The Truth in Islam - Discover Authentic Islamic Knowledge

The Uncomfortable Question

One of philosophy's oldest questions is the problem of evil: If God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good, why does evil exist? Islamic theology faces this challenge in a particularly acute way because the Quran and hadith explicitly state that Allah creates evil. This isn't a misunderstanding or misinterpretation—it's clearly stated in Islamic sources.

The problem is straightforward: if Allah is perfectly good yet creates evil, there's a logical contradiction. Either Allah isn't perfectly good, or He doesn't create evil. Islamic theology tries to have it both ways and fails.

Quranic Evidence: Allah Creates Evil

Surah Al-Falaq opens with this striking statement:

"Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak, from the evil of that which He created." — Quran 113:1-2

The phrase "the evil of that which He created" (min sharri ma khalaq) explicitly acknowledges that Allah created things that are evil. You don't seek refuge from the evil of Allah's creation unless Allah created evil things. This is unavoidable from the Arabic.

The verse doesn't say "from the evil that people do" or "from evil that resulted from free will"—it says "the evil of what He created." Allah is the creator of evil things.

Hadith Confirmation

The hadith literature reinforces this. In the famous prayer of Alqamah ibn Wa'il from his father:

"Labbayk wa Sa'dayk, and all good is in Your Hands and evil does not stem from You." — Sahih Muslim 771

But this contradicts other hadith that explicitly attribute both good and evil to Allah:

"The Messenger of Allah used to say in his prayer: 'O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the evil of what I have done and the evil of what I have not done.'" — Sahih Muslim 2716

More directly, another hadith states:

"All good is in Your Hands and evil is not attributed to You." — Sunan an-Nasa'i 897

Yet Islamic theology teaches qadar (divine decree)—that Allah has decreed all things, good and evil. As Sahih Muslim 2637 clarifies, belief in divine decree includes belief that Allah created both good and evil.

The Contradiction in the Quran Itself

The Quran contains contradictory statements about the source of evil. Compare these verses:

"Whatever good reaches you is from Allah, but whatever evil befalls you is from yourself." — Quran 4:79

"Say, 'All [things] are from Allah.' So what is [the matter] with those people that they can hardly understand any statement?" — Quran 4:78 (immediately before 4:79!)

Verse 4:78 says everything is from Allah. Verse 4:79 says evil is from yourself, not Allah. These verses are consecutive! The contradiction couldn't be more blatant.

Islamic apologists try to reconcile this by saying 4:78 refers to decree (qadar) while 4:79 refers to moral responsibility (kasb). But this doesn't resolve the logical problem—if Allah decreed and created the evil act, the human isn't its ultimate source, even if they "acquire" responsibility for it.

The Created-for-Hell Doctrine

Perhaps most troubling is the explicit teaching that Allah creates beings destined for Hell:

"And We have certainly created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind." — Quran 7:179

If Allah creates beings specifically for eternal torment, He is creating evil. Their existence and destiny is evil—suffering without redemptive purpose. Allah isn't merely permitting evil; He's actively creating it.

This makes Allah morally responsible for evil in the strongest possible sense. He's not just allowing it or working around it—He's deliberately designing and creating it.

Islamic Theodicy Attempts

Islamic scholars have struggled with this for centuries. Several approaches have been tried:

1. The "Evil is Absence of Good" Theory: Some argue evil isn't a positive reality but merely the absence of good, like darkness is the absence of light. Therefore Allah doesn't create evil; He simply withholds good.

This fails because the Quran explicitly refers to "the evil of what He created" (113:2)—not the absence of what He created. Also, many evils (like cancer, natural disasters, or predatory violence) are positive realities, not mere absences.

2. The "Evil for Greater Good" Theory: Some argue Allah permits evil because it serves greater purposes—testing humans, demonstrating justice, allowing free will to operate.

This partially works for moral evil (human sin) but fails for natural evil (diseases, earthquakes, birth defects affecting innocents). More problematically, if Allah creates beings specifically for Hell (Quran 7:179), there's no greater good for those individuals—only eternal suffering.

3. The "Beyond Human Understanding" Theory: Some take refuge in mystery, arguing Allah's wisdom transcends human comprehension, so apparent contradictions aren't real problems.

This is intellectual surrender. Logic doesn't stop applying when discussing God. A God who violates the law of non-contradiction (being both perfectly good and the creator of evil) is incoherent, not mysterious.

The Logical Problem

The problem can be stated formally:

If Allah is perfectly good, He would want to prevent evil.
If Allah is all-powerful, He could prevent evil.
If Allah is all-knowing, He would know how to prevent evil.
Yet evil exists.
Therefore, either Allah isn't perfectly good, or isn't all-powerful, or isn't all-knowing, or doesn't exist.

Islamic theology tries to escape by denying premise 1—claiming Allah isn't obligated to prevent evil because His will is absolutely sovereign and beyond moral judgment. But this makes "good" meaningless when applied to Allah. If Allah's goodness doesn't mean He prevents evil when He easily could, what does it mean?

Biblical Contrast: The Christian Solution

Christianity faces the same philosophical challenge but provides a more coherent answer. Biblical theology teaches:

1. God is perfectly good and hates evil:

"Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrongdoing." — Habakkuk 1:13

2. God doesn't create evil or tempt anyone with it:

"When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone." — James 1:13

3. Evil entered through human free will:

"Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all people, because all sinned." — Romans 5:12

4. God works redemptively even through evil:

"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." — Genesis 50:20

The Christian answer maintains divine sovereignty while preserving God's goodness and human moral responsibility. God permits evil without creating it, and works redemptively through it toward ultimate good. The cross demonstrates this perfectly—the worst evil (murdering God incarnate) becomes the means of the greatest good (salvation).

The Moral Implications

If Allah creates evil, several troubling conclusions follow:

1. Allah is morally responsible for all evil: If He creates it and decrees it, He's the ultimate author, regardless of secondary human "acquisition" of the act.

2. Allah's goodness becomes meaningless: What does it mean to call Allah "good" if He deliberately creates evil and designs beings for eternal torment?

3. Moral objectivity collapses: If Allah creates evil and calls it part of His plan, on what basis can we call anything evil? Allah's will becomes the only standard, making might equal right.

4. Worship becomes incoherent: Why worship a being who creates evil and destines people for Hell before they're born?

Questions to Consider

If the Quran says to seek refuge from "the evil of what He created" (113:2), isn't Allah the creator of evil?
How can Allah be perfectly good if He creates beings specifically for Hell (Quran 7:179)?
Why does Quran 4:78 say all things are from Allah, but 4:79 says evil is from yourself?
If Allah decrees all things (qadar), isn't He ultimately responsible for all evil that occurs?
What does "good" mean when applied to Allah if it doesn't include preventing evil He easily could prevent?
Can you truly call Allah just when His system creates and punishes evil simultaneously?

Conclusion

The problem of evil in Islam is more severe than in other monotheistic traditions because Islamic theology explicitly makes Allah the creator of evil. This isn't a fringe interpretation—it's stated in the Quran (113:2) and unavoidable given the doctrine of absolute predestination (qadar).

The theological gymnastics required to maintain both Allah's perfect goodness and His creation of evil fail logically. You cannot coherently claim a perfectly good God creates evil and designs beings for eternal Hell. Something has to give.

Christianity provides a more coherent theodicy: God is perfectly good, doesn't create evil, permits it through respect for free will, and works redemptively even through evil toward ultimate good. Islamic theology offers logical contradiction and moral confusion wrapped in claims of divine mystery.

The Problem of Evil in Islam: Allah Creates Both Good and Evil