Why do children suffer?
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Peace all, why do children suffer? Even if God tells us that whatever bad happening to us is due to ourselves (and thus our deeds) (479), it does`nt explain why innocent children suffer.
Some have said because of the collective deeds, but Quran also states that no man is responsible for the burden of others, except when he misleads another man.
Each man shall reap the fruits of his own deeds no soul shall bear anothers burden or "He who follows the right way follows it only for the good of his own soul; and he who goes astray, goes astray only to his own loss. And no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another"
"That they may bear their burdens entirely on the day of resurrection and also of the burdens of those whom they lead astray without knowledge; now surely evil is what they bear."
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The answer really, is quite simple;
The unchanging divine law of cause and effect.
Innocent children, like innocent men, women and animals "suffer" because they are subject to this divine law.
?Each man shall reap the fruits of his own deeds no soul shall bear another?s burden? or "He who follows the right way follows it only for the good of his own soul; and he who goes astray, goes astray only to his own loss. And no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another" "That they may bear their burdens entirely on the day of resurrection and also of the burdens of those whom they lead astray without knowledge; now surely evil is what they bear."
The context of the verses you have quoted differ somewhat from the context of the problem of suffering innocents. That you yourself witness, or are aware of the suffering of innocents, is testimony to this. (i.e. the verses appear to contradict the truth, don't they.)
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It seems to me you are assuming that suffering is reaping something. However we are told in the Qur'an that life is a test, that good times are a test and bad times are also a test. Suffering is part of life, part of our test, whether we are children or grown ups. It is not a punishment. Punishment obviously will cause suffering, but not all suffering is punsihment, and not all punishment follows inmediately the deed that brought it upon us. Suffering may bring about certain moral qualities that we might not develop otherwise, it may bring the opposite too, I suppose, but therein lies the test, and everything in this life is a test. Even if we reap the benefits of some good deed in this world, even those benefits are also a test, and a test for our beliefs, how deeply are we attached to truth and justice, how much courage are we ready to bring up to loose something we think we have really earned for the sake of justice, of compassion, for forgiveness, which are all names of God. Everything in this life is sowing, so we must no worry why we did nothing and we are suffering, but rather how can we still be a good servants while suffering. Obviously one needs faith, and by that I don't mean faith in a magic word like God, but real, heartfelt faith in those attributes of God that are present in human fitra, like belief in justice, in truth, in beauty, in compassion, even if you do not label that with any word, like God, which for many people in fact carries a burden of history that in fact makes them reject that word and what it may represent, but who, in spite of it may in FACT with their deeds serve the Real God even if they think they are JUST serving WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN, FOR THE SAKE OF IT (where, if you replace IT by God, we are in fact speaking of the highest level of 3ibada). So coming back to children, suffering indeed can start very early, children are tested and we are also tested through them or trough ourselves when we were children and with the scars we carry. We must not take it as something negative, but as an apportunity, like every test is an opportunity for bigger things, or then it is not a test, that is what the messengers have come to tell us.
Salaam
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Peace, with respect, you are all beating round the bush. The only explanation i see valid is the one of rk. He says that in our previous life before our FIRST death, our souls rebelled and others didn't. Children who suffer and die in childhood, animals trees were amongst those who rebelled but decided to come to this earth without a trust to purge their sin. We, normal humans, accepted that trust. Our test is this life. The test of children who suffer and die young is their suffering.
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Peace, with respect, you are all beating round the bush. The only explanation i see valid is the one of rk. He says that in our previous life before our FIRST death, our souls rebelled and others didn't. Children who suffer and die in childhood, animals trees were amongst those who rebelled but decided to come to this earth without a trust to purge their sin. We, normal humans, accepted that trust. Our test is this life. The test of children who suffer and die young is their suffering.
Peace Br. tarikh,
Honestly, I don't even know what to say to this post. What, pray tell, do you remember of your previous life? What did we rebel against? Can you please point me out to RK's link where this concept is explained?
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Peace
http//www.submission.org/suras/app7.html
It is obvious that we wont remember our previous life, if not it wouldn't be a test. In fact, we dont even remember things we did in this life itself.Br. tarikh,
Thanks for the links. But in that context, I would like to ask about your views on the following verses
1874 - "So they ventured forth until they came upon a youth, and he killed him. He said "Have you killed an innocent person without justice? You have truly come with something awful!"
1880 - "And as for the youth, his parents were believers, so we feared that he would oppress them by his transgression and disbelief."
1881 - "So we wanted their Lord to replace for them with one who is better than him in purity and closer to mercy."
230 - "And your Lord said to the Angels "I am placing a successor on Earth." They said "Would You place in it he who would corrupt in it, and spill blood, while we sing Your glory, and praise You?" He said "I know what you do not know."
Peace
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Well it seems that the youth who was killed, was killed by one who had knowledge of the future with the leave of God. God does tell us that He reveals future to messengers He chooses. He already knew that the youth would become evil. I can see one possibility the youth dies and this is a mercy both to himself cause he cannot proceed to commit sin in his grown up life and to his believing parents though his death might be a test for them. God tells us that something bad happening to us might actually be a good thing. Also one cannot be held accountable for a thing one has not done, so the youth didn't have time to commit sin. He will be spared.
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Peace all, why do children suffer? Even if God tells us that whatever bad happening to us is due to ourselves (and thus our deeds) (479), it does`nt explain why innocent children suffer.
Some have said because of the collective deeds, but Quran also states that no man is responsible for the burden of others, except when he misleads another man.
?Each man shall reap the fruits of his own deeds no soul shall bear another?s burden? or "He who follows the right way follows it only for the good of his own soul; and he who goes astray, goes astray only to his own loss. And no bearer of burden shall bear the burden of another"
"That they may bear their burdens entirely on the day of resurrection and also of the burdens of those whom they lead astray without knowledge; now surely evil is what they bear."
Peace brother
As I understand it we have been put on earth as its caretakers and have been granted free will and the capability to distinguish right from wrong. What ever bad happens to us, we are its cause not God. The ill deeds of adults of course also affect the children.
God only interferes when we cross all boundaries and in the normal case we are left to follow our free will for good or bad. tempt -
Peace g o, but how can children pay for the deeds of their parents?for what crime are they suffering? And why are some other children born in wealthy families and dont suffer? Children cant understand things so how can they be imposed a test right at their age?
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Peace,
What exactly is innocent and how do you know that children are innocent? Where do we draw the line? Of course its not based on the US idea of 18 years old. Neither does it mean that a 4 year old understands the world. I think it depends on a person. There are children that are more developed than a lot of adults, would that make the adults more innocent?
But back on topic, as stated already, its just the way it is. I feel bad since we exploit this world and all it has done for us is provide our nourishment and housing. Even though the earth itself is "innocent", it still happens because people, me, you, everyone, makes an impact, whether good or bad. Now, would you want to give up your free will (meaning able to choose and not do wrong at all, at least conciously) so that children can't suffer? Our intelligence is the reasoning behind this, coupled by desires, which are not based on survival, but on greed, etc.
Peace
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Peace Br. tarikh,
Well it seems that the youth who was killed, was killed by one who had knowledge of the future with the leave of God. God does tell us that He reveals future to messengers He chooses. He already knew that the youth would become evil.
That's perfect... All of that we know from the Book.
I can see one possibility the youth dies and this is a mercy both to himself cause he cannot proceed to commit sin in his grown up life and to his believing parents though his death might be a test for them. God tells us that something bad happening to us might actually be a good thing. Also one cannot be held accountable for a thing one has not done, so the youth didn't have time to commit sin. He will be spared.
Now that I am a little uncomfortable with. We don't know that he will be spared. You said it so yourself, it is a "possibility". So you don't know that for a fact. There were a couple of reasons why I quoted 230. "He knows what you do not know". All we know for sure is what is in the Book, i.e. He was killed because he would impart suffering on his believing parents. Period. So, when you asked the question why do children suffer, the simple answer to that is "He knows what you do not know".
As for your previous posts, I would like to say that to take some verses not understood, say that there is a "previous life" and to go on painting a whole scenario behind that theory just to fit an interpretation and an understanding to those verses, is not wise. 37 indicates that trap to us.
5335 - "Did he possess knowledge of the unseen? Could he see it?"
The other reason why I ask you about 230 is that the premise of RK's point of view revolves heavily around his interpretation of it. Do you agree with it?
Peace
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Peace g o, but how can children pay for the deeds of their parents?for what crime are they suffering? And why are some other children born in wealthy families and dont suffer? Children cant understand things so how can they be imposed a test right at their age?
Salaam alaikum brother Tariq,
I feel we are never going to understand the logic of many apparent injustices around us but we have been given the job to try and eradicate as much injustice as possible. That does not mean all bad will vanish.
As humans we all want to see an ideal world where every piece of the puzzle will fit exactly but it has not been possible from the very first day.
I really liked the movie ?Devil?s Advocate? that addresses many modern issues. In one scene the Devil laughs saying I will provide you with an ideal world where everyone will be happy?ha ha ha
Every one is an individual and every one?s story is different yet we all want the same old thing; an ideal world.
Let us try and do as much as we can to eradicate injustice.Best regards
farida
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There is no ideal world, there is only the effort fi sabil-illa. This existence is not meant to make us get to a point where everything will be perfect and there won't be any need to touch anything. God could have made us immortal so that we could keep trying and trying till we got it right. Instead, when become -hopefully- wiser with years, everything goes down the gutter because every person has to start anew.
We are not meant to create a perfect world, but to improve ourselves, get to know and worship our Creator. For that nothing needs to be perfect, just ourselves need to strive ever for more perfection and identification with God's attributes.
Salaam
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Peace all, why do children suffer?
Suffering is relative.. but there is a suffering that can be stopped to break the cycle of ignorance.
There are many who pop out children who probably should not be doing so. It's disgusting to think that anyone would put this issue in the lap of God (sort of say). Children suffer at the hands of adults and at times children have children who continue the cycle of this type of suffering. There is no excuse for it, and there is no justification of this that or the other. It's a sickness of humanity. Yet, humans continuely justify their sickness as a means to cope. Children suffer in abusive and violent ways, children suffer because they lack food to eat, children suffer because their parents maybe selfish beings.
Don't blame God for this one! Don't justify it and attempt to try and make sense of nonsense. Instead work to stop the cycle! This is a cause of the hypocrisy of humanity... children suffer because of ignorance and arrogance .. selfishness etc...
You're right! there is no beating around the bush on this subject. Children suffer at the hand of other humans.
stop the cycle..
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Peace,
Well said M_Mehdi
I like these words from System of a Down
4000 hungry children leave us per hour,
From starvation,
While billions are spent on bombs,
Creating death showers.song "Boom" Great video btw (done by Michael Moore)
We want to stop world hunger, maybe we need to stop these space missions (that cost billions per) and war (better known as murder for profit). Imagine how many people we could feed with those billions and billions. But, unfortunately Man loves money and power.
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We want to stop world hunger, maybe we need to stop these space missions (that cost billions per) and war (better known as murder for profit). Imagine how many people we could feed with those billions and billions. But, unfortunately Man loves money and power.
So true! It's so strange that we try and teach kids in school about violence but in the adult world we show the opposite... the cycle continues and so do the justifications and excuses.. there's plenty excuses to go around... just as there's enough food and wealth to go around for sure..
peace. peace
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I am all for that. How do you propose to end NOW all hunger and disease in the world? How do you propose to undo the suffering of those who have already suffered and those who died in suffering.
Also, we may say that we are guilty of some things, but a child with cancer, or one maimed in accident, for instance is not necessarily anybody's fault, and it is that kind of suffering that this thread is about or at least that is what I understood, not the kind of suffering that can be attributed to somebody's bad behaviour, because I thought that position on that was clear enough and didn't need any other exlanation or qualification to signify the need to struggle against it.
Sure, those things that we can change, we should. Otherwise we are hypocrites. We know children are being killed in many places by the thousands, being orphaned, being exploited, being deprived of many or most essential things. The most obvious action would be political, since most parts of mass tragedies are politically created, but it is becoming ever more difficult to act politically. Charity may be good, but it always ends being marginal, and probably it is marginal by design. Also personal interest and action in those cases in which we are in a position to intervene...
If somebody has got good ideas, please.