This World Is a Field of Trials, Not a Place of Perfect Justice
Written by: ʿAẓīm al-Raḥmān ʿUthmānī
Why Doesn’t Allah Make Everyone Wealthy?
It is often asked: If Allah had made everyone rich, healthy, beautiful, powerful, or influential, what would He have lost from His treasures?
The real question, however, is not about Allah’s treasury, but about the “system of trial” on which this universe is founded. This world was established for the purpose of testing, where human behaviors are examined.
◄ Some are tested through wealth, others through deprivation.
◄ Sometimes gifts are granted, and sometimes they are taken away.
◄ It is through this constant trial that a person’s character is revealed.
Who gets what and who remains deprived is a decision based on divine wisdom, for only Allah fully comprehends the grand design of the universe. Man is just a small part of this vast picture; the complete vision lies solely with Allah.
Why Didn’t Allah Make Everyone Equal?
◄ If all were rich, who would be a support for the poor?
◄ Who would demonstrate compassion and generosity despite wealth?
◄ Who would show patience and gratitude in poverty?
Likewise, if everyone held power, how would it be tested who is a just ruler and who is tyrannical?
It is through this dynamic contrast that it becomes evident who acts fairly and who abuses authority.
Qur’ānic Declaration of Trials
Allah ﷻ states in the Qur’ān:
“And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to the patient.”
(Sūrah al-Baqarah 2:155)
This World Is Built on Trial, Not Absolute Justice
It is essential to understand that this world does not operate on complete justice. Injustice, oppression, and imbalance are part of it:
◄ The hardworking continue to suffer in poverty, while the corrupt live in comfort.
◄ Even courts fail to deliver perfect justice. For example, if an old man kills a young man and receives a death sentence, is that true justice?
- The killer lived a full life, while the victim had his future taken.
- His family—his wife and children—suffer permanent loss.
This highlights the incompleteness of worldly justice, and emphasizes the natural yearning within humans for a place where complete and true justice is served.
The Day of Judgment: The Realm of Perfect Justice
These worldly injustices give rise to the inherent need for a court where every deed is recompensed in full.
Religion brings us the news of this “Court of the Hereafter”, where:
◄ The righteous will be rewarded in full for their goodness,
◄ And the wrongdoers will be repaid for their evil deeds.
Blessings Are Recognized Through Their Opposites
This universe thrives on contrast:
◄ Without darkness, how would we value light?
◄ Without pain, how would we feel relief?
◄ Without ugliness, how would beauty be defined?
◄ Without death, who would long for life or value it?
We can only recognize and appreciate blessings when their opposites exist. Hence, this world is filled with contrasts to awaken our sense of gratitude.
Sharʿī Principle: Effort Is Obligatory
Islam teaches that man is obligated to take the means available to him.
Hoping to escape poverty without effort is wrong—just as expecting to be cured of illness without treatment is unrealistic.
