Divine Wisdom in Victory and Tribulation: A Scholarly Refutation: "Why does Allah not grant victory to the believers always?"
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the most noble of Messengers.
A question is sometimes raised regarding divine providence and justice: “If Allah exists, is All-Powerful, and loves the believers, why does He not always grant them victory over the disbelievers? Why do we often see disbelievers dominating and conquering believers? Is this not evidence of the non-existence of God, or a lack of His power, or a lack of His care for His believing servants?”
While this question may appear logical on the surface, it is actually rooted in a misunderstanding of the nature and function of this worldly life. It ignores the divine patterns (Sunan) in creation and the profound wisdom behind trial and testing. We shall address this question with a comprehensive scholarly analysis to reveal the missing facts and hidden wisdoms.
The Nature of the Worldly Life: A Realm of Testing, Not Reward
The Misconception of the World's Function
The first point that must be understood in depth is that this worldly life, in its essence, is a realm of Ibtilāʾ (testing and trial). it is not the realm of final recompense, nor is it the place of ultimate judgment.
Allah did not design this world to be the place where every individual is fully and finally rewarded for what they deserve. Rather, He made it a place to test people, so that the truthful may be distinguished from the liars, the believers from the hypocrites, and the steadfast from the deviants.
A true test, by its very nature, requires the existence of difficulties, challenges, and tribulations. Without them, it would not be a real test; it would fail to reveal the true mettle and reality of people.
An Example Illustrating the Nature of Testing
Consider a student in an examination hall. They do not expect to receive their grades and results the moment they finish writing an answer. Instead, they wait patiently for the papers to be graded, the scores to be reviewed, and the final results to be announced.
If a student demanded their results immediately upon finishing, they would be told: “Be patient until the allotted exam time ends, all papers are graded, and the results are reviewed with total justice.”
Similarly, the believer in this life is in the stage of testing, action, and striving (Saʿī). They are not yet in the stage of final recompense or complete accounting.
Real Recompense is in the Hereafter
Full, just, and absolute recompense occurs in the Ākhirah (the Hereafter). It is there that Allah grants the believers an absolute and complete victory and gives the disbelievers their final, just recompense. Allah says: “And it was an obligation upon Us to give victory to the believers” [Sūrat al-Rūm: 47].
Nullifying the Test
To demand that Allah always grants believers a complete victory in this world and permanently defeats their enemies is to essentially ask for the cancellation of the test itself. It would negate the wisdom of this world’s existence.
If believers were always victorious and disbelievers always defeated, there would be no real choice. People would embrace Islam out of a fear of power rather than a love for the truth. The sincere believer would never be distinguished from the lying hypocrite.
Tribulation as a Consistent Divine Pattern for Prophets and Believers
Stories of the Prophets as Witnesses to Trial
Beyond our contemporary reality, the Holy Qur’ān narrates painful and moving accounts of the suffering of the noble Prophets and sincere believers throughout history. It shows how disbelievers and tyrants dominated them for decades and centuries.
Nūḥ (Noah), peace be upon him, called his people for nine hundred and fifty years. Only a few believed, while his people continued to lie to him, threaten him, and mock him. They said to him: “If you do not desist, O Noah, you will surely be of those who are stoned” [Sūrat al-Shuʿarāʾ: 116]. They remained stubborn until Allah destroyed them with the great flood.
Ibrāhīm (Abraham), the Close Friend of the Merciful, peace be upon him, was thrown into a massive fire to be burned alive. His oppressive people said: “Burn him and support your gods, if you are to act” [Sūrat al-Anbiyāʾ: 68]. Had Allah not made the fire "coolness and peace" for him, he would have died.
Mūsā (Moses), the one to whom Allah spoke, peace be upon him, lived with his believing people for decades under the power of the tyrant Firʿawn (Pharaoh), who arrogantly said: “We will kill their sons and keep their women alive; and indeed, we are subjugators over them” [Sūrat al-Aʿrāf: 127]. Thousands of innocent children were slaughtered, and the believers were subjected to the severest forms of torture.
Other Moving Accounts
The People of the Ditch (Aṣḥāb al-Ukhdūd): These believers were burned alive in a blazing trench because of their faith in Allah alone. Allah mentions their painful story in the Qur'ān: “Destroyed were the companions of the trench. [Containing] the fire full of fuel” [Sūrat al-Burūj: 4-5].
The People of the Cave (Aṣḥāb al-Kahf): These believing youths fled for their faith from a tyrannical king and hid in a dark cave for fear of being killed or persecuted. They said: “For indeed, if they come to know of you, they will stone you or return you to their religion, and then you will never succeed” [Sūrat al-Kahf: 20].
Muhammad ﷺ and his Companions: The Seal of the Prophets and his noble companions were unjustly driven from their homes and wealth. They were besieged in the Valley of Abū Ṭālib for three years until they ate tree leaves out of hunger. Many noble martyrs were killed in the battles of Badr, Uḥud, al-Aḥzāb, and others.
A Fixed Divine Sunnah
Allah has established this tribulation as a fixed divine pattern: “Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said, 'When is the help of Allah?' Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near” [Sūrat al-Baqarah: 214].
A Logical Question
Were all these Prophets and believers of lesser status in the sight of Allah than others? Did their Merciful Lord abandon them? Did their tribulation indicate a weakness in Allah or a lack of His love for them?
Never. In fact, the severity of a trial is often a sign of one’s high status with Allah and the nearness of divine victory. The Prophet ﷺ said: “The people most severely tested are the Prophets, then the next best, then the next best” [Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb: 3402].
The Great Wisdom Behind the Occasional Victory of Disbelievers
Distinguishing the Servants of Allah from the Servants of Power
The occasional victory of disbelievers over believers carries a profound divine wisdom: distinguishing true, sincere servants of Allah from those who only serve appearance, dominance, and material triumph.
Many people align themselves with Muslims during times of strength and victory, boasting of their affiliation. However, if Muslims become weak or are tested with defeat, these individuals quickly abandon them and join the ranks of the victorious disbelievers in pursuit of worldly interests.
These are the wavering hypocrites whom Allah described: “Those who wait [and watch] you. Then if you gain a victory from Allah, they say, 'Were we not with you?' But if the disbelievers have a success, they say [to them], 'Did we not gain the advantage over you, and did we not protect you from the believers?' Allah will judge between [all of] you on the Day of Resurrection, and never will Allah give the disbelievers over the believers a way [to overcome them]” [Sūrat al-Nisāʾ: 141].
Allah has clarified this wisdom in many verses: “Allah would not leave the believers in that [state] you are in [presently] until He separates the evil from the good” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 179]. He also said: “And that Allah may purify those who believe and destroy the disbelievers” [Sūrat Āl ʿImrān: 141].
Revealing Realities
Tribulations and trials act as a filter. They separate those who worship Allah in both ease and hardship, strength and weakness, from those who worship Him only because His followers happen to be the powerful ones at that moment. A true believer worships Allah because He is Allah, regardless of whether the community is in a state of glory or humiliation.
If believers were victorious every single time, the sincere would be indistinguishable from the liar. Ibtilāʾ (trial) is a divine sieve that purifies the ranks of the believers from hypocrites and opportunists.
Divine Victory is Linked to Taking the Necessary Means
The System of Cause and Effect
A vital point in understanding this issue is that victory in this world is usually tied to taking the legitimate and required means (Asbāb). Allah established this world on a precise system of cause and effect.
If Muslims adopt the means of true strength—preparing necessary equipment, unifying their ranks, mastering planning, purifying their souls from sins, and strengthening their connection to Allah—He grants them a decisive victory. However, if they neglect these means, remain divided, and persist in disobedience, they have committed a shortcoming that may result in their enemies gaining power over them.
Allah says: “And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy” [Sūrat al-Anfāl: 60]. He also warns: “And do not dispute and [thus] lose courage and [then] your strength would depart; and be patient. Indeed, Allah is with the patient” [Sūrat al-Anfāl: 46].
Examining the Causes First
When we see disbelievers triumphing in a battle or confrontation, we must first look honestly: Did the Muslims take the religiously required means? Did they prepare both material and moral strength? If they failed in these, the blame lies with them first before questioning divine wisdom.
A Historical Example
In the Battle of Uḥud, the archers disobeyed the command of the Prophet ﷺ and left their positions out of greed for the spoils of war. Consequently, a victory turned into a partial defeat. The Prophet ﷺ did not blame his Lord; rather, the cause was clearly identified as the violation of a command and the neglect of the necessary means.
Other Wisdoms Behind the Delay of Victory
Educating and Strengthening Believers: Delaying victory trains believers in Ṣabr (patience) and reliance on Allah. Constant ease can lead to heedlessness and laziness.
Purification of Sins: Tribulations expiate sins. The Prophet ﷺ said: “No fatigue, nor disease, nor sorrow, nor sadness, nor hurt, nor distress befalls a Muslim, even if it were the prick he receives from a thorn, but that Allah expiates some of his sins for that” [al-Bukhārī: 5642, Muslim: 2573].
Establishing the Argument: It provides a chance to establish the proof against the disbelievers, so they cannot claim on the Day of Judgment that they were never reached by the message.
Conclusion: The Radiant Truth
This misconception falls apart before the clear signs of divine wisdom. This world is a place of testing, and absolute victory is reserved for the Ākhirah (Hereafter). The history of the Prophets proves that suffering and temporary defeat are not signs of Allah's abandonment, but rather tools for spiritual refinement and distinguishing the sincere from the hypocritical.
The victory of the disbelievers is often a result of Muslims neglecting the divine system of cause and effect. Allah is All-Wise and All-Knowing; He manages all affairs with mercy, even if we do not perceive it in the moment. The true believer trusts that the final outcome belongs to the righteous. “And it was an obligation upon Us to give victory to the believers” [Sūrat al-Rūm: 47].
And Allah knows best. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad and all his family and companions.
The Creator’s Justice in Creation: A Scholarly Refutation
"Why did Allah not ask me before creating me if I wanted to exist?"
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all worlds, and peace and blessings be upon the most noble of Messengers.
A strange question is sometimes raised regarding divine justice: “Why did Allah not ask me before my creation whether I wanted to exist or not? If Allah were just, He would have asked me before creating me; if I refused, He would not have created me, and if I agreed, He would have. To create me without my consent and then hold me accountable for my actions—this is injustice.”
While this question may appear to carry a certain logic on the surface, it is actually rooted in a methodological error regarding the reality of the Creator and the created, and a flawed conception of divine justice. We shall address this question with a calm scholarly analysis to reveal the flaws in this perception.
The Fundamental Methodological Error: Overlooking the Reality of the Creator and the Created
A Misunderstanding of the Relationship
The primary error in this misconception lies in the total disregard for the reality of Allah, Glory be to Him, and the reality of the created being. This question implicitly assumes a form of equality or symmetry between the Creator and the created, suggesting that the created being has rights over its Creator that must be observed even before its existence.
This is a fundamentally flawed conception. Allah is the Absolute Sovereign; He possesses the ultimate right and total will to create what He wills, how He wills, and when He wills. No created being has the right to object to His kingdom, impose conditions upon Him, or negotiate His decrees.
Man is a created subject whom Allah brought forth from pure nothingness. Man originally possesses nothing for himself and has no right to negotiate with his Creator or set conditions before his own existence.
An Example Illustrating the Failure of This Logic
To illustrate the absurdity of this logic, imagine a man fashioning a statue out of clay. Once finished, the statue says to him: “Why did you not seek my permission before making me? You should have asked me first if I wanted to be made or not!”
Is this not absurd logic? How can a maker seek permission from something that does not even exist? How can non-existence be asked for its opinion on existence? By what right does the object object to its maker? If this logic is absurd regarding a human maker and an inanimate object, how could it ever be valid regarding the Great Creator and the honored creature?
The False Implicit Assumption
This misconception implicitly assumes that the creature is equal to the Creator and is a peer in terms of rights and status. Otherwise, where would the proposer of this doubt get the right to object to his Lord’s will?
For One whose attribute is absolute will, His will either relates to bringing a specific person into existence or it does not. If His will relates to it, that person exists; if not, they remain non-existent. The idea that Allah would bring someone into existence specifically to ask their permission to exist is an idea only held by someone who believes they are equal to Allah in rank and rights.
Dialectical Concession: What if Allah Had Asked Man?
Assuming the Question Before Creation
Let us concede for the sake of argument and assume—strictly for the purpose of analysis—that Allah the Almighty first brought man to life to seek his permission regarding his creation and existence in this world.
Allah, Glory be to Him, would say: “I wish to create you in a realm of trial and testing (Ibtilāʾ), and I ask you to worship Me, obey Me, and follow My Messengers. If you do so, you shall have Paradise (Jannah), dwelling therein forever, enjoying what no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and what has never occurred to the heart of man. But if you disobey and disbelieve, you shall have the Fire as a just recompense for your poor choice.”
The Expected Choice
At that moment, this human would be in full health, well-being, and mental faculty. He would not yet have tasted the bitterness and hardships of life, nor suffered the toil of this world or the psychological pressures that might cloud his thinking.
In this ideal state, do you think he would refuse to live? Do you think, after hearing this noble offer, he would say: “No, I do not want life, I do not want to enter Paradise, and I do not want eternal bliss”? Any rational person in such a state would say without hesitation: “Yes, I want to live, work, and strive to enter Paradise and win the everlasting bliss.”
The Collapse of the Misconception
Thus, the misconception collapses at its foundation. If man were truly given the choice, he would choose life without hesitation—especially if he knew the great bliss and manifest victory that awaited him if he obeyed his Lord and followed the straight path.
The real problem is not the lack of seeking permission before creation; rather, it is man’s occasional ignorance of Allah’s profound wisdom, His perfect justice, and His vast mercy, alongside his forgetfulness of the great blessings Allah has bestowed upon him.
The Compatibility Between Non-Consent and Divine Justice
When Would Creation Be Unjust?
Let us ask a vital question to dismantle this misconception: When would Allah be unjust in His creation of man? When would it be correct to say that creating without seeking permission is an injustice?
The answer is clear: It would be unjust if He created man only to punish him without a sin committed, if He tasked him with works beyond his capacity, if He did not provide him with the means of guidance and salvation, or if He held him accountable for what he did not choose with his own will.
Manifest Divine Justice
However, if He created him to test him with a fair trial, gave him sound reason and true will, sent noble Messengers to him, clarified the path of good and evil with total clarity, promised him Paradise if he obeys and the Fire if he disobeys, and left the door of repentance wide open—where then is the injustice in any of this? Clear reason and sound nature (Fiṭrah) testify that this is the essence of justice; rather, it is the highest degree of justice, wisdom, and mercy.
What Allah Bestowed Upon Man
Let us look fairly at what Allah the Almighty has given to man:
A Discerning Mind: To distinguish between truth and falsehood, good and evil, benefit and harm.
Complete Will: To choose his path in life without compulsion; he is free to choose between faith or disbelief, obedience or disobedience.
Messengers and Divine Books: To guide him to the straight path, clarify the landmarks of the journey, and warn him against the pitfalls of deviation.
A Sincere Promise of Paradise: With its eternal bliss if he does good, and the Fire with its punishment if he does evil—acting as a powerful incentive for good and a deterrent against evil.
Repeated Opportunities for Repentance: The door of Tawbah (repentance) remains open as long as the sun has not risen from the west.
Manifest and Hidden Blessings: Innumerable favors including health, provision (Rizq), and safety.
If, after all this clarification and bestowal, man chooses the path of evil by his own will and insists on disobedience, who is to blame? Is it unjust to punish one who chose misguidance over guidance? Justice dictates that every soul be recompensed for what it earned: [Sūrat al-Anʿām: 164].
Profound Wisdoms in Not Seeking Permission Before Creation
Wisdom in the Nature of Servitude (ʿUbūdiyyah)
A great wisdom is that this achieves the reality of servitude and creation in its most perfect form. A true servant is one who submits to their Lord in everything, without objecting to His actions or setting conditions. If man were a partner in the decision of his own creation, he would not be a true servant, but rather a peer. True ʿUbūdiyyah requires complete submission to the Creator in all His actions.
Manifesting Perfect Divine Sovereignty
Not seeking permission demonstrates the perfection of Allah’s ownership and His absolute authority. He is the True Sovereign who needs no permission from anyone within His kingdom and is not subject to the conditions of His creatures.
Achieving a True Trial
If man had agreed to creation beforehand, he might attempt to claim he only agreed under certain conditions. A true trial lies in submitting to the conditions set by the Creator, not those set by the created.
The Blessing of Existence Ignored by Critics
The primary thing critics of this issue ignore is that existence itself is a magnificent blessing from Allah. He brought us from non-existence into being, and from darkness into light. This is a blessing only truly appreciated by those who reflect deeply. If we asked any rational person: "Do you prefer to exist or to be nothingness?" the vast majority—even in difficult circumstances—choose life.
Complaints regarding "not being asked" usually arise in moments of weakness, despair, and pain, but they vanish when a person returns to their senses and remembers Allah's vast favors. How many have wished for death in a moment of agony, only to thank Allah for life once the pain subsided!
Conclusion: The Radiant Truth
This flimsy misconception collapses before sound logic. Its foundation is a misunderstanding of the Creator-creature relationship. Allah has the absolute right to create as He wills, and it is not for the creature to negotiate His decrees.
Man, if given the choice with full knowledge of the eternal bliss awaiting the obedient, would choose life without hesitation. The problem is not a lack of permission, but a lack of awareness of Allah's profound wisdom and mercy. Allah created us for a noble purpose, gave us the tools for success, and promised us Paradise. What justice is greater than this?
This doubt is merely a whisper from Satan to distract man from gratitude and from striving for Allah’s pleasure. All praise is due to Allah who brought us into being, guided us, and honored us with reason and faith.
(“Say, 'Is it other than Allah I should desire as a lord while He is the Lord of all things? And every soul earns not [blame] except against itself, and no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. Then to your Lord is your return, and He will inform you concerning that over which you used to differ'” [Sūrat al-Anʿām: 164].
And Allah knows best. May Allah bless our Prophet Muhammad and all his family and companions.