Day 52
Problem of Evil (part 1)
Welcome back to Be Quranic. My apologies for being absent for a couple of days. One of my teachers from Egypt, Shaykh Usamah Alazhari, came to Perth. I was honoured with the task of accompanying him and learning from him while he was in town.
Insha Allah today we continue our study of Surah al-Baqarah, specifically Ayat 30, which discusses the concept of Khalifa (stewardship), the importance of asking the right questions in Islam, and the problem of evil.
The angels questioned the creation of humans who would spread corruption and shed blood, and how Allah responded with His wisdom beyond their knowledge.
The discourse delves into understanding human potential for both evil and good, framed within the context of free will, intellect, and the nafs (self).
It emphasises life as a test designed by Allah to see who will perform the best deeds, with tests of luxury and hardship being opportunities for showing gratitude or patience, respectively.
The ultimate aim is to achieve Jannah (paradise) through responding correctly to life's trials, whether they be blessings or difficulties, with the overall message highlighting that everything in a believer's life is an opportunity to draw closer to Allah.