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Why are some people Born Healthy While Others are Born with Defects?
Q. If God is just then why are some people born healthy while some are born with defects and are deaf and dumb; some people are born in rich families while others in poor families?
A. 1. This life is a test for the Hereafter
According to Surah Mulk chapter 67 verse 2 “He who created Death and Life, that he may try which of you is best in deed; And He is the exalted in Might, oft-forgiving” [Al Qur’an 67:2]
This life that we lead in this world is a test for the hereafter. If we follow the commandments of the Creator Almighty Allah and we pass the test, we shall enter Paradise i.e. Eternal Bliss. If we do not follow the commandments of our Creator and fail the test then we shall be put into hell.
There are several verses in the Qur’an which clearly specify that our Creator Almighty Allah tests us in different ways. It is mentioned in the Qur’an:
”Or do ye think that you shall enter the Garden (of Bliss) without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They encountered suffering and adversity, and were shaken in spirit that even the Messenger and those of faith who were with him cried: ‘When (will come) the Help of Allah?’ Ah! Verily, the Help of Allah is (always) near!”
[Al Qur’an 2:214]
”Do men think that they will be left alone on saying, ‘we believe’, And that they will not be tested?” [Al Qur’an 29:2]
”Every soul shall have a taste of death and we test you by evil and by good by way of trial; to us must you return.”
[Al Qur’an 21:35]
”Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere.”
[Al Qur’an 2:155]
2. Judgement will be based on facilities and resources provided
Each human being undergoes a test in this world. The test that an individual undergoes differs from person to person, depending upon the facility, situation, circumstances and the condition in which Allah puts an individual. He passes His judgement accordingly. For example, if a teacher sets a difficult examination paper, the correction is usually lenient. On the other hand, if the teacher sets an easy examination paper the correction is strict. Similarly, some human beings are born in rich families while some are born in poor families. In Islam, every rich person who has a saving of more than Nisaab level i.e. 85 gms of Gold should give 2.5% of the excess wealth in charity every lunar year. Some rich persons may be giving the minimum required charity; some may be giving less than what is required while other may not be giving at all. Thus for a rich man, he may get full marks in Zakat i.e. charity, some may get less, some may get nil. On the other hand, a poor person who has a saving of less than 85 gms of gold gets full marks in Zakat, because he/she doesn’t have to give charity. However, a normal human being would like to be rich and not poor. Some may appreciate the rich people and sympathise with the poor not knowing that the wealth may take that person to hell if he does not give charity, while the poverty may be an easy path to paradise if he follows the other commandments of Almighty Allah.
3. Children born with Congenital defects are a test for their parents
Some children are born healthy while others are born handicapped or have a congenital defect. Irrespective of whether a child is born healthy or handicapped, in Islam he is Maasoom i.e. sinless. This is a type of test whether he is thankful to His Creator or not. There is a famous saying that a person was sad because he had no shoes to wear until he saw a man who had no feet. Besides this health condition being a test for that individual, it may also be a test for his parents and other individuals.
It is mentioned in the Qur’an:
“And know ye that your possessions and your progeny are but a trial and that it is Allah with whom lies your highest reward. (Al Qur’an 8:28).
Allah (swt) may be testing the parents whether they yet are thankful to their Creator or not. May be the parents are very righteous and pious and deserve Jannah. If Allah wants to give them higher place in Jannah, He will test them further, for example, by giving a handicap child. Yet, if they are thankful to their Creator, they will deserve a higher reward i.e. the Jannatul Firdous. There is a general rule that the more difficult the test, higher is the reward. To pass graduation in Arts & Commerce is relatively easy and if you pass you are called as a graduate without any special title but if you graduate in the field of medicine which is comparatively a much more difficult examination, besides becoming a graduate you are also called as a doctor and the title ‘Dr.’ is placed in before your name.
In the same way Allah (swt) tests different people in different ways, some with good health, some with disease, some with wealth, some with poverty, some with more intelligence, some with less, and depending upon the nature and extent of faculties, facilities, resources and conditions that He gives the individual, He tests accordingly.
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