Assalamalaikum
One of the common questions that comes into every human's mind is why the need for bloodshed and evil on earth. Why did God create a being that brings so much harm and destruction?
I was listening to a lecture of revert to Islam and teacher Jeffrey Lang the other day and I came across a truly educational passage in the Quran. Jeffrey Lang mentioned that he had these constant questions in his mind about life and existence. And how God would allow for all the suffering and evil on earth brought forth by the hands of men. He stated that by reading the Quran and particularly this passage,it became clearer to him of all the questions he had about man being a voilent being.
The passage is a conversation between Allah the Almighty and the angels with regards to the beginning of creation and existense of man.
The passage is from Ayah number 30 to Ayah number 33 of Surah Al Baqarah.
Ayah 30 - Note that occasion, when your Lord said to the angels: I am going to place a vicegerent on earth. They said: "Will You place there one who will make mischief and shed blood while we sing Your praises and glorify Your name?" Allah said: "I know
what you know not."
In this passage, Allah is conversing with the angels. The Jinns were already in existence before mankind, and from the information we have from Quran and Hadith, Jinns are very much like mankind, they have the good and the evil, they live in communities like us etc etc. So when the angels spoke about this Vicegerent that God would place on earth as one who would shed blood and make mischief, they obviously had certain knowledge - I gather from the existence of Jinn or from what Allah had already told them - and Allah knows best-They were not questioning the decree of Allah but rather just making an enquiry accepting Allah's decree that why not just make them - Angels - because we sing your praises and glorify your name. What is the use of creating a being that will shed blood and make mischief? Why the need for all this? Allah then says 'I know what you know not' Indicating that there is supreme wisdom in the creation of man and the good outweighs the bad. It teaches us the Wisdom of Allah is the supreme wisdom and whatever He does is for a greater good. His knowledge encompasses everything. Even if we see something that might be harmful, Allah is telling us that He knows better. Allah is also telling us that the question of man being a violent creature being developed in our mind is not a new concept. It was there before and it was a question politely asked by the angels.
Ayah 31 - He taught Adam the names of all things; then He presented the things to the angels and said: "Tell Me the names of these if what you say is true?"
In this Ayah it is evident that Man is a more intellectual being than the angels. Man was given more knowledge of things then the angels. In another sense - being violent is one of the attributes of man and Allah has given him knowledge to determine right from wrong. Also note that Allah ordered the Angels to prostrate to Adam and they did.
Ayah 32 - "Glory to You," they replied, "we have no knowledge except what You have taught us: in fact You are the One who is perfect in knowledge and wisdom.
The angels testify that they do not know the names of things that Allah put in front of them. Allah is the Master and does what He pleases. He wished to teach man the names of all things and not the angels. The angels having understood - that they only have knowledge of what Allah wanted them to know - Adam has greater knowledge then them. And ultimately Allah has the Greatest of knowledge. They Glorify Allah accepting wholeheartedly Allah's response.
Ayah 33 - Allah said: "O Adam! Tell them the names." When Adam told them the names, Allah said: "Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the heavens and the earth and I know what you reveal and what you conceal?"
And Adam told them the names. We can assume that what they reveal and what they conceal is the question about man being violent and his placement on earth. Allah announces that He has knowledge of all Seen and Unseen. Indicating He has knowledge of why He created man and that man being a violent being is a decree of Allah and the way He chose this existence to be. We will not be able to know the real wisdom until the Day of Judgement where we will face our Creator and all matters will be revealed. We have to accept that Allah is Master and Owner of all Wisdom. We - were given only this much knowledge about this question.
What we learn in this passage is that -
- Man is a superior creation to Angels
- Man is given knowledge of things that angels were not
- Allah is owner of Ultimate Wisdom and All Wisdom
- Man's knowledge is limited and hence cannot grasp the Wisdom behind Allah's decree
- Angels fully submitted to Allah and accepted wholeheartedly that Allah does things as He wills and what is best for his Creation - Likewise should man
AND ALLAH KNOWS BEST
There are infinite things in the creation which we have no knowledge about. It's only within the last 100 or so years with the technological revolution and change the world has seen, that we have been exposed to things our ancestors would not have the slightest clue about.
The depths of the oceans?
What's beyond the stars, galaxies, Milky Ways, Nebulae?
What's beyond the sky?
and on and on and on.
Being an engineer and born in the technical age - I always think of it this way. Allah configured a hard drive of say - 80 GB in man (his brain). You can't exceed that - if you do and try to - it will cause problems. The secrets of the Seen and Unseen lie with Allah. All these questions which we don't have clear answers of - are exceeding that 80 GB. May Allah guide us all through the Noor and Light of His Glorious Quran.
Thank you for reading :)
All that I have said wrong is from the evils of my own self. All good that has come out of this is from Allah Subhanawataala the Exalted, the Glorified, the Owner of all Praise and Perfection.
If there is anything wrong that I have said, please correct me Brothers and Sisters.
Assalam alaikum Warehmatullahi Wabarakatuhu
