him (that he had lost) and the like thereof along with them - as a mercy from Ourselves and a Reminder for all who worship Us. (21:84)

The ultimate result of perseverance and faith?

Who say when afflicted with calamity: “To Allah we belong and to Him is our return.” They are those on whom (descend) blessings from Allah and Mercy and they are the ones that receive guidance. (2:156-157)

How to remind ourselves in the face of these challenges.

So, really it is not about looking at other people's trials and rewards, but for our own selves.

However, I did not see the ayat in the above post that the trials we are given are not just in the calamities but also in the good times too! Most of us forget that. We feel the good times are our reward for whatever reason, and not as a test to see what we do with it.


eace:

 

[Muhaba]

Understanding the Difference Between the Apparent and the Reality An individual once asked Sayyid Mawdudi about why many people, despite being good and pious, or apparently innocent, suffer severe tribulations in this worldly life. What wrong could a minor child or an infant, for example, commit so that he or she should have to suffer a fatal disease or even be murdered? Why do we see many good people suffering severe afflictions and calamities that they apparently do not deserve? Mawdudi asked him to consider a beautiful, well-kept garden and its gardener. The garden has many kinds of plants, each requiring various types of resources and care. It is well kept and healthy since the gardener meticulously takes care of it. He often clears the weeds and unnecessary plants that are harmful for the good plants. He trims branches and leaves to maintain their good health. He waters his garden when needed, or withholds water when that is harmful. It is because of such good care that his garden remains beautiful and healthy. The weeds or plants that he removes or the leaves and branches that he trims suffer much and complains. Their instincts are reactive to their own physical needs and they have little or no understanding about their surroundings, let alone the rest of the garden. They complain about their immediate needs and sufferings and do not know what is ultimately good for even themselves, much less the entire garden. Mawdudi then asked him to compare the garden with the universe and the gardener with Allah (swt). The point was well made. The analogy, however, is simplistic, for Allah’s knowledge and wisdom is infinite compared to the finite knowledge of a gardener, and His domain is infinitely wider and more complex than a garden. In this universe where an infinite number of laws, events, variables and factors are at work, each affecting others in complex ways, it is impossible for us to comprehend the full wisdom and purpose behind what we apparently observe. Parables are sometimes used in the Qur’an to make a point understood. Often, when intellect fails to comprehend a matter, a simple parable can get it across.

Jazak-Allaho khairan for this excellent post.

 

[syed_z]

Thank you for your efforts but what you have written is again an example of being unfair:
1. The child was saved from punishment... how come God doesn't save us all? Unfair.
2. The parents were saved... Again, they were saved from the child who would make them disbelievers so god didn't give them that test otherwise they would've failed it. Unfair.
3. "God gives mercy to some" = This is a definition of unfair when some people get mercy (especially the child) and others don't.

Allah (swt) saves those who want to be saved and not those who don't. He sees what is in the hearts of His creatures....



God giving Mercy to some is just your narrow perspective. You have to make it more wider to be able to see.... why I quoted the story of Khidr and Moses (a.s) from Surah Kahf is to make you understand that what appears apparently as unfair can be and is absolutely fair.... Moses (a.s) couldn't see because he was being impatient and the impatient one's will not be able to get immediate answers through haste....


(Surah Al Ma'arij 70:19) Indeed, mankind was created anxious

 

[InToTheRain]

Part I
Why is life unfair? Some people have a lot while some people have a little. Good things happen to bad people and bad things to good people. How come I have less then some people and more than others? That is unfair

I think ample reasons have been given already that our inability to Understand Allah Most High doesn't make Him unfair for He is the Knower of All; He knows the consequences of actions that occur and the consequences of them had they not occured. I think some great examples of how deluded our perception what is apparent can be; in the story of the Brother missing the titanic and also the Story of Musa(AS) meeting Qidr(AS). What Musa(AS) saw was injustice yet Qidr(AS) later on explained how each act were a mercy to the people involved. The hadith is provided below:

Narrated Said bin Jubair: I said to Ibn Abbas, "Nauf Al-Bukah claims that Moses, the companion of Al-Khadir was not Moses (the prophet) of the children of Israel, but some other Moses." Ibn 'Abbas said, "Allah's enemy (i.e. Nauf) has told a lie. Ubai bin Ka'b told us that the Prophet said, 'Once Moses stood up and addressed Bani Israel. He was asked who was the most learned man amongst the people. He said, 'I.' Allah admonished him as he did not attribute absolute knowledge to Him (Allah). So, Allah said to him, 'Yes, at the junction of the two seas there is a Slave of Mine who is more learned than you.' Moses said, 'O my Lord! How can I meet him?' Allah said, 'Take a fish and put it in a large basket and you will find him at the place where you will lose the fish.' Moses took a fish and put it in a basket and proceeded along with his (servant) boy, Yusha 'bin Nun, till they reached the rock where they laid their heads (i.e. lay down). Moses slept, and the fish, moving out of the basket, fell into the sea. It took its way into the sea (straight) as in a tunnel. Allah stopped the flow of water over the fish and it became like an arch (the Prophet pointed out this arch with his hands). They travelled the rest of the night, and the next day Moses said to his boy (servant), 'Give us our food, for indeed, we have suffered much fatigue in this journey of ours.' Moses did not feel tired till he crossed that place which Allah had ordered him to seek after. His boy (servant) said to him, 'Do you know that when we were sitting near that rock, I forgot the fish, and none but Satan caused me to forget to tell (you) about it, and it took its course into the sea in an amazing way?.' So there was a path for the fish and that astonished them. Moses said, 'That was what we were seeking after.' So, both of them retraced their footsteps till they reached the rock. There they saw a man Lying covered with a garment. Moses greeted him and he replied saying, 'How do people greet each other in your land?' Moses said, 'I am Moses.' The man asked, 'Moses of Bani Israel?' Moses said, 'Yes, I have come to you so that you may teach me from those things which Allah has taught you.' He said, 'O Moses! I have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught me, and which you do not know, while you have some of the Knowledge of Allah which Allah has taught you and which I do not know.' Moses asked, 'May I follow you?' He said, 'But you will not be able to remain patient with me for how can you be patient about things which you will not be able to understand?' (Moses said, 'You will find me, if Allah so will, truly patient, and I will not disobey you in aught.') So, both of them set out walking along the sea-shore, a boat passed by them and they asked the crew of the boat to take them on board. The crew recognized Al-Khadir and so they took them on board without fare. When they were on board the boat, a sparrow came and stood on the edge of the boat and dipped its beak once or twice into the sea. Al-Khadir said to Moses, 'O Moses! My knowledge and your knowledge have not decreased Allah's Knowledge except as much as this sparrow has decreased the water of the sea with its beak.' Then suddenly Al-Khadir took an adze and plucked a plank, and Moses did not notice it till he had plucked a plank with the adze. Moses said to him, 'What have you done? They took us on board charging us nothing; yet you I have intentionally made a hole in their boat so as to drown its passengers. Verily, you have done a dreadful thing.' Al-Khadir replied, 'Did I not tell you that you would not be able to remain patient with me?' Moses replied, 'Do not blame me for what I have forgotten, and do not be hard upon me for my fault.' So the first excuse of Moses was that he had forgotten. When they had left the sea, they passed by a boy playing with other boys. Al-Khadir took hold of the boys head and plucked it with his hand like this. (Sufyan, the sub narrator pointed with his fingertips as if he was plucking some fruit.) Moses said to him, "Have you killed an innocent person who has not killed any person? You have really done a horrible thing." Al-Khadir said, "Did I not tell you that you could not remain patient with me?' Moses said "If I ask you about anything after this, don't accompany me. You have received an excuse from me.' Then both of them went on till they came to some people of a village, and they asked its inhabitant for wood but they refused to entertain them as guests. Then they saw therein a wall which was just going to collapse (and Al Khadir repaired it just by touching it with his hands). (Sufyan, the sub-narrator, pointed with his hands, illustrating how Al-Khadir passed his hands over the wall upwards.) Moses said, "These are the people whom we have called on, but they neither gave us food, nor entertained us as guests, yet you have repaired their wall. If you had wished, you could have taken wages for it." Al-Khadir said, "This is the parting between you and me, and I shall tell you the explanation of those things on which you could not remain patient." The Prophet added, "We wished that Moses could have remained patient by virtue of which Allah might have told us more about their story. (Sufyan the sub-narrator said that the Prophet said, "May Allah bestow His Mercy on Moses! If he had remained patient, we would have been told further about their case.") (Book #55, Hadith #613)

I would advise you focus on what He has given you rather then what He hasn't given you; being ungrateful to Allah Most High is detrimental to your faith. Fact is even if you were to incorrectly conclude that Allah Most High is unfair then it would still not detract His dominion over all things. You are still indedted to Him for what he has given you regardless of what He has not given you. Maybe you having less is a blessing in disguise as mentioned above and other posts. Also the wise know that being given more is great tribulation for it means we will be accountable for more. As spidermans uncle once said "with great power comes great responisbility".

Bro do you get up from sleep and complain about how bad your dream was or how unfair? The time in this life has little to no significance in comparison to the eternal life in the hereafter. Be patient and endure Insha'Allah. Here is a Hadith of a man who gets "EVERYTHING" he wants in life and a man who gets "NOTHING" he wants in life! BUT look at this example, this man forgets ALL the GOOD in his life after been dipped in hell and the other forgets all his tribulations after been dipped in Heaven. SUBAHANALLAH! HOW insiginificant the time and tribulations of this life will appear in the hereafter that it is forgetten so easily!

It was narrated that Anas ibn Maalik said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “The most affluent of the people in this world, of those who will go to Hell, will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and dipped once in the Fire. Then it will be said: O son of Adam, did you ever see anything good? Did you ever have any pleasure? He will say: No, by Allaah, O Lord. Then the most destitute of the people in this world, of those who will enter Paradise, will be brought and dipped once in Paradise, and it will be said to him: O son of Adam, did you ever see anything bad? Did you ever experience any hardship? He will say: No, by Allaah, O Lord. I never saw anything bad and I never experienced any hardship.”
Narrated by Muslim (2807)

(Unfortunately I couldn't find the long version of this hadith on google were it is mentioned that the person in tribulation gets nothing he desires in this life to the extent he asks for water before death but does not even get that; sheikh google isn't coperating, if anyone knows it please link)

If the whole of mankind were to reject Almighty Allah then it would detract nothing from Him and we would be the losers. Men can be superior to Angels as we do not see Allah Most High like they do and we have Nafs (desires) which shayan inflames but using our congnitions we long for and love Allah Most Merciful

Part II:
A response is that life on this earth is a test; fitnah.
But then that proves to be even more unfair and the paradox starts to emerge: Do some people have easier tests than others- For example, A child killed in an earth earthquake at a very young age has an easier test than others... unfair again

It's not only children who are granted paradise; also adults who haven't the ability to infer and make judgements such as the mentally incapable are also not accountable; even those who are not Muslim will not be accountable for not following Islam if they have not heard of TRUE Islam and the ISLAM I am reffering to is not the Islam portrayed by mainstream media represented by extremists. It falls in line with the explanation above that if you have more then you are accountable for more; be it physically, financially or intelectually. So how can Allah Most High be unfair?

But there is no pleasing certain people. If they are saved from punishment by death as children then they will say Allah Most High was unfair for not giving them longevity to prove themselves later and have a chance in acquiring higher abodes in paradise. And if they are not saved from punishment by death as children they will say Allah Most High is unfair for not killing them before they reached that stage of deviating from the Path.

It's quite saddening to see this line of questioning, questioning the decree and questioning Allah Most High. Surely shaytan likes to confuse the children of Adam(AS) by whispering into them regarding matters only Allah Most High only has knowledge of.

The greatest Blessing is knowledge which helps one draw closer to Allah Most High and the greatest wealth is contentment.

 

[Nájlá]

Can everyone save their posts from this thread before they get deleted while the forum is updating. Some great posts I want to read later on to reflect on.

 

[Plutonium]

Incredible responses since the last time I loged in... thank you all and on behalf of anyone that will find this when in time of thought. These will all be read thoroughly and insha-Allah I will respond to each one.

 

[glo]

Thanks for asking a very interesting question, Plutonium.
It is always good to question our faith and stretch our understanding.
The question of suffering is one which human beings have grappled with for as long as they have existed.

 

[greenhill]

The question of suffering is one which human beings have grappled with for as long as they have existed.

As I have quite recently learnt, that is because it is part of the formula for us humans to grow. We need reason (the ability to), choice and suffering. Without any one of it, we cease to grow in intellect.

It us just that we 'hate' having to suffer, so we reject it and say it is unfair. ^o)



eace:

 

[Signor]

Comes to me as a great reminder,thought I should share.

You Will Find Me, if Allah so Wills, Among Those Who Are Patient

“And when he reached with him [the age of] exertion, he said, “O my son, indeed I have seen in a dream that I [must] sacrifice you, so see what you think.” He said, “O my father, do as you are commanded. You will find me, if Allah wills, of the steadfast.” And when they had both submitted and he put him down upon his forehead, We called to him, “O Abraham, You have fulfilled the vision.” Indeed, We thus reward the doers of good. Indeed, this was the clear trial.” (Qur’an 37:102-106)

Above is the conversation between Ibrahim `alayhi sallatu wasallam (may God send His peace and blessings on him) and one of his sons. Here we see that Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala (exalted is He) asks Ibrahim (as) to make the most difficult of sacrifices. There are many kinds of tribulations in this world that leave us at utter loss and dismay, but one of the most painful tribulations for a parent is to lose his or her child. Yet, in the verses above we see a very different reaction from Ibrahim (as), and more so from his son. Allah (swt) makes it very clear at the end that it was obviously a trial for them. So what exactly makes these people different from us as to how we react to a test from Allah (swt)? A growing epidemic among Muslims today is the absolute impatience with the decree of Allah (swt). Oftentimes we see negativity in everything that unexpectedly happens to us; we completely lose our cool when afflicted with tribulation. And why do we react this way so often? Perhaps because our priorities are skewed and we trust ourselves more than we trust our Lord (swt).

Ibrahim (as) and his son were in a complete state of submission to their Lord—they had an undeniable certainly that their Lord, Al Lateef (the Gentle, the Subtle), would never hurt them, that they were in the good hands of Al Waali (the Protecter). To make it clearer, Imam al Ghazali (may God have mercy on him) said that it does not matter what situation you are in, what matters is what you make out of that situation. This means that we need to realize and be confident in what really matters. Our priority is to be successful in terms of the akhira (afterlife). Our priority is to be in obedience to Allah (swt) in every living condition possible.

Allah (swt) Exists when we are unwell and when we are well. He (swt) Exists when we are poor and when we are rich, when we are sad and when we are happy. So what difference does our state make when, in every state, Al Hay (the Living God) is ever-present with us? Can’t a poor person be more beloved to Allah (swt) than a rich person because of his mindfulness of Allah? Can’t a person with cancer be more beloved to Allah than a healthy person because of her love for Allah (swt)? We don’t have knowledge of the unseen. We don’t know what His plans for us are. But the knowledge that Allah (swt) did convey to us through His messengers is that the only thing that has any value in His sight is our taqwa (mindfulness of God). And the moment we internalize this, our problems of dunya (this life) will begin to look insignificant. How can outward and arbitrary tribulations be tribulations when we know that these events, by no means, can take us away from His obedience?

Some may ask, well if Allah has already decreed everything for us, then what’s the point of life anyway? Yes, whatever Allah (swt) has decreed will come to pass, but the point is not what Allah has decreed, the point is our reaction and response to whatever Allah (swt) decreed for us. Let us consider the example of Aasiya (may God be pleased with her): it was decreed that she would marry Pharaoh, but her forbearance and absolute conviction in the hereafter brought her so close to Allah (swt) that Allah showed her her house in Paradise. So next time we face a dead end in life, let’s remember that the situation at hand is not important. The importance actually lies in the fact that Allah (swt) has given you a chance to prove your love for Him.

And why should our priority be the akhira and not the dunya? Because whether good or bad, our life will come to an end very soon, but the hereafter is eternal. After 50 years it won’t matter if you got accepted to Yale or not. What’s going to matter for eternity is our relationship with our Lord. We all want to go to Jannah (Paradise), but the even the thought of death makes us uncomfortable. Perhaps that is because deep inside we know that we are not serious enough about our permanent abode. Most of us get worried out of our wits when we can’t hand in an assignment on time, but we couldn’t care less about the call of the adhaan (the call to prayer) five times a day. We log onto Facebook every day, but we forget to open the book of Allah as often. Allah (swt) is not being unfair to us, we are being unfair to ourselves by mixing up our priorities.

Our Prophet ﷺ was never disquieted or agitated in a moment of tribulation. Even in the most difficult day of his life, he ended his prayer by telling Allah, “So long as You are not angry with me, I don’t care.” Agitation at the tribulations around us is inconsistent with the characteristic of believers.
“It is He who sent down tranquillity into the hearts of the believers that they would increase in faith along with their [present] faith. And to Allah belong the soldiers of the heavens and the earth, and ever is Allah Knowing and Wise.” (Qur’an 48:4)

We need to internalize the fact that we come from Allah (swt) and we will return to Allah (swt). We have to remember that we are in good hands. It’s strange that we love and trust our parents so much, yet we do not fully trust Allah’s plans for us— whose plan it was in the first place to send us to these safe hands. We know with utter conviction that these two temporary guardians (our mum and dad) will take care of us, yet we don’t believe our real and eternal Guardian will take care of us. He took care of us before we had our parents. He took care of us when we were in the wombs. He (swt) took care of us when we couldn’t even ask for anything. If He took care of us through all this, how can we think He will forsake us now and not give us what is best for us? Brothers and sisters in Islam, let us be mindful of our Lord and straighten our affairs with Him. The result to this will be that He (swt) will straighten the rest of our affairs for us, perhaps in ways we’re not going to quite understand.

“O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.” – (Qur’an 2:153)

 

[hisnameiszzz]

This is an awesome topic. Thanks so much to the OP for bringing it up.

Great responses from everyone else too.

 

[MuslimInshallah]

Learning from the Example of Prophet Job

Job sighed, and in a soft voice replied, “Satan must have whispered to you and made you dissatisfied. Tell me, how long did I enjoy good health and riches?” She replied, “For eighty years.” Then Job asked, “How long am I suffering like this?” She said, “For seven years.” Then Job told her, “In that case I am ashamed to call on my Lord to remove the hardship, for I have not suffered longer than the years of good health and plenty. It seems that your faith has weakened and you are dissatisfied with the fate of Allah. If I ever regain health, I swear I will punish you with a hundred strokes! From this day onward, I forbid myself to eat or drink anything from your hand. Leave me alone and let my Lord do with me as He pleases.” Crying bitterly and with a heavy heart, she had no choice but to leave him and seek shelter elsewhere. In his helpless state, Job turned to Allah, not to complain but to seek His mercy:

Verily, distress has seized me, and You are the Most Merciful of all those who show Mercy. (21:83)


Source

Assalaamu alaikum,

(smile) This was a very long post, but worth the read. However, I felt that the story of Ayyub (AS) was left a little incomplete, and that someone who did not know it might think that he was unkind and unfair to his wife. After all, she also had lost all her wealth and children (Oh gosh! I don't know that I could cope as well as she if my children all died!), and she had had to care for her husband during his sickness. And it can be harder on the caregiver than on the sick person, sometimes. She also had to do menial work to support them both. She must have been pretty exhausted and at the end of her tether when she spoke. And so must Ayyub (AS) when he spoke.

So I wanted to add this little addendum, to show what beautiful people they both were (May Allah Bless them).

God restored Ayyub’s health almost immediately. Ayyub’s wife could not bear to be parted from her beloved husband for very long so she returned and was amazed when she saw his recovery. She cried out her thanks to God, and on hearing her words, Ayyub became worried. He had taken an oath to beat his wife but he had no desire to hurt her for he loved her dearly. God wanted to ease the heart of his devoted, patient servant so he advised him to “take in your hand a bundle of thin grass and strike therewith your wife, and break not your oath”. (Quran 38:44)

Source: http://aboutislamworld.blogspot.ca/2012/02/life-of-prophet-ayyub-as.html


Ayyub (AS) had sworn an oath to beat her with a hundred strokes. So Allah Gave him a way to fulfil his oath, but in an equitable manner. Namely, to take a bunch of grass, and tap her with it. (smile) And then they both were able to enjoy the bounties that Allah rained upon them thereafter.


May Allah, the Guide to the Right Path, Help us to be fair and kind in our dealings with others, no matter what the circumstances. And if we fail…May He Forgive us, and Help us find ways to to set right any errors we may have committed.

 

[sister herb]

Salam alaykum

I don´t think that Allah is unfair. We people should learn to follow His teachings and we should learn to share what we have with others.

 

[ardianto]

He : "Why is Allah unfair?".
You: "Astaghfirullah!, why you say like that?"
He : "Because Allah made me born with poverty"
You: "Poverty is a test. Just like wealth is a test too for wealthy people"
He: "But why don't Allah test me with wealth too like other people?"

Okay, bro, sis, what would you say if you got question like this?.

So, do not just 'entertain' the poor people with sweet words, but give your concern to the poor people and do the real action to help them. Help them to make them able to leave their poverty.

 

[M.I.A.]

I never felt anything was unfair until I tried to change myself.

...seems like most people do not think twice about the way they act or interact.

My actions are not fair seeming to me and niether are there's.

Shieks be like, your book is your own.

Maybe one day things will be as I remember them to have been.