THE PROBLEM OF EVIL
Answering an Age-old Question
IN its issue no. 134 (1992), the journal, Faith and Reason, (published in England), brought out an article titled, ‘The Relationship between Faith and Reason’, by Dr Paul Badham, a Professor of Theology and Religious Studies at St. David’s College, Lampeter, in the University of Wales. He appears to be defenceless while discussing the Problem of Evil. He writes:
“I have to acknowledge that the existence of so much evil and suffering in the world counts against any vision of an all-powerful and loving God.”
The problem of evil is the question of how to reconcile the existence of evil and suffering with an Omnipotent, Omnibenevolent, and Omniscient God. To put it simply, this is a question of why there is so much suffering in the world if there indeed is a God who loves His creation.
The present world appears meaningless when seen independently, that is, without joining the Hereafter with it. However, when we take this world and the Hereafter together, the entire matter takes a new turn.
It must be noted that evil is a relative term. An evil is an evil so long as it cannot be explained. A doctor performs surgery on the patient’s body, a judge sentences a criminal to be hanged. All this appears to be injustice and cruelty, but we do not call it so, simply because we have a proper explanation to give for the acts of the judge and the doctor. The same is true of the evil pointed out by Dr. Badham.
The evil that exists in human society is not spread over the entire universe. Leaving aside the limited human world, the vast universe is perfect, par excellence. It is entirely free of any defect or evil.
Now the question arises as to why there is evil in the human world. To arrive at an understanding of this we shall have to understand the creation plan of the Creator. The creation plan of God provides the only criterion by which to judge the nature of this matter.
The creation plan of God as revealed to His Prophet is that this world is a testing ground, where man’s virtue is being placed on trial. It is in accordance with the records of this period of trial that man’s eternal fate will be decreed. It is for the purpose of this test that he has been granted freedom. In the absence of freedom, the question of life being a test would not arise.
The evil in question is, in fact, a concomitant of this freedom. God desires to select those individuals who, in spite of being granted freedom, lead a disciplined and principled life. For individuals to prove their worth an atmosphere of freedom must be provided. Undoubtedly, due to such an atmosphere, some people will surely misuse this freedom and perpetrate injustice. This is the inevitable price to be paid for such a creation plan to be brought to completion. No better creation plan can be envisaged for this world.
The present world appears meaningless when seen independently, that is, without joining the Hereafter with it. However, when we take this world and the Hereafter together, the entire matter takes a new turn. Now this world becomes extremely meaningful and extremely valuable. What at first was seen as Problem of Evil, is essentially a misuse of freedom by man.