How Can Creation Be Perfect if Illness and Disabilities Exist?
Answered by Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat
Question
How should the verse in Surat al-Mulk about there being no flaw in creation be understood in light of disabilities and illnesses?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
Divine Perfection According to Purpose
Allah has created everything perfectly. As Imam Ghazali stated, there is nothing more perfect possible than what already exists.
Some people misunderstood this statement because they did not grasp what was being implied.
If one reflects on the universe, from stars and galaxies to the physical, atomic, and even quantum levels, it becomes clear that Allah has created everything with a perfect design for what it is. The key point is that perfection is understood in relation to purpose.
Human Beings and the Test of This Life
The human being has been created for this life and for the test of living within it. That test sometimes involves ease and sometimes difficulty. If human bodies always functioned flawlessly, if people lived for extremely long lives without ever becoming ill, weak, or losing the vigor of youth, then the nature of the test would be very different.
Through His wisdom, Allah created human beings as susceptible to illness and weakness. Some people have disabilities, and others have a predisposition to certain illnesses. These realities do not negate perfection. Rather, they demonstrate that human beings have been created perfectly for the purpose for which they were made, namely, to live a life of trial in this world.
Perfection in This World and the Next
When one considers the Hereafter and Paradise, the contrast becomes clear. There is no illness, fatigue, or bodily discomfort there. One does not tire, nor is there any need for bodily relief, as in this world. This shows that Allah has made each realm perfectly suited to its purpose. Human beings are perfectly created for this worldly life, just as they will be perfectly created for the next.
Even within this world, the design of the human body is astonishing. Consider the number of bones in the body and how they fit together and function in harmony. Despite modern advances, companies striving to create robots that mimic human movement struggle greatly, especially with something as seemingly simple as walking upright. Human beings make countless subtle, subconscious adjustments simply to maintain balance, something that becomes apparent when sensation is impaired.
Signs of Perfect Design in Creation
Across creation, one finds clear signs of Allah’s perfect design. Engineers draw inspiration from birds when designing aircraft because those forms work so effectively. The structure of a honeycomb built by bees is another example of optimal design. All of these point to the perfection of Allah’s creation.
Redefining the Meaning of Flawlessness
Perfection does not necessarily mean the absence of wear, weakness, or what might be perceived as flaws. Rather, perfection is determined by suitability to purpose. Something can appear imperfect in one context yet be perfect in another.
Ultimately, what matters is understanding the purpose for which something was created. When viewed in that light, the existence of illness or disability does not contradict the perfection of Allah’s creation.
And Allah knows best.
[Shaykh] Abdul-Rahim
Related Answers
- How Can I Understand the Verse “Allah Perfecting Creation” in Light of Imperfections in Human Biology? — An explicit analysis addressing perceived design flaws, wisdom teeth, and illnesses under the overarching umbrella of worldly trials.
- How Should a Muslim Deal with Chronic Illness? — Details the spiritual outlook a believer must maintain during enduring health trials, highlighting divine expiation and mercy.
- Having Hope – Is Sickness a Sign of Allah’s Mercy or Allah’s Anger? — Explores the inner wisdom behind physical sickness and explains how hardships serve as a deliberate means to draw closer to the Divine.
Shaykh Abdul-Rahim Reasat began studying Arabic Grammar and Morphology whilst studying for a degree in English and History. After graduating, He traveled to Damascus and studied Arabic, Hanafi Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Theology, and Logic with Shaykh Adnan Darwish, Shaykh ‘Abd al-Rahman Arjan al-Binsawi, Shaykh Husayn Darwish, Shaykh Muhammad Darwish, the late Shaykh Rashad Shams, and others. He then moved to Amman to continue his studies in those fields, as well as in Tafsir, Quranic Sciences, Hadith Methodology and Commentary, Prophetic Biography, Prophetic Perfections and Traits, Rhetoric, Arabic Literature, and Tajwid. His teachers include Shaykh Ali Hani, Dr. Hamza al-Bakri, Dr. Salah Abu al-Hajj, Dr. Mansur Abu Zina, Shaykh Ahmad Hasanat, Shaykh Ahmad Jammal, and others.
