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The question, "If God is all-good and all-powerful, then why does evil exist?" is one of the oldest and most repeated objections against belief in a Creator. Atheists often use it as a weapon to attack theists, claiming that the existence of evil disproves a merciful and powerful God.

But when we look at this objection carefully, it collapses. In fact, with proper reasoning and evidence, the existence of God as all-good, all-powerful, and merciful becomes even clearer. Let us break this down step by step.

Before diving into details, it's worth stating how philosophers and skeptics frame the "Problem of Evil":

1. If God is all-powerful, He can prevent evil.

2. If God is all-good, He would want to prevent evil.

3. Yet evil exists.

4. Therefore, God is either not all-powerful or not all-good.

At first this seems logical. But it ignores key truths:

1. Human free will and responsibility (moral evil is caused by choices, not the Creator).

2. The purpose of life as a test (difficulties and struggles give meaning).

3. Our limited horizon vs. Allah's infinite perspective.

When these truths are considered, the contradiction vanishes.

Crimes like murder, rape, theft, or letting people die in hunger are not the fault of the Creator. They are the result of the choices of human beings. God has granted us free will, and we are responsible for how we use it. Evil does not exist because God created it --- it exists because humans choose it.

Take a simple analogy: a knife can be used to cut food and feed the hungry, or in the hands of a surgeon it can save a life. The very same knife can also be used to kill an innocent person. The object is neutral --- the outcome depends on the user.

The same is true with free will. Humans can choose to do good or evil. When someone rapes, murders, or oppresses others, it is their misuse of free will, not the fault of the Creator.

Even poverty and hunger are largely the result of human greed, corruption, and failure to share resources fairly.

Research proves this:

1. The Earth produces enough food and resources to sustain far more people than our current population.

2. Hunger exists because of unequal distribution and human negligence, not because resources are lacking.

3. Population growth often leads to more innovation and more abundance, not scarcity.

References:

• Valuable People: Debunking the Myth of Overpopulation (CATO Institute)

• A meta-analysis of projected global food demand and population at risk of hunger (Nature)

• Superabundance: The Story of Population Growth, Innovation, and Human Flourishing

Islam provides the real solution: zakat (obligatory charity), sadaqah (voluntary charity), avoiding extravagance, and helping the poor. The very God people accuse of causing poverty has already given us the solution. It is human failure to follow that solution which creates the problem.

(The deeper discussion of free will and how it connects with God's pre-knowledge will be addressed separately, in detail.)

Someone might ask: "But what about earthquakes, floods, and disasters that kill innocent people? Humans didn't cause that!"

The truth is, many so-called "natural" disasters have been worsened and made more frequent by human activity. Pollution, greenhouse gases, and reckless exploitation of nature have intensified climate-related disasters.

References:

• Global Increase in Climate-Related Disasters (ADB)

• Human Activities and Extreme Events (NASA)

• Weather-Related Disasters Increase (WMO)

This proves that much of what people blame on God is actually linked to human actions.

At a deeper level, even disasters beyond human causes serve higher purposes: to humble us, remind us of our weakness, awaken compassion in society, and test patience.

Illnesses like cancer, heart disease, and respiratory problems are often linked to human-caused factors such as pollution, smoking, processed foods, and harmful chemicals.

References:

• Air Pollution in Cardio-Oncology (PMC)

• Exposure to Pollution Causes 10% of All Cancer Cases in Europe (EEA)

• Air Pollution Exposure and Cardiovascular Disease (PMC)

Again, the evidence shows: human negligence and greed cause widespread suffering, not the Creator.

At the same time, diseases also lead to human benefit: without illness, there would be no medical knowledge, no scientific advancement, no chance to serve others through healing, and no development of empathy for the weak.

Even after understanding free will and human-caused problems, people still ask: "If God is all-powerful, why doesn't He just stop evil altogether?"

The answer is simple: this life is a test.

A test without difficulty is meaningless. If a teacher gave an exam with only correct answers, would that exam have any value? Of course not. In the same way, if God created only good with no possibility of evil, life would have no meaning, no test, and no growth.

Good only has value when compared to bad. Without pain, we cannot truly appreciate health. Without sadness, we cannot understand joy. Without challenges, there can be no test.

Perfection does not mean "a world with no suffering." Perfection means a system that fulfills its purpose exactly as intended. If a perfume is designed to smell bad and it smells bad, it is perfect --- even if humans dislike it --- because it fulfilled its purpose. Similarly, this world fulfills its purpose as a test. That is perfection.

Now comes the question: Where is His mercy, especially when a small child dies of cancer? How is the child "tested," and what was the child's fault?

From Islam's clear guidance:

All children who die before puberty will attain Paradise, as they have not developed the full capacity to exercise free will with accountability.

The test, in such cases, is upon the relatives --- the mother, father, and family. This is explicitly encouraged with glad tidings in the Sunnah:

This shows how Allah tests different people differently and according to their capacity.(We will discuss this in detail seperately,along with a deeper exploration of Allah's mercy)

Now, look at the scale of Allah's reward: the Paradise He offers for the patience over worldly trials is beyond imagination. Consider the following hadith that gives us a glimpse:

This clearly shows that even a single moment can erase the memory of a lifetime of suffering --- so what about eternity?

And reflect on Allah's mercy in another way: we cannot repay Him even for one blessing --- like the eye. We cannot buy it, recreate it, or fully repay its worth, even if we worked day and night for a lifetime. If that is true for one eye, then what about the countless blessings He has given? So how could anyone "deserve" Paradise purely by deeds when we can't even repay what we already owe --- and on top of that, we sin?

The answer is in the hadith:

What we see as "evil" often has hidden wisdom.

1. Pain warns us of danger.

2. Suffering births courage, generosity, and resilience.

3. Illnesses drive medical progress.

4. Hardship makes us value blessings.

5. Temporary losses often bring eternal rewards.

An analogy: a child may see a painful vaccination as "evil," but the doctor sees the greater good. Likewise, our perspective is limited, but Allah sees the full truth.

Not every objection to evil is philosophical; sometimes it comes from grief and heartbreak. A parent who buries a child may cry: "Why would a Merciful God allow this?"

Islam acknowledges pain. The Prophet ﷺ himself wept when his son Ibrahim died, saying:

This records the Prophet's human sorrow, but also his submission to Allah. Our faith offers the same: permission to grieve, but reassurance that no pain is wasted, and eternal life will erase sorrow.

The existence of evil is not meant to make us passive, but to call us to action. Islam commands us to fight evil, not just explain it:

Believers are called to reduce harm --- feed the poor, protect the environment, stop injustice, care for the weak. Evil tests us, but our role is to resist it.

Much of the world's suffering is the direct result of human free will and human negligence (injustice, greed, pollution, mismanagement).

The rest is tied to the purpose of life: a test where good gains meaning in contrast to the possibility of evil.

The mercy of Allah overwhelms all suffering --- through forgiveness, multiplied reward, and an eternal Paradise that makes worldly pain vanish into nothing.

Evil, then, is not a contradiction to Allah's goodness and power. Rather, it is part of His perfect plan:

1. A test for free-willed humans.

2. A path to growth and higher virtues.

3. A reminder of our weakness and need for Him.

4. A gateway to eternal joy beyond earthly pain.

So the accusation fails. The existence of the All-Good, All-Powerful, and All-Merciful Creator stands firm. The suffering of this world is part of Allah's wisdom and test --- and it does not negate His mercy.