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I have sometimes been puzzled by questions about suffering and imperfections in this world children being born with severe disabilities, people being born with unusual conditions, transgender people, and other forms of human suffering.
I recently came across a video of the renowned scholar in which a question related to this subject was put to him. I am posting the question and his answer here, translated into English, for information and any comments.
Question:
Sir, my question is about transgender people. In the Quran, we find discussion of matters concerning men and women, but we do not find any specific mention of transgender people.
It is also mentioned in the Quran or perhaps in the Quran, you may please clarify that everything has been created in pairs. But in the case of transgender people, we do not seem to find such a corresponding pair.
What, then, is Allah’s purpose in creating transgender people? If Islam had explained this subject, perhaps they would have found a proper place in society today.
Reply:
Allah Almighty has created this world on the principle of trial. There is no doubt that His general law is that He creates things in pairs. He Himself has stated this.
Man and woman, night and day similarly, thought and nature, knowledge and action things exist in pairs.
But this world is not perfect.
Along with this, another thing has also been explained: imperfections have been placed in this world. They have been placed everywhere.
It has been stated that these imperfections exist so that the incompleteness and deficiencies of this world create within you a longing for the perfect world for the question: when will that perfect world come into existence?
That perfect world will come into existence after the Day of Judgment.
Apart from the examples you have given, Allah Almighty says regarding human beings that He has created them in the finest form. Yet people are born without functioning limbs; people are born unable to walk; people are born with severe mental disabilities.
Sometimes a child is born with such an extreme mental disability that one wonders what difference remains between that child and an animal. Whether such a person is male or female, what meaning does that distinction have in such a condition?
I have personally seen severely disabled children whose condition affected me so deeply that for a day or two afterward I found it difficult even to eat. Such things do happen.
So what is the principle?
The principle is that the general law of this world is that things have been created in pairs. Human beings have generally been created properly in every respect. Things have been arranged according to an order, and human beings have been given consciousness.
But does this mean that there can be no exceptions to this rule here?
No. Imperfections will occur in many places.
They have been placed in this world because this world has been created for trial.
The people you have mentioned should also be understood in the same way.
Just as sometimes Allah allows a physically disabled child to be born, and just as sometimes a person may be born with serious mental abnormalities, similarly such people are also born.
Regarding these imperfections, we have every right and Allah Himself has directed us to discover treatments for them and to help such people.
If there is a disabled child, should that child become an object of our ridicule?
Should we make fun of that child?
On the contrary, moral responsibilities arise for us.
Indeed, if there is a creature who is deficient or disabled in some respect, we should be even more careful in how we behave toward that person, lest we become disrespectful toward our Lord.
We should be careful that by making one of His creatures the target of ridicule, we do not make ourselves deserving of His wrath.
This is how we should approach the matter.
The misunderstanding arises when we assume that Allah’s present world is a perfect world.
The general laws remain exactly as they have been described.
For example, death is to come upon every person. Old age comes. There are general laws concerning human lifespan.
But Allah can allow exceptions to these laws whenever He wills.
And why does He do so?
He says that it is so that We may test you and see who remains on the right path and who becomes entangled in these things and ends up denying Us.
Look at the world of philosophy. What is one of the most important questions raised in relation to the denial of God?
It is the problem of evil.
Why does evil exist?
Here, “evil” does not necessarily mean moral evil. It includes suffering, hardship, animals tearing one another apart what is all of this?
Allah says that this is a world created on the principle of trial.
If, despite these imperfections, you remain firmly grounded in truth, then I will give you the perfect world.
But if you do not, then that perfect world may instead become a cause of everlasting deprivation for you.
