Test or Punishment?

Some people say: “If God knows everything, then why does He test us?”

I say: God created the whole universe, which is vast and we cannot comprehend how vast and how old it is. We know only a very small part of it after we were created. And that knowledge is really poor, so much so that since thousands of years we are still discovering from day to day new “facts” about this universe. Then, most people believe that God created this universe and human beings are a small part of it. So it is not reasonable to ask why He created all that or why He tests people with many kinds of afflictions, or why He punishes others. Billions of believers in God have the faith that human beings “encompass nothing of His knowledge, save such as He wills” (Qur’an, 2:255).

Muslims believe that only God Himself knows why He created human beings. God told us in the Qur’an: “And when your Lord said to the angels: I am appointing on earth a vicegerent. They said: What? Will You appoint therein one who will do corruption therein and shed blood, while we glorify You with praise and sanctify You? He said: Assuredly, I know what you know not. And He imparted unto Adam the names of all things; then He brought them within the ken of the angels and said: Declare unto Me the names of these (things), if you speak truly. They said: Glory be to You! We know not except what You have taught us. Surely You are the Knower, the Wise” (2: 30-32)

We understand also from the Qur’an that God created us to obey Him, and He is testing us as vicegerent on earth, by endowing us with special faculties to be able to perform our duty. And for this purpose also we are given a certain limited free will.

Each person will be interrogated in the Day of Judgment on how he used his lifespan, his welfare, his power, and how far he obeyed God’s ordinances. A great reward will await those who pass the test successfully, and an awful punishment will await the losers. That punishment in the Hereafter is the real punishment. Yet God is so Merciful; for those who did evil and then repented, and asked God for forgiveness and stopped doing evil during their life time, they will escape from the punishment.

As for afflictions in the life of this world, God says: “And whatever affliction may befall you is on account of what your (own) hands have earned; and He pardons much” (42:30).

But there are afflictions that befall human beings, which are destined by God, for a certain purpose, which is only known by Him. They are purely tests for those who got the misfortunate affliction and maybe are also tests for the people around them, as we are morally demanded to help or console the distressed.

In whatever condition we are, we have to be thankful to God as He is giving us some of what we wish. God reminds us with His saying: “And He gives you of all that you ask of Him. And if you were to enumerate God’s grace you could never number it. Lo! Man is verily a wrong-doer and unthankful!” (14.34). And if we are thankful to God, then we ask His pardon anxiously, as He is Forgiving, Merciful:

“And if you were to count God’s grace you could never reckon it. Indeed God is Forgiving, Merciful!”  (16:18). We always have to try to elevate our faith in Him and minimize any grief we may feel. God says: “No affliction befalls in the earth, or in yourselves, but it is in a Book before We bring it about – that is indeed easy for God, so that you may not grieve for what escaped you, nor exult at what He has given you, for God does not like any swaggering braggart” (57:22-23).

In any case, when an affliction strikes a person, who is a believer, he should immediately remember God, his Lord and Master. He should remember that everything comes with the permission of God: “And if God afflicts you with some hurt, there is none who can remove it save Him; and if He intends good for you, there is none who can repel His bounty. He strikes with it whomever He will of His servants. He is the forgiving, the Merciful” (10:107).

Whether it is a kind of punishment caused by his weakness, or it is purely a test, or both, a believer should ask forgiveness from God, the Merciful.  God says in the Qur’an: “Surely We will try you with something of fear and hunger, and diminution of goods and lives; yet good tidings to the patient; those who, when they are struck by an affliction say: (Inna lillahi wa-inna ilaihi raji’oun) Surely we belong to God, and to Him we will return. Upon those rest blessings and mercy from their Lord and those – they are truly guided”  (2:155-157).