EVILNESS IN VARIOUS FORMS

Reza Berenjkar
Professor of university of Tehran

Aug.2021

Abstract: One of the most frequently asked questions about

Coronavirus and evils is that how does this evil align with God's mercy and
compassion? If God is Compassionate and Merciful, why does He make
people suffer with diseases like Corona? The present article to answer this
question first explains various forms of evils as mentioned in Quran and
traditions.

Key words: evils, divine mercy, power of infallibiles regarding evils

Introduction

punishment and a disease that causes

“Disease is in various forms:
death.”
disease as a test, disease as a

44
 Evilness in various forms

According to this narration, wisdoms too which we aren’t aware

the wisdom behind some diseases is about.
test, the wisdom of some others is
It should be noted that the
punishment and the wisdom of the
answer of most theologians to this
third category is the cessation of life.
question is the theory of reciprocity
Since the wisdom of adversity
and grace that was previously
befalling a child is not of the first or
reviewed. Reciprocity or recompense
second type, therefore, in the case of
is for the child himself, and grace
a child who dies from a disaster, this
can be for the child or others.
adversity is a means for termination
of life. Life is a grace and bounty Evil and Divine Mercy
from God, and whenever He wishes,
He can recall this grace and bounty One of the most frequently

and one of the tools for seizing life is asked questions about Coronavirus

sickness. and evils is that how does this evil

align with God's mercy and
Therefore, as far as others compassion? If God is
are concerned, it can be said that the Compassionate and Merciful, why
disease that affects the child can be a does He make people suffer with
test or a punishment or advancement, diseases like Corona?
but for the child itself, it is either a
means for taking his life or becomes We answered this question

a test for him after reaching puberty. somewhat in the argument of the

Of course, there may be other principle of God's existence and the

argument on divine wisdom. In the
argument on the principle of God's
45
 Safinah al-nejat. Vol.7, No.25

existence, we proved that the of essence. God's attributes of

attribute of benevolence, meaning essence or inherent attributes are
the bestowal of all pleasures and the absolutely irrefutable to God and
prevention of all suffering, is God cannot lack those attributes. For
rationally neither possible nor example, God is Omniscient,
obligatory. From the point of view of Omnipotent, All-Living and Eternal.
revelation and narration too, such an These attributes are absolutely
attribute has not been proven; rather proven to God and it is impossible
the opposite has been expressed. for Him to possess a particle of
ignorance, helplessness, death and
In the argument on divine
transience. However, in the case of
wisdom too, the wisdom behind evils
attributes of action such as justice
were mentioned. According to these
and wisdom, as well as mercy and
wisdoms, even though evil brings
anger, God possesses the power to
with itself pain and suffering, it can
act against these attributes and, for
provide a basis for human beings to
example, does not show His mercy
achieve the perfection and prosperity
or does not forgive a sin.
of this world and the hereafter by
taking advantage of these Of course, God's attributes of
opportunities. In this manner, evil actions are of two categories. Some
can turn into mercy. of these attributes, such as justice
and wisdom, are irrefutable to God
Here we add this point which
in absolute terms, i.e. although God
constitutes the third answer. To
has the power to do an unjust act, but
explain further, God’s attributes of
based on the reason for proof of
action is different from His attributes

46
 Evilness in various forms

justice, He will never do injustice. According to these lines of

But this is not the case in most of the supplication, if God acts in
attributes of actions like mercy and accordance with forgiveness and
wrath where by reason and narration, kindness, He is the most Merciful of
God can show mercy and forgive a all the merciful, and if He wishes to
sin as well as show His wrath and act in accordance with defiance,
not forgive and instead punish the punishment and torment, He is the
sinner. In the first case, He acts harshest of the punishers, just as He
according to the attribute of mercy did with the tribes of Aad, Thamood
and grace and in the second case has and Lot in this world, and will do so
acted in accordance with the with a group in the hereafter.
attribute of wrath and justice. In
Of course, all of God's
Dua-e-Iftitah, we recite:
actions, whether Mercy or Wrath,
َّ ‫َوأ َ ْيقَنْتُ أَنَّكَ أ َ ْنتَ أ َ ْر َح ُم ا‬
‫لراحِ مِ ينَ فِى‬ are with wisdom.
‫ َوأَشَد ْال ُمعاقِ ِبينَ فِى‬،ِ‫الرحْ َمة‬ َّ ‫ضع ِ ْال َعفْ ِو َو‬ ِ ‫َم ْو‬
It should also be noted that it
‫ضعِ النَّكا ِل َوالنَّ ِق َم ِة‬ِ ‫َم ْو‬
is human beings themselves who, by
“I am certain that in the case their own free will, turn the
of pardon and mercy, You are the restricted goodness and evil into an
most Merciful of all, unlimited goodness or evil. As in the
Corona era, those who take valuable
And in the case of
lessons from it and turn towards God
punishment and revenge, You are the
and hasten to help others, they
harshest punisher.”1
transform the restricted evil and pain
of Corona into unlimited grace and

47
 Safinah al-nejat. Vol.7, No.25

pleasure. On the other hand, those evils, is the result of divine fate and
who, with the emergence of Corona, destiny?
make the most of it to
As an introduction, it should
rebukereligion, God and the Ahl’ul-
be said that ‘Qadha’ and ‘Qadar’
Bayt (a.s.) and attack the people's
(fate and destiny) is one of the
beliefs or hoard goods that are
imperative teachings of Islam which
needed by the people or sell them at
has been emphasized in the Qur'an
exorbitant prices, make the restricted
and hadiths. The Holy Quran
evils and pains of Corona a channel
stipulates:
for their misery in this world and the
hereafter, and consequently turn the ‫يءٍ َخلَ ْقنَاهُ بِقَد ٍَر‬ َ ‫ِإنَّا ُك َّل‬
ْ ‫ش‬
limited evil into unlimited evil and
Hellfire. Of course, God's will, “We have indeed created all

which has come to us through things by (precise) measure”.2

religion, is that all human beings

‫ضى أ َ َجل‬
َ َ‫ِين ث ُ َّم ق‬ ْ ‫ه َُو الَّذِي َخلَقَ ُك ْم‬
ٍ ‫مِن ط‬
should be of the first kind; So He has
commanded us to adopt patience and “He it is Who created you
help others and to have trust in from clay, then He decreed a term”3
Himself.
In hadiths, more than the
Evil and Divine Destiny belief in ‘Qadha’ and ‘Qadar’, the
and Providence: satisfaction in ‘Qadha’ and ‘Qadar’
has been emphasized. Amir al-
In this discussion, the
Mu'minin Ali (a.s.) says:
question under review is whether all
evils, including natural and moral

48
 Evilness in various forms

َ َ‫ ا َ ِلرضا بِق‬:‫اإليمانُ أ َ ْربَ َعةُ ا َ ْرکان‬

‫ضا ِء‬ actually not satisfied with God's rule
ِ ‫األمر إ َلى هللا‬
ِ ‫وتفويض‬
ُ ِ‫هللاِ َوالت َوک ُل على هللا‬ and Sovereignty.
ِ‫والتَّسْلي ُم ِال ْم ِر هللا‬
Some hadiths indicate that
“Faith has four pillars: nothing emerges in heaven and earth
Contentment with the decree of unless seven things have occurred, of
Allah, reliance on Allah, entrusting which ‘Qadha’ and ‘Qadar’ are
the affairs to Allah, and submission amongst them. For such hadiths, the
to Allah’s command.”4 late Kulaini has chosen the title:

It is mentioned in hadith ‫«في أنه ال يكون شیء في السماء‬

Qudsi that Allah said: »‫واألرض إال بسبعة‬

‫من لم يرض بقضائي ولم يؤمن بقدري‬ Meaning: “Nothing occurs in the
‫فليلتمس إلها غيري‬ heavens and the earth except by
means of seven.”6
"Whoever is not satisfied
with My decree and does not believe Imam Sadiq (a.s.) says:
in My destiny, then seek5 a god other
َّ‫س َماءِ ِإال‬ َّ ‫ض َو الَ فِي ا َل‬ ِ ‫ي ٌء فِي ا َ ْأل َ ْر‬ ْ ‫ش‬َ ُ‫الَ يَ ُكون‬
than Me"
‫سبْعِ ِب َمشِيئ َ ٍة َو ِإ َرادَةٍ َو قَد ٍَر َو‬ َّ ‫صا ِل اَل‬َ ِ‫ِب َه ِذ ِه ا َ ْلخ‬
All this emphasis is because ‫ع َم أَنَّهُ يَ ْقد ُِر‬َ َ‫ب َو أ َ َج ٍل فَ َم ْن ز‬
ٍ ‫ضاءٍ َو ِإذْ ٍن َو ِكت َا‬ َ َ‫ق‬
the Divine fate and destiny shows ِ ‫علَى نَ ْق‬
‫ض َواحِ دَةٍ فَقَدْ َكف ََر‬ َ
God's Sovereignty and Supremacy.
“Nothing happens in the
In fact, the one who is not satisfied
earth and in heaven except by these
with the Divine fate and destiny, is
seven things: By Providence, Will,

49
 Safinah al-nejat. Vol.7, No.25

destiny, decree, permission, book the case of natural affairs, God

and appointed time. He who reckons decrees His own actions and not the
that he can violate one of these is an human actions. Thus, some verses
infidel.” ascribe evils (sufferings) to God and
some verses attribute the evils to
These hadiths present the
human beings. The below two verses
generality of ‘Qadha’ and ‘Qadar’.
explicitly reflect these two matters:
Nevertheless, the kind of ‘Qadha’
and ‘Qadar’ of God regarding the ‫أ َ ْينَ َما ت َ ُكونُواْ يُد ِْركك ُم ْال َم ْوتُ َو َل ْو ُكنت ُ ْم‬
phenomena of the universe, of which ِ‫سنَةٌ يَقُو ُلواْ َه ِذه‬
َ ‫ص ْب ُه ْم َح‬ ِ ُ ‫شيَّدَةٍ َو ِإن ت‬
َ ‫فِي ب ُُروجٍ م‬
natural evil is also a part, is different ْ ‫س ِيئ َةٌ يَقُولُواْ َه ِذ ِه‬
‫مِن‬ ِ ُ ‫مِن عِن ِد ّللاِ َو ِإن ت‬
َ ‫ص ْب ُه ْم‬ ْ
from the ‘Qadha’ and ‘Qadar’ َ ‫عِندِكَ قُ ْل ُك ًّل م ِْن عِن ِد ّللا ِ فَ َما لِ َهؤُ الء ْالقَ ْو ِم ال‬
related to man’s voluntary actions, of ‫يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَ ُهونَ َحدِيثا‬
which moral evil is also a part. In the
"Wherever you are, death
case of voluntary acts of man, in
will overtake you, even if you are in
‘Qadha’ and ‘Qadar’, human
towers built up strong and high!" If
authority is seen, and God decrees
some good befalls them, they say,
some of the affairs which He knows
"This is from Allah"; but if evil
human beings would voluntarily
befalls them, they say, "This is from
perform, and gives it permission and
you." (O Prophet). Say: "All things
helps us to perform it while for some
are from Allah." But what has come
other affairs, He does not decree or
to these people, that they can hardly
helps or even creates obstacles.
understand anything?7
Consequently, we can't perform
those things. On the other hand, in

50
 Evilness in various forms

‫سنَ ٍة فَمِنَ ّللا ِ َو َما‬ َ ‫مِن َح‬ ْ َ‫صابَك‬ َ َ ‫َّما أ‬ “Good and evil, whether
‫اس‬ ِ َّ‫س ْلنَاكَ ِللن‬
َ ‫س ِيئ َ ٍة فَمِن نَّ ْفسِكَ َوأ َ ْر‬ َ َ‫أ‬
َ ‫صابَكَ مِن‬ sweet and bitter, small and great,
َ ِ‫َرسُوال َو َكفَى ِباّلل‬
‫ش ِهيدا‬ are all from God.”9

"Whatever good befalls you ‫الخير والشر كله من هللا‬

is from Allah; and whatever evil
“Good and evil are all from
befalls you is from yourself. We sent
God.”10
you as an Apostle to mankind, and
Allah suffices as witness."8 َّ ‫ع َم أَنَّ ْال َخي َْر َو ال‬
‫ش َّر ِبغَي ِْر‬ َ َ‫َو َم ْن ز‬
‫ع َم‬َ َ‫طانِ ِه َو َم ْن ز‬َ ‫ّللاَ مِ ْن س ُْل‬
َّ ‫ّللاِ فَقَدْ أ َ ْخ َر َج‬
َّ ‫َمشِيئ َ ِة‬
These two verses have come
َّ ‫علَى‬
ِ‫ّللا‬ َ ‫ب‬ َّ ِ‫ي ِبغَي ِْر قُ َّوة‬
َ َ‫ّللاِ فَقَدْ َكذ‬ ِ ‫أَنَّ ْال َم َع‬
َ ‫اص‬
in succession. In the first verse, evil
is attributed to God and in the “Whoever reckons that good
second verse evil is attributed to and evil occurs without God’s Will
man. has isolated God from His Kingdom
and whoever reckons that sins are
Alike to these two verses, the
performed without God’s Power has
traditions too are of two groups. The
lied to God.”11
first group attributes all goodness
and evil to God while the second d Regarding the second group,
group attributes evil to man. About the below hadiths can be mentioned:
the first group, the below hadiths can
be mentioned: ِ‫ّللاَ َيأ ْ ُم ُر ِبالسوءِ َو ْالفَحْ شَاء‬
َّ َّ‫ع َم أَن‬ َ َ‫َم ْن ز‬
َّ ‫ع َم أ َنَّ ْال َخي َْر َو ال‬
‫ش َّر‬ َ َ‫علَى اللَّ ِه َو َم ْن ز‬ َ ‫ب‬ َ َ‫فَقَدْ َكذ‬
‫ِيرهُ َو‬
ُ ‫صغ‬َ ‫شر ح ُْل ُوهُ َو ُمرهُ َو‬
َّ ‫ْال َخي ُْر َو ال‬ ِ َّ‫ع َلى ّللا‬
َ ‫ب‬ َ َ‫الَيهفَقَدْ َكذ‬
ُ ‫َك ِب‬
ِ َّ‫يرهُ مِنَ ّللا‬

51
 Safinah al-nejat. Vol.7, No.25

“Whoever reckons that God enjoins beings. This matter, which is a clear
evil and immorality has lied against affair, is confirmed by Ali ibn
God, and whoever reckons that good Ibrahim in his exegesis of the above
and evil is ascribable to him, then he two verses based on verses of the
has lied against God.”12 Qur'an and hadiths.
3. According to the evidences of
َ‫ْس ِإلَ ْيك‬
َ ‫ي‬ َ ‫ل‬ ‫ر‬‫ش‬َّ ‫ل‬َ ‫ا‬ ‫و‬
َ ‫ي‬
َ‫ْك‬ َ ‫د‬‫ي‬
َ ‫ِي‬ ‫ف‬ ‫ْر‬
ُ ‫ي‬ ‫خ‬
َ ْ
‫ل‬ َ‫ا‬
‘Qadha’ and ‘Qadar’ that were

“Good is in Your hands only, and initially mentioned, all the evils,

there is no way for You to do evil.”13 whether natural or moral, relates to

God because it occurs with ‘Qadha’
Based on the discussions and ‘Qadar’ and the causative
outlined so far, some correct and permission of God, but moral evils
compatible interpretations can be has relevance to man because it is
presented about the integration of the created by man's free will and desire.
above two verses: All the more, many of the natural
evils are the result of human sins.
1. The primary and limited evil relates
This matter is acknowledged by the
to God, but the ultimate and
author of Al-Burhan Fi Tafsir al-
unlimited evil applies to man's
Qur'an by narrating a hadith from
discretion. We discussed this topic at
Tafsir-e-Aiyashi.
the very start of our discussion and
under the title of concept of evil. All the three points are true
2. Natural evils, such as floods, and are derived from verses and
earthquakes and diseases, is created hadiths, and according to these three
by God, but moral evils, such as war points, evil in some way, is
and oppression, is created by human
52
 Evilness in various forms

attributed to God and in some other “And your Lord says: Call
way to human beings. upon Me, I will answer you”14

The conclusion of our َ ‫سأ َ َلكَ عِبادِي‬

ٌ‫عنِي فَإِنِي قَ ِريب‬ َ ‫َو ِإذا‬
discussion is that all evils, in the ِ ‫أ ُ ِجيبُ دَع َْوة َ الدَّاعِ ِإذا د‬
‫َعان‬
sense that it is subject to Divine
“And when My servants ask
‘Qadha’ and ‘Qadar’ and God’s
you concerning Me, then surely I am
permission, it is attributed to God.
very near; I answer the prayer of the
However, some evils are created by
suppliant when he calls on Me”15
God, such as natural evils, and some
evils are created by human beings, In reply to this question,
such as moral evils. there are two discussions. The first
discussion is, what does “answering
Evil and Acceptability of
prayer or supplication” really mean?
Prayers:
Secondly, does the fulfillment of
One of the questions that supplication bear certain conditions
evil, and especially the coronavirus and obstacles? The second argument,
evil has created is: accordingly, is divided into two
discussions: Conditions of
Now that all the people are
fulfillment and the obstacles to
engaged in prayers and requesting
fulfillment of prayers.
God to destroy the coronavirus, so
why this isn’t happening, while God In the first discussion, it
says in the holy Qur'an: should be said that literally, the two
words ْ‫ أ َ ْست َِجب‬and ُ‫ أ ُ ِجيب‬which are
‫َو قا َل َرب ُك ُم ادْعُونِي أ َ ْست َِجبْ لَ ُك ْم‬
mentioned in the above two verses,
53
 Safinah al-nejat. Vol.7, No.25

have the same meaning according to meaning as well as other types of

the lexicologists and both mean attention and reaction to the request.
“answering”. Johari says:16
In hadiths, both meanings
‫ يقال أجابه وأجاب‬.‫الجواب معروف‬ have been mentioned. In other
‫واإلجابه و‬... ‫ والمصدر اإلجابة‬،‫عن سؤاله‬ words, both specific meanings and
.‫االستجابه بمعنی‬ other meanings for acceptance are
mentioned, all of which fall under
Answering (to a
the general meaning of answer and
question/request) has different
fulfillment. In some hadiths from the
meanings commensurate with the
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) which are narrated
question and request. For example,
in the books of both sects (Shia and
the answer to a scientific question
Sunni), three meanings have been
has one meaning and to a request for
mentioned for the answer to prayers:
fulfillment of some task, it has a
different meaning. But in all cases, answering one’s prayer
including request for fulfillment of a immediately,
task, there are two meanings. One
accumulatingits reward and
meaning, which is specific to ‫أجابه‬
saving for the hereafter,
(acceptance), is to fulfill and attend
to what has been asked and eliminating evil to the extent
requested. The second meaning, of goodness requested in prayers:
which is the general meaning, is to
pay attention to the request and not َ ‫س ْب َحانَهُ دَع َْوة لَي‬
‫ْس فِي َها‬ ُ ِ‫عا ِ َّّلل‬ ْ ‫« َما‬
َ َ‫مِن ُم ْسل ٍِم د‬
ignoring such request. This general ‫ال‬
ٍ ‫ص‬ َ ِ‫ّللاُ ِب َها أ َ َحدَ خ‬ َ ‫قَطِ ي َعةُ َرحِ ٍم َو َال ِإثْ ٌم ِإ َّال أ َ ْع‬
َّ ُ‫طاه‬

meaning comprises both a specific

54
 Evilness in various forms

‫ث َ ََلث َ ٍة ِإ َّما أ َ ْن يُ َع ِج َل دَع َْوتَهُ َو ِإ َّما أ َ ْن يَدَّخِ َر لَهُ َو ِإ َّما‬ “There is no believer who
»‫ع ْنهُ مِنَ السوءِ مِثْلَ َها‬
َ ‫أ َ ْن يَدْفَ َع‬ calls on God but that God answers
him: He either fulfills his prayer in
“A Muslim who prays to
this world, or delays it for the
God, and his prayer is not about
Hereafter, or He forgives his sins to
something sinful or breaking ties of
the extent he has prayed, provided
kinship, then God will grant him one
his prayers was not for a sin.”18
of three things:
In some hadiths, answer to
Either his request and wish
prayers has been mentioned to mean
is fulfilled, or saves it for him until
either fulfillment of one’s request in
the Hereafter or would avert an
this world or fulfillment in the
equivalent amount of evil away from
Hereafter:
him.”17
‫ما من مؤمن يدعو بدعوه اال استجيب له؛ فإن لم‬
In some hadiths, forgiveness
»‫يعطها فی الدنيا اُعطيها فی الخره‬
of sins instead of warding off an evil
is mentioned as God's third positive “There is no believer who
reaction to supplication (as answer to prays but that his prayer is
supplication): answered; If he is not given in this
world, it will be given to him in the
‫اب لَهُ ِإ َّما أ َ ْن‬
َ ‫ّللاَ ِإ َّال ا ْست َ َج‬
َّ ‫مِن َيدْعُو‬ ْ ‫َما‬
ٍ ْ‫مِن ُمؤ‬
Hereafter.”19
‫يُ َع ِج َل لَهُ فِي الد ْنيَا أ َ ْو ي َُؤ ِج َل لَهُ فِي ْالخِ َرةِ َو ِإ َّما‬
ُ ْ‫عا َما َل ْم يَد‬
‫ع‬ َ َ‫مِن ذُنُو ِب ِه ِبقَدْ ِر َما د‬
ْ ُ‫ع ْنه‬َ ‫أ َ ْن يُكَف َِر‬ In one hadith, answer to pray
‫ِب َمأْثَم‬ has been given a special meaning
such that if the prayer is not fulfilled,

55
 Safinah al-nejat. Vol.7, No.25

a good deed would be written for the "There is no one who calls
supplicant. Him but that He answers him. ‫(اال‬
)‫ استجاب له‬As for the oppressor, his
‫ كتبت له‬،‫إذا دعا أحدكم بدعوة فلم يستجب له‬
prayer goes unanswered until he
‫حسنة‬
repents to God. But in case of the

“If one of you pray and call righteous person, whenever he

on Him, and He does not fulfill (your prays, God will answer his prayers

request), a good deed would be )‫(استجاب له‬and will put off calamities
written for him.”20 that are unknown to him, or will save
a great reward for the Day he needs
Therefore, response or it, and if the request His servant has
fulfillment of one’s prayers is used put forth is not good for him, then
both in specific as well as in general He will refrain from fulfilling it. It
sense, for which four instances have could be dear to a believer to pray to
been mentioned so far. God for something he does not know
is right or wrong. Sometimes the
As per one narration, once a
servant asks his Lord to destroy
heretic asked Imam Sadiq (a.s.) that
someone who is still alive, or asks
although in the Quran, God has
for rain at an inappropriate time,
promised to answer prayers, so why
while God Himself is All-Wise, by
the prayers of the helpless and
the delicacy He has created the
oppressed are not fulfilled?
creatures. And numerous similar
Imam (a.s.) replied: instances can be found. So get the
drift of this matter."21

56
 Evilness in various forms

At the beginning of hadith, ‫ إما أن‬:َ‫عنكَ و أنَا أح َك ُم الحاكِمين‬ َ ‫َثيرةٍ غابَت‬

َ ‫ك‬
the fifth example for answer to ِ‫ع َليكَ فَتَكونَ ه ِذ ِه ِبه ِذه‬
َ ‫ظلَمتَ َرجَُل فَدَعا‬
َ ‫تَكونَ قَد‬
prayers is mentioned in the general ‫ و إما أن تَكونَ لَكَ د ََر َجةٌ فِي‬، َ‫علَيك‬
َ ‫ال لَكَ و ال‬
sense. This example concerns an ‫ظلمِ ِه لَكَ ؛ ِألَني أخت َ ِب ُر‬
ُ ‫ال َج َّن ِة ال ت َب ُلغُها عِندي إال ِب‬
oppressor and wrongdoer, and God's .‫عِبادي في أموا ِل ِهم و أن ُف ِس ِهم‬
response to him is that He rejects his
One of the things that the
prayer until repentance, which if he
Almighty Allah revealed to Davoud
repents, he will be treated like an
(a.s.) was this: "Whoever relies
innocent one. In the case of the
solely on me, I will suffice him, (and
oppressed person, fulfillment of his
will make him needless of My
prayer implies that either his request
creatures), and whoever asks me, I
is abided by or God rewards him
will fulfill his wish, and whoever
abundantly.
calls upon Me, I will answer him,
In another hadith, the same except that I will delay his
matter is mentioned, of course, not supplication and keep My answer
only about the oppressor, but also postponed until My verdict is issued,
about the oppressed: and when My verdict is issued, I will
fulfill his wish. Say to the oppressed
‫داودَ عليه‬ُ ‫فيما أو َحى ّللاُ ت َعالى إلى‬
one: I will answer your curse against
‫سأ َ َلني‬
َ ‫ و َمن‬،ُ‫ي َكفَيتُه‬ َّ َ‫ط َع إل‬
َ َ‫ َم ِن انق‬:‫السَلم‬
the one who has oppressed you, but I
ُ‫َعوتَه‬ َ ‫ و إ َّنما‬،ُ‫ و َمن دَعاني أ َجبتُه‬،ُ‫طيتُه‬
َ ‫اؤ ِخ ُر د‬ َ ‫أع‬
will delay it until My verdict is
،‫ِي ُم َعلَّقَةٌ و َق ِد است َ َجبتُها لَه ُ َحتى يَ ِت َّم قَضائي‬
َ ‫وه‬ actualized for you regarding the one
ِ ‫ ُقل لِل َم‬.َ‫سأَل‬
‫ إنَّما‬:‫ظلوم‬ َ ‫فَإِذا ت َ َّم قَضائي أنفَذتُ ما‬
who has oppressed you. And this is
، َ‫ظلَ َمك‬
َ ‫على َمن‬َ َ‫َعوتَكَ و قَ ِد است َ َجبتُها لَك‬
َ ‫اؤ ِخ ُر د‬
َ
so because of various reasons which
ٍ ‫ظ َل َمكَ ؛ لِضُرو‬
‫ب‬ َ ‫على َمن‬ َ َ‫َحتى يَتِ َّم َقضائي لَك‬

57
 Safinah al-nejat. Vol.7, No.25

you aren’t aware of, and I am the and respond to the supplicant, He
best Judge. Or it is because you too answers the idolaters in such a
have oppressed someone, and he has waythat He curses them:
cursed you. Therefore, that curse is
َ‫سى بن‬َ ‫َباركَ و ت َعالى ِب ِه عي‬ َ ‫ع‬
َ ‫ظ ّللاُ ت‬ َ ‫كانَ فيما َو‬
against this curse, that is, I will
‫ ُقل‬... ‫ يا عيسى‬:ُ‫َمريَ َم عليه السَلم أن قا َل لَه‬
neither accept your curse nor his
َ‫ ال ت َدعوني َو السحتُ ت َحت‬:َ‫ظ َل َم ِة بَني إسرائيل‬ َ ‫ِل‬
curse against you, or it is because I
‫ َو األَصنا ُم في بُيوتِ ُكم؛ َفإِني َوأَيتُ أن‬،‫أحضانِ ُكم‬
will grant you a level in heaven (in
‫ و أن أج َعلَ إجابَتي إيا ُهم لَعنا‬،‫اجيب َمن دَعاني‬ َ
the face of the oppression meted out
.‫ع َلي ِهم َحتى يَتَف ََّرقوا‬
َ
to you) which you wouldn’t have
attained it but for this oppression “It was in what Allah, the
imposed on you, because I test My Blessed and Exalted, exhorted Jesus,
servants with their lives and son of Mary, (a.s.), that: O Jesus...
22
wealth." say to the unjust among the Children
of Israel: Do not call upon Me while
This hadith stipulates that
the lawlessness is under your arms
although the prayer has been
and idols are in your houses; I have
answered, it is postponed and there
made a firm covenant with Myself to
are reasons for its postponement.
answer those who call upon Me, and
In a hadith from Imam Sadiq My answer unto them shall be curse
(a.s.), the sixth example has been upon them until they disperse.”23
mentioned for ‘answer to prayers’,
The outline of the discussion
and that is the curse of the despotic
in the first place is that answering
infidel. This hadith states that
and fulfillment are used in both the
because God has promised to answer

58
 Evilness in various forms

general and specific senses. and soul,hope in none but God,

Answering in the general sense is the uprightness in prayer. Similarly,
absolute answer, which includes a there are several obstacles to
variety of answers, six of which we fulfillment of prayers, the most
have found in hadiths, which are: important of which are sin, injustice
cursing the despotic infidel, rejecting and helping the unjust, disobeying
a request and postponing it until the parents, severing relationship,
unjust repents, forgiving the sins, adultery, drinking intoxicants,
reward and benefit for the Hereafter, abandoning enjoining the good and
expelling an evil other than the evil forbidding the evil, not giving
being prayed for, and fulfilling the significance to salat, slandering,
supplication. The specific meaning music, non-fulfillment of Divine
of answering and fulfillment is the covenant, relying on others and
actualization of the sixth case. Divine wisdom.

However, in the second The question that arises

discussion, i.e. the conditions and about these conditions and obstacles
obstacles of prayer, it should be said is whether these are related to the
that in verses of the Qur'an and general meaning of acceptance (of
hadiths, several conditions have been prayer) or its specific meaning?
mentioned for answering one’s
It appears that these
prayer. The list of these conditions
conditions and obstacles are about
comprises of: Knowing God,
the specific meaning of acceptance.
sincerity, righteous deeds, purity and
For example, when it is said that
legitimacy of income, praying heart
injustice is an obstacle to fulfillment

59
 Safinah al-nejat. Vol.7, No.25

of one’s prayers, it does not mean the Blessed and Exalted, says to the
that God does not answer the prayer angel: "Do not fulfill his wish and
of the unjust, because as we saw in deprive him of it, because he has
the above hadiths, God responds to invited My anger and deserves
the prayer of even a despotic infidel, deprival."24
but His answer to him is either curse
or postponement of request until the
time he repents. When people ask why our
prayers weren’t answered and
In many hadiths, instead of
accepted, it is in reference to the
making acceptance conditional, other
specific meaning of acceptance, and
interpretations such as ‘judgement of
therefore, in reply, there are two
one’s request’ are made conditional.
ways to express: either it is said that
Imam Baqir (a.s.) say:
the specific acceptance is subject to
َ ‫ إنَّ العبدَ يسألُ ّللا‬: ‫الباقر عليه السَلم‬
ُ ‫اإلما ُم‬ such issues like wisdom, and in the
ٍ ‫الحاجهَ فيكونُ من شَأنِ ِه قضاؤها إلى أج ٍل قري‬
‫ب‬ case of a specific prayer, this prayer
ُ ‫ فيُذنِبُ العبدُ ذنبا فيقو ُل ّللا‬، ‫ت بَطي ٍء‬
ٍ ‫أو إلى وق‬ is not compatible with Divine
ُ‫واحر ْمه‬
ِ ِ ‫ ال ت‬: ِ‫َباركَ َوت َعالى لل َملَك‬
ُ‫َقض حا َجت َه‬ َ ‫ت‬ wisdom. Or it is said that the
َ‫ب الحِ رمان‬ َ ‫سخَطي واست َو َج‬ َ ‫ فإ َّنهُ ت َ َع َّر‬، ‫إيَّاها‬
َ ‫ض ِل‬ acceptance (of prayer) has taken
. ‫مِ ني‬ place in the general sense, and for
example, as an acceptance, God has
"[Sometimes] one asks something
considered a reward for the person
from God and it is His Honor to
praying, and has not fulfilled his
fulfill it in the near or later date. But
prayer because it is against wisdom
later, he commits a sin. Thus, God,
and so the specific meaning of

60
 Evilness in various forms

acceptance has not been in this regard are the book of Kafiby
accomplished. Al-Kulayni and the book, Basa’ir al-
Darajat by SaffarQummi, which
Evil and the Knowledge
contains hundreds of hadiths proving
and Power of the Infallibles:
the extensive sciences and the

One of the questions creative and legislative Wilayah of

upraised after the outbreak of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and his Ahl al-

Coronavirus is whether the Bayt (a.s.). Here, we briefly present

infallibles can destroy this evil or reports from some chapters of the

whether they know the cure for this book, Al-Hujjah (Book of Divine

disease? Besides this question, other Proofs) of Kafi.

questions have been raised such as

One of the chapters of Kafi's
whether the Imam of the Age
book is that the Imams possess the
(a.t.f.s.) or other Imams fall ill or
knowledge of what was and what
not? And if so, what do they do to
will be and nothing is hidden from
combat their illness? If the infallibles
them. In a part of the first hadith of
have knowledge of the unseen, why
this chapter, which is authentic and
don't they always use it?
narrated by Imam Sadiq (a.s.), it is

Such questions are related to the mentioned as follows:

unseen knowledge of the infallibles

‫َض ِر َأل َ ْخبَ ْرت ُ ُه َما أَنِي أ َ ْع َل ُم‬
ِ ‫سى َو ْالخ‬ َ ‫ْو ُكنْتُ بَيْنَ ُمو‬
and their creative Wilayah
‫سى‬ َ ‫ْس فِي أ َ ْيدِي ِه َما ِألَنَّ ُمو‬ َ ‫مِ ْن ُه َما َو َأل َ ْنبَأْت ُ ُه َما ِب َما َلي‬
(mastership), and here, there exists a
‫َض َر ع أُعْطِ يَا ع ِْل َم َما َكانَ َو َل ْم يُ ْعطَيَا ع ِْل َم‬
ِ ‫َو ْالخ‬
wide range of discussions. From the
ْ‫عةُ َو َقد‬ َ ‫سا‬َّ ‫وم ال‬َ ُ‫َما يَ ُكو ُن َو َما ه َُو كَا ِئنٌ َحتَّى تَق‬
viewpoint of hadith, the best sources
.‫ّللاِ ص ِو َراثَة‬ ْ ُ‫َو ِرثْنَاه‬
َّ ‫مِن َرسُو ِل‬

61
 Safinah al-nejat. Vol.7, No.25

The knowledge referred to in these

hadiths is other than the extensive
“If I had been with Musa and Khizr,
knowledge that the infallibles
I would have informed them that I
possess and they are related to
am more knowledgeable than
instances where its knowledge is not
themselves and would have informed
present with them and whenever
them of things they did not know, for
they wish, God gives them the
Musa and Khizr, upon whom be
knowledge of it. These hadiths seem
God’s Blessings, had the knowledge
to be general and includes every
of the past but did not possess the
instances except some special case
knowledge of the present and future
like the time of coming of Imam-e-
till the Day of Judgment, while we
Asr (a.t.f.s.) or the time of
have inherited this knowledge from
resurrection which are exceptional.
the Messenger of God.”25
Another chapter is the chapter
Another chapter concerns:
concerning the Exalted Name of
Whenever the Imams want to
God (Ism A’zam). According to the
know something, they will know it
hadiths of this chapter, each prophet
immediately. Imam Sadiq (a.s.)
has been given a few letters from the
says:
Exalted Name by virtue of which,

َ‫إذا أرادَ أن يَعلَ َم الشي َء أعلَ َمهُ ّللا ُ ذلك‬ they performed miracles. Asif bin
Barkhiya, the minister of
“If the Imam wishes to know HazratSulaiman, was given one
something, God will give(teach) him letter with the help of which he
the knowledge of that thing.” 26
brought the throne of Bilqis from

62
 Evilness in various forms

Yemen to Palestine in the blink of an Sulaiman, was able to bring the

eye, while 72 of the 73 letters of the throne of Bilqisfrom Yemen to
Exalted Name has been given to our Palestine in the blink of an eye.
Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and his Ahl’ul-
By comparing someone who
Bayt (a.s.).27
possesses all the knowledge of the
‫ش ِهيداً بَ ْينِي َو بَ ْينَ ُك ْم َو َمنْ ِع ْن َدهُ ِع ْل ُم‬
َ ِ‫اّلل‬
َّ ‫كَفى ِب‬ book and knows 72 letters of the
ِ ‫ا ْلكِتا‬
‫ب‬ Exalted Name with someone who
has a knowledge of the book and
“Allah is sufficient as a witness
knows one letter of the Exalted
between me and you and he who
Name, one can perceive the
possesses the knowledge of the
knowledge, power and the creative
Book.”28
Wilayah of the Ahl’ul-Bayt (a.s.).

In the hadiths belonging to both

The above matter is a gist of
sects, the personwho possesses the
the vast knowledge and power of the
knowledge of the Bookis considered
infallibles.
to be Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.).
Among them, twenty-one hadiths Now going back to our
has been narrated about this matter discussion, can the Infallibles,
in the book, Basa’ir al-Darajat.29 On including the Imam of the Age
the other hand, according to verse 40 (a.t.f.s.), cure themselves and others
of Sura al-Naml, the person who had or destroy a virus? The answer is
knowledge of the book (‫)علم من الكتاب‬, that this task is very small and
who according to the hadiths was insignificant in the face of their vast
Asif bin Barkhiya, the minister of knowledge and power, and certainly

63
 Safinah al-nejat. Vol.7, No.25

the Infallibles know the way to cure others, but after Imam expressed a
the Coronavirus and the way to few medical points, at the end, while
destroy it. And what has been said proclaiming the Shahadatain
recently about the Imam's need for a (testifying the Islamic faith), he said
physician are unfounded. to the Imam, "‫" أنک اعلم اهل زمانک‬.31

If we take a look at the In this book, 78 hadiths have

hadiths related to health and been narrated about general health
treatment, which 2055 hadiths on recommendations.32 Also, there are
this subject have been collected in 831 hadiths about the manner of
the book Encyclopedia of Medical keeping healthy each and every
Hadiths, written by organ of the human body and the
AyatullahReyshari, we will see that diverse moods of man. Besides, 571
the Prophets and Imams have been hadiths have been narrated about the
introduced as those well versed in treatment of various diseases with
medical science and to what extent whatever is offered by nature.
the infallibles have expressed the
Such volume of hadiths,
importance of medicine and the
many of which are narrated in
necessity of learning it.30
authentic books like Kafi and
In the debate between Imam possess reliable chain of
Sadiq (a.s.) and the Indian physician transmission, highlights the
in the congregation of Mansur knowledge of the Infallibles about
Abbasi, the Indian physician first medical sciences and health issues
introduced himself as more and treatment of diseases.
knowledgeable than the Imam and

64
 Evilness in various forms

Nevertheless, it is not certain suffered from illness, though they

to us whether the Infallibles will or possessed the power to cure
will not use their extensive themselves. Of course, it’s possible
knowledge, particularly their that they may or may not use this
medical know-how, in destroying the power to cure themselves and others.
Corona virus in the world, because it
Regarding the reasons why the
may be God's Decree and Will to test
Infallibles refrain from using the
the people with this virus.
unseen knowledge in various cases,
Basically, God has set up the following points can be
natural and ordinary principles in the mentioned:33
world, and the golden rule is that
1. In the discussing about the
these principlesare not broken except
logic behind evils, we divided these
in special cases. For this reason,
logics into three parts: General logic,
people are asked to refer to a
special logic related to the Infallibles
specialist when they need any
and the special logic connected to
specialists such as doctors, but based
sinners. The first two types apply to
on the doctrine of Divine decree and
the Infallibles. General wisdom,
destiny, where nothing happens
which is test, should befall all the
without the Will of God, people are
people, and it is against divine
directed to pray to God and take
wisdom that the Infallibles, by using
recourse to the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and
their extensive knowledge and
the Ahl’ul-Bayt (a.s.).
power, exempt themselves from this
Therefore, according to test. In case of special wisdom too, it
divine principles, the Imams too is for the promotion of degree and

65
 Safinah al-nejat. Vol.7, No.25

perfection of the Infallibles, and it is Apparently, Imam (a.s.) means that

not right for the Infallibles to deprive if he exposes his knowledge of the
themselves of this perfection. unseen, people will exaggerate about
Therefore, in most cases, they him and elevate him to the level of
choose patience in the face of God or Prophet, and thus become
problems and do not utilize their disbelievers towards the religion of
knowledge of the unseen and their Islam and the holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.).
creative power. 3. Another reason is that they
2. One of the reasons for are ideals and norms for the people,
employing less the knowledge of the and a person can be a model when he
unseen is to prevent people from lives like the common people and
exaggeration. Amirul-Mu’minin suffers problems like them, and not
(a.s.) says: live like angels. Therefore, the
Infallibles often used their sciences
‫ّللاِ لَ ْو ِشئْتُ أ َ ْن أ ُ ْخ ِب َر ُك َّل َر ُج ٍل مِ ْن ُك ْم بِ َم ْخ َر ِج ِه َو‬
َّ ‫َو‬
to solve people's religious problems
‫ف أ َ ْن‬ُ ‫َم ْول ِِج ِه َو َجمِيعِ شَأْنِ ِه َلفَ َع ْلتُ َو َلك ِْن أَخَا‬
and questions because it was their
َّ ‫ب َرسُو ِل‬
(‫ّللاِ )ص‬ َّ ِ‫ت َ ْكفُ ُروا ف‬
ِ ‫ي‬
main duty but in other cases, they

“I swear by God, if I want, I can used their extraordinary sciences and

inform each of you from the powers to the extent necessary. In

beginning till the end of your affairs, response to Humran who asked why,

and from all aspects of life, but I fear despite the extensive knowledge and

that by disclosing such information, power of the Imams and their status

you will turn disbelievers towards before God, they were subdued by

the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.).” 34 the unjust Caliphs and met with

66
 Evilness in various forms

numerous problems, Imam Baqir 11

Kulaini, Al-Kafi, V.1, p.158
(a.s.) replied as follows: 12
Ibid, page 156; Barqi, Al-Mahasin, V.1,
p.284
‫ْث نَزَ َل ِب ِه ْم َما نَزَ لَ مِ ْن‬ُ ‫َو لَ ْو أَنَّ ُه ْم يَا ح ُْم َرانُ َحي‬ 13
Kulaini, Al-Kafi, V.1, p.310
َ ‫ع ْن ُه ْم َو أ َلَحوا‬
‫ع َل ْي ِه فِي‬ َ ‫ّللاَ أ َ ْن يَدْفَ َع‬
َّ ‫سأَلُوا‬ َ َ‫ذَلِك‬
14
SuraGhafir, verse 40
15
SuraBaqarah, verse 186
َ ‫ب ُم ْل ِك ِه ْم لَزَ ا َل أَس َْر‬
‫ع‬ ِ ‫ت َو ذَهَا‬ ِ ‫ط َواغِي‬ َّ ‫ِإزَ الَ ِة ُم ْلكِ ال‬
16
Johari, Al-Sihah, V.1, page 104. Refer to
َ‫وم ا ْنقَطَ َع فَتَبَدَّد‬
ٍ ‫ظ‬ ُ ‫مِن س ِْلكٍ َم ْن‬
ْ Al-Manzur, Lisan, V.1, page 283, Zabaidi,
Taj al-Arus, V.1, page 388, Askari, Al-
“O Humran, if any of the Imams in Furuq fi al-Lugha, page 217
17Wasa’il al-Shia, V.7, page 27. Refer to
their times of hardships and
Ibn Fahd, Ada al-Da'i, page 24 and 34;
problems had requested God to repel Sho’airi, Jame 'al-Akhbar, page 369; Ibn
them and if they insisted Him to Shu’ba, Tuhaf al-Uqul, page 280; Sharif
destroy the rule of the tyrants, Al-Radhi, Tanbih al-Ghafilin, page 401;
Zaid ibn Ali, Musnad Zaid, page 420,
certainly the tyrants would be Ahmad-ibn-Hanbal, Musnad Ibn Hanbal,
destroyed in a blink of an eye.”35 V.4, p.37

18Wasa’il al-Shia, V.7, page 27; Dailami,

1
Tahzhib al-Ahkam, V.3, page 108.
A'lam al-Din, page 278; Refer to Sharif
2
SuraQamar, verse 49; Also, refer to
Al-Radi, Tanbih al-Ghafilin, page 401.
SuraHijr, verse 21 and SuraShura, verse
27. 19
Zaid-ibn-Ali, Musnad Zaid, page 156
3
Sura Al-Anam, verse 2. 20
Muttaqi Hindi, Kanz al-Ummal, V.2, page
4
Kulaini, Al-Kafi, V.2, p.56
71 and page 67.
5
Ibn Babawayh, Al-Tawhid, page 371 21
Tabarsi, Al-Ihtijaj'ala ahl al-lijaj, V.2,
6
Kulaini, Al-Kafi, V.1, p.149
page 228
7
SuraNisa, verse 78 22Ibn Fahd, Ada al-Da'i, page 31; Dailami,
8
SuraNisa, verse 79
Irshad al-Qulub, page 153; Bihar al-
9
Barqi, Al-Mahasin, V.1, page 284.
Anwar, vol. 14, p. 42, hadith 34.
10
Ibid, page 283

67
 Safinah al-nejat. Vol.7, No.25

23Ibn Babawiyyah, Al-Amali, page 608;

Kulaini, Al-Kafi, V.8, page 133; Ibn
Shu’ba, Tuhfal al-Uqul, page 497; Majlisi,
Bihar al-Anwar, V. 93, p. 373, hadith 16.

24Kulaini, Al-Kafi, V.2, page 271, hadith

14; Ibn Taoos, Falah al-Masa'il, page 95,
hadith 33; Ibn Fahd, Ada al-Da'i, page198;
Mufid, Al-Ikhtisas, page 31; Majlisi, Bihar
Al-Anwar, vol. 93, p. 377, hadith 19.

25Kulaini, Al-Kafi, V.1, page 260. It’s

worth mentioning that out of the six
hadiths of this chapter, five hadiths are
authentic.

26
Ibid, page 258
27
Ibid, page 230
28
SuraRa’d, verse 43
29
Refer to SaffarQummi, Basa’ir al-
Darajat, V.1, page 213
30
MuhammadiReyshari, Encyclopedia of
Medical Hadiths, V.1, page 32-46
31
Ibid, page 46
32
Ibid, page 88-120
33
Refer to Yusufiyan, “Imam’s knowledge
of the unseen” Encyclopedia of Imam Ali
(a.s.), V.3. page 363-365
34
Sharif al-Radhi, Nahjul-Balagha, Sermon
175
35
Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, V.26, page 150

68