Islam & Solutions to Suffering (Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B)
Revision Note
Islam and Qur’anic Responses to Suffering
Evil and suffering are a major challenge to faith for Muslims
They believe that it is an unavoidable but necessary part of life
They look to sources of authority to help them cope with the issue and provide solutions
Muslims respond to the issue of suffering in three ways: Qur’anic, theoretical, and practical
Qur’anic responses to suffering
Many of the prophets of Allah suffered in their lives
One example is the prophet Ayyub (Job)
Ayyub was a prophet who faced challenges from Satan who did not want him to preach Allah’s message
Despite being persecuted for his beliefs and separated from his family, he remained strong in his faith
Allah rewarded Ayyub for this
‘We answered him, removed his suffering, and restored his family to him, along with more like them, as an act of grace from us and a reminder for all who serve us.’ (Qur’an 21:83-84)
This teaches Muslims to stay strong in their faith, even through suffering, as they can have confidence that they will be rewarded
‘O you who have believed, seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, Allah is with the patient.’ (Qur’an 2:153)
This teaches Muslims to seek support through prayer, which will help them become more patient as they learn to cope with suffering
‘Surely we will test you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and loves and crops .. but give glad tidings to the steadfast who say when misfortune comes: we are Allah’s and to Him, we are returning.’ (Qur’an 2:155-157)
This teaches Muslims to accept suffering and not question it, but to learn that they will return to Allah someday
Islamic Theoretical and Practical Responses to Suffering
Theoretical responses to suffering
Muslims believe that difficult times happen to everyone and are like a test
People are tested throughout life to see how they react and who performs good deeds
Their reactions determine their fate
‘Exalted is He who holds all control in His hands, who has power over all things; who created death and life to test you and reveal which of you does best.’ (Qur’an 67:1-2)
Free will
All humans have free will and make free choices about how to act throughout their lives
Free will means that Muslims are ultimately responsible for their own decisions
There are many commands in the Qur’an but it is up to people to make their own choices on how to behave
These choices will have consequences
Allah is not to blame if humans make bad choices since this comes from a misuse of free will
For example, it is not Allah’s fault that there is famine in the world - there is enough food for everyone to have plenty, but poor human choices based on greed prevent resources from being shared
However, humans have the chance to learn from mistakes and make better choices in the future
Practical responses to suffering
Prayer
Muslims believe that prayer makes people closer to Allah and more mindful of what Allah wants them to do. This makes them less likely to do evil
‘Keep up the prayer: prayer restrains outrageous and unacceptable behaviour.’ (Qur’an 29:45)
Salah, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is the duty to pray five times a day, which keeps Allah in mind and offers comfort if people are suffering
Charity
Charity work is a practical way to ease suffering in the world by helping people cope in practical ways
It is especially important where there has been a terrible disaster
In such times, it gives people an opportunity to show that they care and to act as Allah intends
‘[The righteous] give food to the poor, the orphans, and the captives, saying “We feed you for the sake of God alone.”’ (Qur’an 76:8-9)
Zakah, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, is the practice of charitable giving
Charities such as Islamic Relief work to relieve suffering and help people all over the world
Divergent Understandings of Suffering in Islam
Some Muslims accept that suffering is Allah’s will and should be accepted without question
Other Muslims think that although suffering is hard to understand:
it does give people the opportunity to show love and compassion for others
undergoing suffering can ultimately make a person stronger and better
therefore suffering can ultimately be seen as the will of Allah
Worked Example
Outline three ways in which Muslims respond to suffering in the world
(3 marks)
They might pray for Allah’s help (1 mark)
They might donate money to charity (1 mark)
They might do some charity work such as volunteering to help a charity like Islamic Relief (1 mark)
Examiner Tips and Tricks
Revise these notes on practical responses to suffering along with the notes on the previous section about the problem of evil and suffering in the world. Use your knowledge to outline the response you might give if asked to evaluate a question on the topic.
For example, think about how you would evaluate a statement such as: ‘Humans are ultimately responsible for their own suffering.’
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