Fatwa ID: 05604

 

Answered by: Alimah Habiba Akhtar 

 

Question

 

Why Does Allah Test Us?

 

 

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

 

Answer:

 

It is understandable what you have mentioned regarding why Allah SWT tests us and the fact that Allah SWT knows what will happen.

 

• Why does Allah test us if he knows everything?

 

Though it may not make sense or it seems confusing as to why Allah is doing this or may seem contradictory, this establishes the lack of ability to be able to fathom why Allah commands what he does.

 

Allah SWT says regarding himself:

“There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him.” (1)

 

He establishes that he is incomparable to the rest of mankind and thus what he decides or does will not be understood by us.

 

• Why does Allah test us?

 

We have been set for two destinations: Heaven and Hell.

 

The journey to and the eligibility of one comes down to the test Allah SWT puts us through. To be able to withstand the test would prove we have the patience to get through the test and keep faith in Allah SWT.

 

This is explained in the following verse:

 

“Be sure we shall test you with something of fear, and hunger and some loss of wealth and lives and fruits and glad tidings to those that bear patience” (2)

 

Thus, in response to your query, it suits our creation that we are inferior and submissive to Allah SWT as we don’t hold the knowledge he does and therefore cannot fathom the reasoning for what he does.

 

 

Only Allah knows best

Written by Alimah Habiba Akhtar 

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham

 

 

(1)

(فَاطِرُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰ⁠تِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِۚ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنۡ أَنفُسِكُمۡ أَزۡوَ ٰ⁠جࣰا وَمِنَ ٱلۡأَنۡعَـٰمِ أَزۡوَ ٰ⁠جࣰا یَذۡرَؤُكُمۡ فِیهِۚ لَیۡسَ كَمِثۡلِهِۦ شَیۡءࣱۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِیعُ ٱلۡبَصِیرُ)

[Surah Ash-Shura 11]

 

(2)

(ٱلَّذِینَ إِذَاۤ أَصَـٰبَتۡهُم مُّصِیبَةࣱ قَالُوۤا۟ إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّاۤ إِلَیۡهِ رَ ٰ⁠جِعُونَ)

[Surah Al-Baqarah 156]