The Good and the Bad in Islamic traditions

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The Good and the Bad in the Qura’n Why has justice been included among the base of the tenets of religion?

The words “Good and Bad” are present in the traditions of the Holy Messenger as well as the infallible Imams in abundance and thus their salient features are highlighted. The first point connected with our discussion is that we find in various traditions that “Good and Bad” are two creations of God.

Imam Mohammad Baqir is reported to have said in a Hadith:

“I only am God and there is no other god but Me; I am the creator of the good and bad and both of them are my creations” (1)

Imam Jafar Sadiq has said the same thing in another Hadith:

I only am God and there is none other. I created mankind and also goodness and had it spread through those that I befriended and what a good condition is that of those through I spread goodness. I only am God for there is none other. I created mankind and evil and have it spread through those whom I desire. But woe is for them through whom I spread evil.” (2)

Imam Jafar Sadiq is quoted in another Hadith to have said:

“All goodness and evil revert to God.” (3) There are many similar Hadith in Islamic archives but quoting all of them will misdirect us from our topic. (4)

Many questions are raised about these Hadiths; some of the important ones are as follows:

If evil is non-existent then why are we discussing their creation?

The answer can be discerned from the previous discussions and that is that evil is often taken to be the existing thing and their onset remains in the non-existent e.g. many kinds of germs, poisonous substances and weapons of mass destruction are existent but are the source of disease, chaos and death which are non-existence. (Reflect)

Even if we over look this point it is possible that the above writing refers to hereditary evil because they have an existence and goodness is dominant in them though for some they have a negative value.

The Late Allama Majlisi refers to Toosi while explaining these traditions in Mara’tol Aqol; those deeds that are not compatible with human nature are regarded as evil though there may be many benefits in them.

He then explains this further that evil can be of two kinds:

Those things that are not in unison with human nature like the destructive beasts.

Those things that lead to faults and have no benefits in them.

The evil that is being denied for God is in the second sense and not the first and then he says that according to the philosophers all things are of five kinds.

The things that have goodness in them come from God.

The things that are totally evil can never be from God.

Those things where goodness is dominant must come from God.

The things in which evil is dominant.

The things in which good and bad are balanced.

None of the last two come from God. The harmful insects that we see in this world have more benefits than harm and have been created because of it (5) When bad is said to have been created by God it may mean those that are considered evil but on the whole they have more benefits of goodness in them.

The second question that arises from this tradition is that God promulgates the good and the bad through various groups of people. Is this not compulsion? How is it possible that the wise God will make humans His instruments for the good and bad?

If we pay a little attention to what had been said earlier than the answer to this question will not pose a problem because they speak of the Unity of Deeds for God. The ultimate end of every thing is God the last refuge. He has given mankind the authority and provided the causes of good and bad to test them. So it is mankind that decides how and in what system he will work. There is no doubt that God issues from the hands of those who are good and righteous deeds various kinds of charity and goodness.

This now clear the explanation of this verse which says, “Man will face all the good and bad deeds that he does in this world.” Verse 7 and 8 Surah Zalzaal.

In short evil in its non-existent form is not a creation of God and only two things are His creations.

Those deeds that exist but at times become non-existent and the examples have been given already.

Those deeds in which the evil is dominant like the poisonous animals.

These poisonous beings are some times the cause of human death but we know it for certain that these days there are many medicines being made from their venom. In one such company the poisonous creatures are nurtured so that their poison is extracted to make life saving drugs. These stings and venom are their means of defense and food and they will not exist or survive without them.

There are various germs that are regarded as perilous but they have an existence that has bad as well as good. There are many such microscopic germs that convert the dead bodies into dust and soil. Had they not been existed then the world would have suffocated from the stench of dead bodies and men would have been extinct. Then there are some sub-soil insects that fertilize the soil and help the trees and vegetations grow.

Then there are those germs that create diseases by continuously attacking mankind through air and water the bodies repulse them and thus defend the human existence. Some wise people say had these germs that attack the human body not been there then mankind would have been very weak and would not have grown more than 21/2 to 3 feet.

The third and final question about the creation of evil is why wasn’t the entire creation created with only goodness?

Here we find things that have a dominance of goodness e.g. fire which burns but is of great help and value for human social existence. Some times it burns some humans or due to negligence razes the house to ash. But if we say that the fire should lose its natural ability at such moments means that God should not create fire at all because that which burns at times but does not burn at times is not fire.

We can say in other words that in this material world the glory is mixed with defects and if it is said that the defects should be eradicated then it suggests that the material world should not have been created. This goodness is dominant and is hereditary and its creations are according to a great wisdom (Reflect).

Two Questions about the Justice of God

Now there are only two very important questions remaining about this issue worthy of attention:

 


 

1. Behar-ol-Anwar vol.5 page 160 Hadith 20
2. Usul Kafi vol.1 Chapter on the good and evil; vol. 2 Addua page 515-516
3. Behar-ol-Anwar Vol. 5 page 161 Hadith 21
4. For more information see vol.1 of Usul Kafi”s chapter on The Good and The Evil; Vol.2 for the Book of Prayers hadith 1 and 2 page 515 and 516; Behar-ol-Anwar vol.5 chapter on Goodness and Evil.
5. Miratol Aqol vol. 2 page 171 Hadith 1

 

The Good and the Bad in the Qura’n Why has justice been included among the base of the tenets of religion?
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