The Philosophy of Suffering
Does it Negate the Existence of God?
Digging Out The Truth
Suppose at a given excavation site, archeologists unearthed the ruins of a well-developed infrastructure of what looked like a previously inhabited city; a city with traces of all facilities that had existed at the time. What conclusions will the archeologists - or anyone for that matter - come to? That these are the ruins of a city once inhabited by a human civilisation! Anything else would be unimaginable. Correct? In fact our demonstration does not even need the example of a whole city. As to conclude that humans occupied the area at some point, the discovery of a few pieces of well-designed pottery are sufficient.
Now suppose that further findings brought forth more revelations from this city (to which we’ll refer to henceforth as City A):
A powerful king had ruled the city (A)
Another city (B) existed nearby, and some form of suffering had been visited upon this city at the same time by some outsiders.
It was discovered that the powerful king (and the inhabitants of City A too) did not intervene to stop this from happening despite having the power to do so.
Now let your imaginations run wild. Allow all types of possibilities to run through your mind, especially considering the visitation of suffering upon the neighbouring people of city B, and the absence of intervention despite the capacity by City A.
You may have thought of all possible scenarios; however, I can assure you that the one conclusion you would never have come to is that ‘no such city (A) or inhabitants actually existed, and that the discovered ruins of the perfectly designed infrastructure, etc, were simply a result of random accumulation of molecules over a long period of time’. And this conclusion being premised on the mere fact that some people seemed to be undergoing some form of suffering nearby and the inhabitants did not intervene and stop it despite having the power to do so.
The point being made of course is that the existence of suffering in this world has no correlation whatsoever with the existence of God.
Explanation Eliminates Confusion
Let’s look at this from a different perspective.
If you come across a blank page whilst reading a book, you may become somewhat confused. This is only natural as we are not used to pages being blank in books. And so we may leaf right and left just to see if indeed this was a flaw that had gone unnoticed by the designers.
However, suppose you see a caption on top of the blank page saying, ‘This page intentionally left blank’; the question is, do you still remain confused, or do you confidently move on to the next page, convinced that this is part of the ‘design’ from the creator of the book? We can agree that it is indeed the latter. And this is even if you do not know why a certain page might have been left blank. In fact once you see such a caption, you do not need to know what the rationale behind it is; just the fact that it has been mentioned, suffices.
Why is that? Because the reason for confusion has disappeared. And the reason is the knowledge of the intent of the designer, not necessarily the rationale behind it. Confusions (and questions) arise when there are no explanations. Where explanations are made, the ground for confusion disappears, and subsequently, confusion itself.
Have We Not Been Informed?
All previously revealed scriptures have made clear the Divine intention and design with regard to the existence of suffering.
The Quran, on a number of occasions, refers to this problem too, both human-induced and natural.
“We will test you with some fear, and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and crops - but give good news to those who patiently endure.” (The Qur’an 2:155)
“Verily, We have created man in toil.” (The Qur’an 90:4)
“When your Lord said to the angels, ‘I am placing a successor on earth.’ They said, ‘Will You place in it someone who will work corruption in it, and shed blood, while we declare Your praises and sanctify You?’ He said, ‘I know what you do not know.’” (The Qur’an 2:30)
Phases of Life
The following is a brief upshot in this regard from the Islamic sources:
God has created different types of worlds and they are all perfect in their own ways:
Âlam al Arwâh (The places where all souls resided post-creation and prior to entering this world) - Perfect in its neutrality
Souls and their habitation were perfect in the manner best known to God.
Dunyâ (The present world) - Perfect in its combination of pain and pleasure
Perfection here manifests in the intent of the Divine design; hence why all things, however deficient they may seem to us, are perfect as that is how they were meant to be.
Âkhirah (The Hereafter where souls will be accounted for their actions in the world and destined for either of the two following abodes):
> Jannah - The place for perfect reward.
> Jahannam - The place for perfect punishment.
Therefore a person who has belief in the Divinely revealed scripture will not be confused as to the existence of suffering in the world. The reason behind this is the mere explanation of it by the Designer of the universe. However a person without belief in a Maker of the universe (and hence no belief in the revealed scriptures) will be deprived of this necessary explanation, and thus be bereft of the mental peace and contentment that this knowledge brings with it.
Studies actually reinforce this. Statistics state that religion (due to the other benefits as well as the above) increases mental peace and tranquillity.
In the words of Bret Weinstein, former professor of evolutionary biology: “Religion reduces stress, increases life, and increases reproductive success.”
A Deeper Analysis of the Issue
Observation and Judgement are Relative
If a person who is uninitiated in a particular field is shown a piece of work related to that field, it is highly likely they will not understand it. They may even find faults within it. However, we know that this is not due to the defectiveness of the product or the work itself, but rather the ignorance of the observer. We also know that people of reason and understanding will undoubtedly acknowledge the worth of the product and give it its due praise and commendation. The reality of a product (and the consequent judgement), then, is wholly dependent on the perspective and knowledge of the observer.
As an example, consider a piece of art created by a distinguished artist, or a poem written by a celebrated poet. Now imagine a person who has zero knowledge of art and poetry, sees these masterpieces, and begins to point out shortcomings and flaws in them and criticises their creators. Who, in your opinion, is worthy of censure and blame? The artist or the layperson criticising the artist? And what if the layperson concludes that since the work is not to their liking, it goes to show that the work is not good.
Failure to understand the rationale or excellence behind a creation does not decrease the value of the creation nor that of its creator. And the ludicrousness of the belief in the non-existence of the creator on those grounds is self-evident.
Awakening the Heedless
It is indeed strange to find that there are people who will dismiss the existence of God merely on the grounds of pain and suffering in this world.
Consider this. If a person slapped you in the face, would you turn around and say, ‘you don’t exist’! Rather, their slapping should be all the more proof that they did. And suppose you received a slap on the face when you were alone in a room, without anyone around you, would your curiosity and apprehension increase, or would you continue as normal in life? Would you not begin to seek an answer for what had just happened?
This is exactly what the pain and suffering in the world are designed to bring about. It’s a wake-up call for us. It is meant to remind us of our true purpose in life and our ultimate destination. As human beings we can get intoxicated by the pleasures of this world and entrapped by the world’s illusory attractions, and therefore such reminders are necessary; necessary for our own benefit.
When Can We Attribute Flaw to Something?
The success and efficacy of a place or system is dependent upon whether it functions in conformity with its intended design and purpose. If it does then we can say that it is functioning successfully.
Take the example of a place of worship or a library where the atmosphere is that of complete silence and serenity. Think of a person who walks into such a place and objects to the quiet atmosphere there, judging it to be flawed, due to its failure to match the ambience of a coffee shop or a fruit market with which they are accustomed.
Or consider the example of a person criticising a boxing club on account of the apparent ‘cruelty’ and ‘suffering’ that they observe there; failing to understand that there is a greater goal behind what is apparently visible.
For something to be flawed or not is contingent upon whether it functions in accordance with the intended design. If it doesn’t, it is certainly flawed, no matter how good it may seem from the outside; and if it does, then it is not flawed, regardless of how bad it looks to the observer.
Moreover, If misfortunes and suffering were to be experienced in Paradise (the perfect place for reward) then there would be justification in stating that there is a flaw in the design of the system, but it would be ludicrous to ascribe it to a world never meant to be one for reward and pleasure, but for mere trial, and that too on the basis of suffering.
No Pain No Gain
Struggling and persevering for a noble purpose, which is also a form of suffering, is never seen as a flaw by anyone. Without suffering we would not have been able to achieve the many great things that we either take for granted or that are important to us. We achieve positions (worldly and spiritual) only through struggle, without which such noble qualities and exalted heights could not have been achieved. Examples of this are aplenty.
When we find something noble, we cease to see the associated struggle and pain as a flaw; rather we extol the virtues of people who undergo the pain and perseverance to achieve the desired success and status. This, where we can see the fruits and positive results (of pain and suffering). However where we can’t, we are quick to attribute the negativity of it to God, since the positive results are not immediately visible to us. Does this not smack of hypocrisy?
Progress can only be achieved through undergoing discomfort and pain. And this is in all aspects of life. As they say, no pain, no gain!
Only a person who has not yet been enlightened with the purpose of life will question the reason behind suffering. A man of understanding will never question it.
Negatives Bring Positives to Life
As part of its innate design, certain characteristics have been embedded into this world of ours. One of these is the phenomenon of contrasts. It is through this mechanism that we are able to truly appreciate certain aspects that could not have been appreciated otherwise. Darkness unmasks the blessing of light and hatred manifests the beauty of love. Similarly, the sight of suffering visited upon others is meant to open the doors of gratitude and appreciation in those who have been protected from it. Given the intrinsic nature of this world this could not have been possible otherwise. Accordingly, the good that manifests from the good people can only be understood through the evil of the evil-doers.
A Display of Selfishness?
We observe things in life that may not suit us in the short term, however since they are understood to be beneficial in the long term, their existence is not only accepted but even considered to be good. Examples of this abound within our lives. For instance, the diligence shown in studies by a dedicated student, the commitment to a 9-to-5 job by a concerned parent, or caring for a loved one for a prolonged period of time, or indeed any of the countless acts of perseverance and sacrifice that we all optionally undertake; we do them for a better outcome, or for the good we see within itself. If the same is required of us by God for our own eternal benefit, why should this be any less good? And if considered to be so, would it not amount to a display of utter selfishness on our part?
Why Open to a Single Interpretation?
Suppose a 3 year old child keeps running towards something dangerous, like a live cable, which for some reason could not be removed and neither could the child. And despite repeated attempts from the parent the child does not listen and the parent realises that the only way to stop the child would be to show some harshness so as to prevent him from - and warn him of - the associated harm. Would that harshness on the part of the parent be interpreted by anyone as evil and cruelty, or would it be construed as compassion and mercy?
Why then should our experience of pain and suffering in this world be open only to one interpretation; that of evil and cruelty? Why can it not be conceived as neutral, or even good, the philosophy of which our finite minds may not be able to fathom just now.
A Silver Lining?
The world of ours is designed to bring forth benefits only through endurance of pain and sacrifice. Look at nature’s yielding of crops, for instance, which can only come about after months (and even years) of laborious and toilsome cultivation. Or the birth of a child which is preceded by months of discomfort and the ultimate pain of labour.
Natural disasters too are often only seen as purely destructive and catastrophic events, but their succeeding positive effects are usually ignored. Here are a few examples:
Forest fires:
While forest fires can be devastating in the short term, they can also be beneficial to ecosystems in the long term. Some plant species actually depend on fires to clear out old growth and make way for new growth. Additionally, fires can help to prevent the buildup of fuel that can lead to even more destructive fires in the future.
Floods:
Floods can cause significant damage to homes and infrastructure, however, they can also provide important benefits to ecosystems and agriculture. Floods can deposit nutrient-rich sediment in soil, which can improve crop yields. Additionally, they can help to maintain wetland ecosystems and replenish groundwater supplies.
Earthquakes:
Earthquakes too can cause substantial damage to buildings and infrastructure, but they can also help to prevent even more destructive earthquakes in the future. By releasing pressure along fault lines, earthquakes can help to prevent the buildup of pressure that can lead to larger, more destructive earthquakes.
Volcanic eruptions:
Volcanic eruptions can be devastating to nearby communities; however, they can also create new land and provide important nutrients to soil. Volcanic ash contains important minerals that can improve soil fertility and support plant growth. Additionally, volcanic islands and landscapes can provide important habitats for unique species of plants and animals.
While it's important to prepare for and mitigate the negative effects of natural disasters, it's also important to recognise that they are a natural part of our planet's ecosystem, and can sometimes have unexpected benefits.
Submission to the Divine
Finally, we need to submit that the Intelligence of God is far superior to ours and so better we leave it to Him than try to figure out ourselves as to why a certain thing exists or not. This would certainly amount to the ‘true obedience’ which is required of us in this world, and which is the true essence of Faith. If we understood the rationale behind all things here, it would cease to be the test that this worldly life has been designed to be.
The Problem of Evil is Not a Logical Contradiction
While the existence of evil and suffering may raise certain questions (which have somewhat been dealt with), it does not necessarily mean that the existence of God is logically impossible. The problem of suffering may be a philosophical challenge at best, but it is certainly not a logical contradiction. It is possible to believe in the existence of God while still acknowledging the reality of suffering and evil in the world.
The argument that is typically made in reference to the above points usually goes like this:
If God is all-powerful, then he has the ability to prevent evil and suffering in the world.
If God is all-knowing, then he knows about the evil and suffering in the world.
And if God is perfectly good, then he would want to prevent evil and suffering in the world.
Therefore, according to this argument, the existence of evil and suffering in the world is incompatible with the existence of an all-powerful, all-knowing, and perfectly good God.
This argument does not amount to a logical contradiction because it does not claim that God cannot exist. It may raise a philosophical challenge to certain attributes of God, but even that only to the extent of the critic’s ignorance of the Divine Reality.
In conclusion, the problem of evil is not necessarily a reason to discount the existence of God. There are various ways in which one can reconcile the existence of suffering and evil with the existence of God.