In the name of Allah, the Most-Merciful, the All-Compassionate

 

"May the Peace and Blessings of Allah be Upon You"

 

Bismillah Walhamdulillah Was Salaatu Was Salaam 'ala Rasulillah

                       As-Salaam Alaykum Wa-Rahmatullahi Wa-Barakaatuh

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1) Islam , Suffering and the Problem of Evil

Suffering has purpose in Islam; it tests our faith and corrects our unbelief.

The monotheistic faiths must consider the problems of suffering and evil within the context of God's power and mercy. In Islam, there are two views of suffering, both of which resemble views held by its sister faiths, Judaism and Christianity. Suffering is either the painful result of sin, or it is a test.

In the latter view, suffering tests belief; a true Muslim will remain faithful through the trials of life. But suffering also reveals the hidden self to God. Suffering is built into the fabric of existence so that God may see who is truly righteous. In other words, God not only allows the various agonies and struggles of life, but has a purpose for them. Suffering opens up the soul and reveals it to God. God uses suffering to look within humans and test their characters, and correct the unbelievers.

Suffering is also a painful result of sin. In Islam, sin is associated with unbelief. Muslims surrender to God's will, and find peace in that surrender. Sometimes people forget to listen to the prophets, and fail to serve God in all that they do. This is the state of unbelief, called kufr, which literally means to forget through hiding of the truth. Therefore someone who is a kafir is someone who has purposefully forgotten the Lord. They become preoccupied with their own particular needs and their passions. Islam does not condemn human passions or human needs, seeing them as a necessary part of a full and useful life. But when people forget to serve God, these needs and passions can enslave them. They begin to misuse their divine gifts of intelligence, will, and speech. Enslaved by lust, and by cravings for wealth and pleasure, they do evil and destructive things. These moments of unbelief can happen to anyone, and when people realize their mistake, they suffer. Seen in this light, suffering is not only painful, but a lesson. It reminds humans of the truth of God's revelation.

Although all people are imperfect and vulnerable to kufr, Islam does not teach that they are essentially evil. When they realize their sin and make amends with true remorse, God forgives the sin. Genuine repentance is all that is needed to restore humans to a sinless state. However, individuals are always vulnerable to it, and sin and suffering are serious matters. The great struggle, or jihad, of human life is the struggle to perfect one's heart and live in total submission to God. It is possible to be a perfect Muslim, since God does not ask anyone to do anything that is beyond his or her ability. But perfect Muslims, like prophets, are very rare individuals. Most must be vigilant and always begin with the intention to do good.

Islam teaches the endurance of suffering with hope and faith. The faithful are not counseled to resist it, or to ask why. Instead, they accept it as God's will and live through it with faith that God never asks more of them than they can endure. However, Islam also teaches the faithful to work actively to alleviate the suffering of others. Recognizing that they are the cause of our own suffering, individuals work to bring suffering to an end. In the Islamic view, righteous individuals are revealed not only through patient acceptance of their own suffering, but through their good works for others. And if suffering is a consequence of unbelief, then good works will relieve pain.

2) Islam, Human Nature and the Purpose of Existence

Islam teaches that the purpose of existence is to love and serve God through loving and serving others. People can forget this, but prophets bear God's revelation, which shows people the way.

Islam is a monotheistic religion like Judaism and Christianity, and like those religions, it teaches that God created the whole universe and everything in it. God is the master designer who put order and purpose in his creation, and he rules over it with compassion and mercy. Everything in creation depends upon God, the Sustainer, for its existence. The purpose of all creation, including humans, is to love and serve God.

The very name of the religion, Islam, means submission or obedience to God, and the Muslim is one who submits or surrenders to God. All created things fulfill their assigned purpose by serving God.Plants and animals, rocks and minerals, rain and wind, stars and planets all naturally fulfill the purpose for which they were designed.By doing so, they worship and serve God.Everything in nature, by acting according to its design, serves God's will.In a sense, the whole universe is Muslim.

Islam teaches that God created humans from clay and breathed the spirit of life into us.He separated us from the rest of creation by giving us three divine gifts: intelligence to distinguish the true from the false, a will that can freely choose between them, and the power of speech to worship.Because of these gifts, people are the noblest of God's creatures, superior to the rest of nature.However, people are not perfect.Although we are not sinful by nature, we are vulnerable to temptation.Because we are rebellious and proud, we often forget that we are dependant on God.

The Quran stresses the mercy and compassion of God, and the words "merciful" (rahmah) and "compassionate" (rahim) come from the same root, rahma, which carries the meaning of forgiveness, and abundant mercy that sustains, protects, and rewards us.Because He is our sustainer and protector, God has given us a well-regulated and ordered universe in which night regularly follows day so that we may rest, and the sun and moon follow predictable patterns, creating seasons so that we may cultivate plants for food.God also gave us animals to assist us in fulfilling our needs for warmth and food.Those who remember this fulfill their purpose by worshiping and serving Him by being stewards of His creation.

What does it mean to serve God?The answer lies in God's books of prophecy.God gave us his revelation through the prophets, so that we may know how to fulfill our purpose as God's agents on earth.We are to assist in realizing God's will for all of creation.In their desire to understand God's plan, most people benefit from God's guidance, which is why God sent prophets.God gave humans the Quran and the law, and together, they are our guide to a peaceful life.Put simply, humans serve God by doing good deeds, telling the truth, and obeying God's instructions contained in the Quran and the law.They serve the underserved. They feed the poor and care for orphans.They are faithful, and when they sin, they seek forgiveness with sincere remorse.

As in Judaism and Christianity, simply following the way of Islam is its own reward. By following the path revealed by God, we live in harmony with God and with all of creation. This brings us the great blessings of peace and happiness in our lives. Those who live according to God's design will find wealth and success, and they will be respected in their communities, because they will always choose the right way. Not only will they be blessed by God, they will be a source of blessing to those who know them.

Study Questions:
1. Why is viewing Allah as the creator essential to the behavior of Muslims?
2. What is the role of service within Islam?
3. What is the ultimate reward of working toward a peaceful and service-oriented existence?

Courtesy: http://www.patheos.com/Library/Islam/Beliefs/Human-Nature-and-the-Purpose-of-Existence.html

 

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