“Suffering”
“Suffering”
(Comparison of Suffering in
Islam and Christianity)
1.
Introduction
Suffering is a reality in human
life and every religion has their answer of why people suffer. It can happen to all people
whatever their religion or culture background. Most of every religion try to
answer the question : Why there is
suffering in the world? What is the purpose of suffering? If the purpose
of human life is to have a happy life, why does God (the Mighty Power) allow
suffering? Suffering can lead people to know God, but it also can lead people
to doubt about God and reject His truth. In daily life we see people suffer of
loss, pain, sickness, disaster, afflicted, slaved, treated unjust, etc. How we
explain about these reality?
On this writing, I try to find
out answer of the question about “why people suffer”, by seeing it in the
perspective of Christianity and Islam about suffering. I try to limit my study
focus only on some verses related to “Job” in Al-Quran. And I try to compare it
with the meaning of suffering in the book of Job. Al-Quran tells us the story
of Job, but not as complete and as chronological as in the bible. The purpose
of this writing is to know the perspective of Islam about suffering, and being
ready to give answer of the question about what is the differences between the
perspective of Christianity and Islam about suffering.
II.
Suffering in Christianity
a. Suffering in the Bible
Suffering in the Bible caused by
many reasons. In the Old Testament, suffering can be caused by sin, wickedness
and foolishness[1]. We also
can find in the prophetic books that people mourn because of God's judgment and
punishment toward their sin[2]. Suffering also can be caused by actions of
enemies, when they threat against God's people and causing pain. God's people
are also suffer when their expectation of life is different with the reality
they faced. It leads to expression of grief and frustration with God, for
instance: lament. It also could lead God's people to questioning about God and
His given life.
At the time of early
Christianity, Christians suffered because of their faith to Christ. They were
being outcast and displaced from their town and community[3].
They withdrew from immoral pagan lifestyle. It is clear portrayed in the book
of Acts Christians being mocked, maligned, arrested, chained, falsely charged,
flogged, expelled, etc[4]. In the letter of Hebrews the writer exhorted
the readers to obey and persevere in the midst of trial and crisis of the
readers' faith. There were numbers of early disciples and our church fathers
who suffered as martyrs because of their stand firm faith in Christ.
b. Suffering in the book of Job
Suffering in the book of Job has
unique characteristics from other perspective of suffering in the bible. The
book of Job tells us a story of an innocent person, whose name is Job, who
terribly suffered. Job has certain qualities in his life. As we are told at the
beginning of his story that he is innocent, virtous, fearing God, and turning
away from evil (Job 1:8). But amidst of his wise life, he suffered horrible
afflictions : he loss all his possessions, his daughters and sons. He suffered
physical affliction short to death, even his wife asked him to curse God
because of the heavy load of suffering and his close friends counseled
him in a wrong way.
It is clear from the beginning
of the book of Job that Job's suffering was not because of his sin. The scene
in chapter 1-2 portrayed the reason of Job's suffering is related to Satan
request to test Job's character through afflictions. In Job 2:3 God
commemorates Job that he holds fast his integrity although Satan incited to
destroy Job without reason. Job was innocent. The thing which is left in
him was his soul. He mourned because of the horrible suffer. Why does God allow
this innocent man heavily suffered of internal and external afflictions?
The first trial of Job is he
loss his possession and children. The outsiders (Sabeans and Chaldeans) and
natural disaster (lightning and wind) consumed his possession and family. After
that trial, he was struck by sores on the whole of his body, even his close
friends could not recognize him because of the illness. God apparently against
him and afflicting him. After 7 days silent in front of his silent friends, he
opened his mouth, lamenting in a deep mourning and complaining to God.
From the perspective of Job's
friends, suffering is God's judgment for sin[5].
The concept behind is the law of sowing and reaping. You will reap what you
saw. If you are righteous, you will not suffer, but if you are wicked, you will
suffer. So if we do not want to be suffer and blessed, we have to be righteous.
We have reason, for our own interest, why we believe in God.
The trap of Satan in this
concept of sow and reap is that we fear God because of our need of Him, only because
of his blessing and protection. The Satan trap also is the thinking that what I
do in this earth will effect God's acceptance to me. The quality of my work will determine God's
blessing to me. We can be righteous because of our good work, our own righteousness.
You love your God because He loves you, but you hate God when He apparently in
opposite of you or make you suffer. This is a very selfish-self centric love.
Through the book of Job, we learn that God does not want the self centric love
in the life of His children.
Job stated in the first trial
said that “Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return. The
LORD gave and the LORD has taken away”. And the second trials Job said “shall we
receive good from God and shall we not receive evil?”. Job was blessed by
God with a perfect number of blessing in his family and possession. He also
endured the unbearable suffering of all premier aspects in his life. The range of Job's blessing and his suffering
is to the maximum level in each range. And the root of Job's problem is the
concept that his righteousness will never lead him to endure afflictions. He think that he is innocent and unnatural to
suffer these afflictions. Suffering is only because of wickedness in human
life, righteous people will never horribly suffer, because they keep their way
against evil. This concept troubled him to accept the calamity in his life.
This concept also is as the basic reason of sarcastic debate of his friends on
Job's case.
III. Suffering in The Perspective of Islam
a. Suffering in Al-Quran
In Qur'an, the teaching about
suffering related to submission to God. Islam is a religion which emphasized of
total submission to the will of God. In Muslim religion they
acknowledge the concept of “Takdir” or predestine by God. They believe at
“fate”. Whatever
happen in life is under God's will, as human we only have the right to accept
and obey to the will of God. Whether it is pleasure or suffering in life, it is
under God's control. The relationship between Allah and us
humans in Islam is a direct one, with no mediator[6].
Muslims
generally perceived that suffering as a way of atonement for one’s sins, as the
Prophet said, “No fatigue, no disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor
distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn,
but Allah expiates some of his sins for that”.
In
Surah 21 Al Anbiya, it is stated : “Every person (nafs) shall taste of
death; and We try you with evil and good for a testing, then unto Us you shall
be returned.” ( Q.21:35-36). The concept of death in this verse refers that
soul does not die. Soul will separate from the body when someone death. When we
live in the earth, our virtues and faith will be tested by many things: some by
calamities, some by good things in life[7].
God determines
someone's death. Muslims believe that the
longevity of every person is only known by Allah who predetermined the exact
timing of death.
In the practice of Islam religion, when they approach
hardships and tests, they see it as the
decree of Allah. They should never ask Allah "Why has he given us such
trials?” For by questioning Allah “why”, they think that they have already sin
and disobey Allah. Questioning or complaining to God is a sinful attitude
because they have to submit to God's will, whatever it takes.
Patience is one of
the greatest attributes a person can acquire and Allah is with those who are
patient. The reward for Patience is Paradise! If one is patient, and is among
the ones described in the following manner in the Qur’an (Baqarah,
2: 256). Who say, when
afflicted with calamity:“To Allah we belong, and to Him is our return”
b. Relation between suffering and sin in Islam
In Islam, sometimes
suffering is not only as a test but also as punishment of sin and transgressions. It is stated in Islamic teaching: [8]
“The Prophet also explained that adultery, when practised openly,
increases the accidental and sudden death, brings such plagues and diseases
which had never been heard of before. When people resort to cheating in weight
and measure, warning comes in form of famine, underemployment, and tyrants.
When rich people withhold zakat, poverty strikes the community.”
c. The account of Job's suffering in Al-Quran
The story of Job in Alquran is
not specific to describe about Job's suffering. Following I quoted some concept
that I found about Job's suffering in Al-Quran:
First, Job acknowledge that the
source of his suffering is from the Evil one. “Commemorate Our Servant Job.
Behold he cried to his Lord: “The Evil One has afflicted me with distress and
suffering!” (Q. Sad. 41). From
this verse we can learn that in Al-Quran, Job acknowledged that the source of
his affliction is from the Evil One. He cried upon the Lord for help.
Second, Job is faithful in the
midst of his suffering.
In the Al Quran, we will not find the words of sarcasm from the Job about life
and Allah, as it is described in the Bible. We see a profile of Job without
blemish; he suffered because of the Evil but he is faithful, patience before
Allah.
Third, because of Job's
faithfulness, Allah restored in his life. Q. Al Anbiya :84 “So We listened to him (Job), We
removed the distress that was on him, and We restored his people to him, and
doubled their number- as a Grace from Ourselves, and a thing for commemoration,
for all who serve Us.” The
cause-effect law can be seen here. If you are merciful, God will be merciful to
you. If you do something good in your life, Allah will give his mercy to you.
If you disobey, or sinful, Allah will give punishment.
Fourth, Job is commemorated
because of his faith. The
life of Job becomes a commemorate for
people who served Allah as an example of humility, patience and faith to Allah.
Job became example Allah's servant who is faithful. There is no dialog of Job's
complain to God. There is no record of sarcastic words of Job toward God and
life
Fifth, it is unique that Alquran
stated that part of the restoration of Job related to water cleansing. Al Quran in Q. Sad. 42 stated “(The
command was given:) “Strike with thy foot: Here is (water) wherein you wash,
cool and refreshing and (water) to drink”.
In the meaning of Holy Quran it was interpret that the recuperative
process having begun, Job was commanded to strike the earth or rock and the
fountain of water will gush out. The water is give Job a bath, clean his body,
refresh his mind and spirit, drink and rest. This picture cannot be found in
the bible and only stated in Al Quran.
d. Some of the differences
The concept that “we are being
righteous because of our deed” can lead to cause-effect conclusion that if we
do good, God will bless; if we are wicked, God will punish with suffering. We
have to think then, what is the meaning of our relationship with God?
The fear of God can be foster in
a wrong foundation of fear of God's rejection and punishment. But it is not the
true meaning of “fear of God” because it is rooted in the “fear of suffering or
rejection from God”. It is not the true submission because it is based on the
fear of being punished. In order to maintain the relation people try to please
God with their good deeds. We seek God only for our personal gain.
In Christianity we belief that
we have a relational God, who accept us as we are, sinners who is forgiven. We
do the good work, righteous and blameless way in our life are not in order to
get God blessing or acceptance. It is not because of our offerings to God that
we are righteous in God's sight. God is holy, that is the reason why we also as
His children keep our life holy.
We accept a God who was wounded
on the cross.
Christ suffered in the cross. He cried on the cross “Eli Eli lema
Sabachthani: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. The reason of his
suffering is His deep love to us the sinner. It is not because of our personal
ability or capacity. And God invites us to suffer with him, and bear our own
cross.
IV. Conclusion
I found some of similar concept between Job's
friends and some of the teaching of Islam. First, the concept of “some one
reaps what he sows”. This means that God will give reward to our good deed and
punish our wickedness. Second is the concept that human is insignificant (very
inferior) before God. In Islam, the concept of total submission leads to total
obedience, without any room for questioning, reasoning or complaining to God.
Third, the concept that serving or worship God is for the benefit that piety
brings. Men obligated to do the law in order to be accepted and blessed by God.
From the story of Job we learn
that the ideal life of Christian is not a life without suffering. It is a life
with suffering and we are called to endure the suffering with faith and
perseverance in Christ. We have a God who suffered on the cross. God chose the
way of the most horrible suffering to save humanity from sin. Suffering is part
of Christian life, it makes our faith in God refined and completed.
[1] Belcher Jr., R.P., Dictionary of Old
Testament : Wisdom, Poetry & Writings, “Suffering”, Tremper Longman III
& Peter Enns (Ed), (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 2008), p. 775-776
[2] Thomas, H.A, Dictionary of Old Testament :
Prophets, “Suffering”, Mark J. Boda & J Gordon Mc Conville (Ed), (Downers
Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 2012), p. 760-761
[3] Webb, W.J., Dictionary of New Testament
& Its Development, “Suffering”, Ralph P. Matin & Peter H David (Ed),
(Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1997), p. 1135
[4] Webb, p.1138
[5] Jensen, Irving L., Job “A Self-Study Guide”
(The Moody Bible Institute of Chicago, 1975), p.19
[7] Maulana Abdullah Yusuf Ali, “The Meaning of
the Holy Quran” (Delhi: Kutub Khana Ishayatul Islam, )
