Islamic Philosophy and the Problem of Evil; a Philosophical Theodicy

The Reality of Evil

Before considering the different versions of the problem of evil, it would be helpful to say something about the Islamic philosophy's view on the reality of evils. Confronting the apparent evils around us, one may primarily raise the question whether these evils are real things or they are mere illusions. Contrary to an uncommon view (sometimes attributed to certain Hindu schools of thought) which considers evils as mere dreams and illusions, most people including philosophers and theologians follow their common sense judgment and endorse the reality of evils. It is clear that according to the former view, the problem of evil (if it can be formulated at all) will find a very trite and commonplace solution: the so-called evils are just in our dreams and not real!

Muslim philosophers, however, do not deny that there are really some evils. And thus, considering the other facts concerning God and His attributes, the problem of evil emerges for them as a genuine philosophical problem.