Why did God Create the Virus?

INTRODUCTION

The world is going through a difficult time. We are living through one of the most significant pandemics in recent history. Along with the prevalence of disease and death, there are global impacts on almost all aspects of life. Uncertainty, fear and mental and physical exhaustion have gripped our minds and  bodies. 

In such circumstances it is common for people to question their relationship with the pandemic and an All-Merciful and Omnipotent creator. We come across questions such as, "Why did God create this virus? Why does He not take it away? Why are so many people dying? How can a merciful God allow such pain and misery?"

In this article we will attempt to answer such questions. Even though we are touching upon this topic in the backdrop of a significant global crisis, the opinions presented here are valid and relevant under any and all circumstances. The current global situation is only an opportunity for us to ponder deeply over what we consider to be the truth, regardless of the circumstances. 

We will broadly discuss this topic from eight aspects. In reality, all of these points could be summarized under three or fours headings but they have been presented separately in order to highlight  their significance.

1)  Our Perspective of Reality is Self-Centered

When one questions the wisdom and mercy of God, they often question it based on what they perceive as their personal well-being. Something is considered "good" if it brings them pleasure and it is labelled "bad" if it brings them pain. Unfortunately, this concept is as naive and short-sighted as it is prevalent in our society. 

Mankind is a part of the system that God  has created. We are nothing but a spec in the vast cosmos. The creator of the universe in his infinite wisdom has devised laws which govern not only man's existence, but all aspects of creation. Rise and fall, birth and death, growth and destruction - these are all interconnected elements of this intricate system, and no aspect of creation is immune to their effects. When man questions the justice of God on the basis of the pain that he feels, he is actually being unjust - It is unfair for man to recognize the existence of pain and ease, yet demand that pain be reserved for those other than him, and ease be solely his property.

We can understand this by a simple example: 

Imagine that there is a lioness whose cubs are dying of hunger. If she doesn't find prey soon, her cubs will starve to death. Nearby, there is a deer grazing on some overgrown grass. The lioness sees the opportunity and leaps for the deer..

At this moment we pause, and recall the words of the Holy Quran, spoken by prophet Musa in the court of Fir'awn. When asked who is your Lord, the noble prophet replied:

قَالَ رَبُّنَا الَّذِي أَعْطَىٰ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ خَلْقَهُ ثُمَّ هَدَىٰ

"He said: Our lord is the one who granted everything its creation and then guided it" [20:50]

Allah has created the lioness and deer and He has guided the lion to hunt and the deer to flee from danger. Returning to where we left off, the lioness's chase of the deer can end in one of two scenarios:

1) The lioness hunts the deer and the lion family survives.

2) The deer escapes and lives another day, but the lion cubs die.

The lion's pain is relief for the deer and vice versa - one of the two creatures must face pain. Is it wise to equate this pain to lack of justice or mercy?  Both outcomes are within Allah's system and neither is unjustified. 

This simple example can be applied to everything in God's system, including man.

The existence of physical pain is not evidence of injustice. On the contrary, it points towards the existence of a wise and just system.

2) Our Perspective of "Goodness" is Flawed

Those who question the creator's mercy are not only self-centered, but are also deficient in their understanding of good and bad. Is physical pain inherently bad (by physical we don't only imply bodily, but a broader material pain)? This is clearly not the case. Even if we take the example of the physical realm (ignoring the spiritual laws) we can conclude that material pain is not necessarily a negative thing. Often times the pain itself may be uncomfortable but its outcome may be far-reaching and rewarding - As they say, "No pain, No gain"!

An athlete trains their body to endure immense physical and emotional pain - but as a result of this pain, the capacity of the body and mind to endure pain increases. When one lifts heavy weights, the muscle fibers get destroyed, only to rebuild with more size and capacity. 

Similarly, a scientist who repeatedly "fails" to reach conclusions based on their experiments may learn from their failures and become a better scientist. 

Many other such examples can be considered, but the essence of this discussion is as follows: 

Just how individuals can benefit from, or even require physical pain in order to progress, societies must also sometimes bear pain in order to advance.  

3) Our Understanding of Spiritual Laws is Limited

This is in line with what has already been mentioned, but we feel that it deserves its own separate discussion. We are immersed in materialism. We (due to our lack of insight) only view our existence from a physical perspective.  In reality, the spiritual and physical realms from a continuum.  The laws that govern the two realms are intertwined and work as one grand system. If one were able to purify their soul to a high degree, they would be able to witness realities which are not visible to the untrained soul.

The holy prophet (SAW) has said:

لولا أن الشياطين يحومون على قلوب بني آدم لنظروا إلى ملكوت السماوات والأرض

"Were it not for the satans hovering over the hearts of the children of Adam, they would have looked at the kingdom of the heavens and the earth" [1]

When the deficient soul views physical pain, it only examines its physical aspect.

One views death as only destruction and end, but in reality death is the beginning of eternity. One views abstinence from sins as merely physical pleasures which they must forego, while the gnostics detest sin because they see their spiritual reality. We consider acts of worship as tedious and monotonous whereas the purified soul runs towards it as a cure of their ailments. 

وَعَسَىٰ أَن تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ ۖ وَعَسَىٰ أَن تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَّكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

"And perhaps you hate something while it is good for you; and that you love something while it is bad for you. And Allah knows and you do not know" [2:126]

In conclusion, we see material pain as merely loss, yet there may be much to gain from it spiritually.

4) The True Worth of an Object is Often Realized Through its Absence

All that we have mentioned so far is not contrary to the fact that physical ease is a blessing. Our discussion so far has shed light on the goodness within apparent pain, but we do not reject the fact that material comfort is something which we have been designed to favor and seek. This is self-evident, and is consistent with human nature and the teachings of religion. 

In this regard, we can say that we recognize justice through its absence. If everyone on earth practiced justice 100 % of the time, there would not be a concept of truth and falsehood. We recognize evil because of the lack of goodness. We can see darkness due to the absence of light. We appreciate health in the very aftermath of its departure. From this point of view, the loss of something good is a tool by which the All-Mighty teaches us the worth of His creation, and as a result we become more thankful and appreciative of the blessings that He has endowed upon us. We are better able to see the mercy of God in which we are constantly immersed. And this is something which directly helps us in our spiritual development.

5) Helplessness in the Face of Calamity is Recognition of Dependence on The Absolute

Allah the All-Mighty declares in the noble Quran:

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ أَنتُمُ الْفُقَرَاء إِلَى اللَّهِ وَاللَّهُ هُوَ الْغَنِيُّ الْحَمِيدُ

"O Mankind! You stand in need of Allah; And Allah is the one who is self-sufficient and worthy of all praise" [35:15]

The complete and total dependence of the creation on the ultimate creator is the gist of the Quran, and the essence of the relationship between the 'abd (servant) and the ma'bud (served). Just how food and drink are primal needs of the body, being cognizant of, and submitting to ones dependence on their creator is a primal need of the soul.

The conditions are ripe for the soul to feed on its basic need when physical circumstances are dire (such as in times of a crippling global crisis). 

6) Our Understanding of the Principal of Cause and Effect is Deficient

We have already mentioned our existence being a part of God's universal system. This system works on a cause and effect basis. Some of the causes and their effects are well known to us, while other causes (both physical and spiritual) and their effects are not within our knowledge. 

To some extent, scientists may be able to determine the origin of a pandemic. They may also be able to understand the modes of transmission of a virus and methods of prevention from it. These physical causes and their effects are within the system of God. 

If one claims for example : "I do not believe in social distancing! God is bigger than the virus! Let us continue to congregate for the lord will surely keep us safe" then this amounts to foolish and blatant disregard of God's system. This is akin to encouraging people to jump off a cliff, claiming that God will keep them safe.  Only a fool would scoff at the laws of nature.

All laws of nature (without exception) have been shaped by God's wisdom and can not work against His will. We must respect the laws of nature that are known to us. 

It is important to reiterate here that the physical and spiritual realms are intertwined. Some physical effects may be manifestations of spiritual causes. The Quran mentions many "spiritual laws" which appear to us as trivial statements; in reality they are concrete laws rooted in robust foundations of Allah's system. 

One must consider the possibility of spiritual shortcomings (such as excessive sinning) resulting in physical distress. Additionally, one should also recognize that just how individuals are governed by actions of individuals, societies are governed by actions of societies.

وَاتَّقُوا فِتْنَةً لَّا تُصِيبَنَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنكُمْ خَاصَّةً ۖ وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّـهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ

"And beware of a punishment, which shall not inflict the wrongdoers among you exclusively, and know that Allah is severe in retribution." [8:25]

7) Material Pain is a Form of Spiritual Trial

The holy Quran clearly, and repeatedly mentions the reality of mankind being tried by Allah. Why  Allah tries his creation is a separate discussion and we will not delve into its depths. But here it should suffice to say that being tried is similar to what we mentioned under point (2) of this article. Patience in times of trial detaches one from the love of this world and brings them closer to the essence of their creator. 

وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُم بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ ۗ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ

"We will surely test you with a measure of fear, hunger and loss of wealth, lives, and fruits; and give good news to the patient" [2:155]

8) An Opportunity to Test one's Concepts and Resolve

One must realize that the only thing  that is continuously under their control is their reaction to what unfolds around them. Ultimately, it is one's reaction to reality that determines their worth. In times of difficulty, one can be patient or rebellious - The choice lies with the individual. 

We conclude our discussion on this topic by quoting the following verses from the holy Quran:

مَا أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَأَهَا ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى اللَّـهِ يَسِيرٌ ﴿٢٢﴾ لِّكَيْلَا تَأْسَوْا عَلَىٰ مَا فَاتَكُمْ وَلَا تَفْرَحُوا بِمَا آتَاكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّـهُ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخْتَالٍ فَخُورٍ 

"No affliction visits the land or yourselves but it is in a register before We bring it about—that is indeed easy for Allah—so that you may not grieve for what escapes you, nor boast for what comes your way, and Allah does not like the arrogant bragger." [57:22-23]

References

1)النراقي، جامع السعادات، ج1، ص18، دار التفسير. 

1) Al-Narraqi, Jami' Al Sa'adat,Volume 1, Page 18, Dar al Tafseer