That is the question which has made alot of people a non believers. And the most question asked in this topic is “Why me?” “Why do i suffer and others enjoy?” “Why God hates me? What did i do to him”……. Be sure that this type of questions are asked by not only by non-believers, but also by believers.
If you have questions like those mentioned above, then you need to ask your self this question “Do you think God specifically hate you and cares about others” or “What does God benefit if he made you suffer?”
So lets get back the the main question. Why do we suffer? I have studied this in my life and concluded it to the following points:
A. First point is we suffer because of our sins. Believer and non-Believer, Sometimes we do something bad or we wrong people intentionally or unintentionally, when we do that God may punish us to justify that mistake, which not necessarily all the time. The problem is we forget what we did in our life and judge God for what is happening to us. Literally, I may have wronged people which i forgot already, and also other people might have wronged me but they forgot and i forgot also. But God doesn’t forget. God is doing that because he have to be fair with us, as in the day of judgement, the sins we did in this life may be dismissed by the punishments we suffered in this life. And good thing is, we are left with our good deeds only.
B. After reading point A you might say “Ok, if we assume that is true, then why God punishes people who are young, or even babies like in africa, some kids they suffer from hunger and other shortages in life…” when dealing this topic, it has to be seen from different angles. First one is “Do we have enough food in this world to feed the poor?” Yes we have. Then the problem is with Man’s “Free Will”, it is because some people who are wealthy who are supposed to help those people, or corrupt leaders who cause this type of serious problems. God gave us free will to test us, whether we will do good or bad. If God made all the decisions we made in our life, then evil people are not evil or good, good people are not good or evil. If God did everything why we will be judged in the first place? For example, if you program a robot to kill people, then if it kill people then you cant blame the robot. But if you program the robot that killing is not good and if it kill people then it is guilty, and you let the robot decide by it self whether or not to kill people, if the robot kill a person then only you can blame the robot. The truth which needs to be realized is, God gave us free will to test us “what we will do in this life”. The result is as you see, some are good some are bad. Some want to intiate war between countries just to get profit out of war. Some help poor people sacrificing their needs in life. We will be asked why we didn’t feed the poor in the day of judgement. Because we got all we need, we have enough food, money and resources, but yet some people blame God. It’s important that you help other people, because when they come to your foreground in your life ( some how when they appear in your life), it may be a test from God, so, you need to feed them, give them money, give them clothes, talk to them respectfully. If you don’t have anything to give its okay, you can be friendly with them, smile at them that’s also counted as good deed as well. You can read more here about this topic.
C. Some people may born with health issues which make them suffer in this life. They are totally innocent, why do they suffer? Remember, we are here to test. We are not here to be “happily ever after” or “Sad and suffering all of the time” We are here to test and one day we will die be judged. They will be rewarded for their patience. For example, a blind person is rewarded heaven without account. Everyone test is different. Minds of people differs especially in capability to accepting-things. For example, sometimes we can see some handicapped people accept their reality and live their life happily better than the full healthy person. Sometimes, in life if we don’t accept things of our reality it makes things even worse.
D. God might wanted a higher rank in heaven for you. Heaven have ranks. Not all have the same level of ranks. Or God want you to enter heaven without judgement! Look at this Quranic Verse:
Quran 39:10
…Indeed, the patient will be given their reward without account.
E. You dont know what you have till it’s gone. Sometimes, as humans we need to learn life lessons. This lessons might come in hardships. God said in Quran:
For indeed, with hardship [will be] ease.
We need to have patience in our life! One thing that is assured is: God will not wrong you, infact, he will give you 10x for one good deed.
Quran 6:160
Whoever comes [on the Day of Judgement] with a good deed will have ten times the like thereof [to his credit], and whoever comes with an evil deed will not be recompensed except the like thereof; and they will not be wronged.
So thats why its important you do good always, the benefit is for you. Especially feeding the poor and orphans. When a needy person comes in your way don’t neglect the person, help him/her if you can. Give charity, buy clothes to poor and orphans, forgiving those who wronged you, be supportive to others…. All counted as good deeds.
Quranic verses which are related this topics:
Quran 67:2
[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed – and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving –