I received a message from a dear reader after the Fateful Road article, whose name is M.M. who wonders: What brings evil upon Earth from a religious point of view? And is there a link between man’s actions and the evil that occurs?!
I started a research journey and I would like to narrate some points:
Firstly: God- Glory to His name- created Earth in the best shape, accurate formation and magnificent order, in Christianity: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…And God saw that it was good.” In Islam: (Then do they not look at the camels – how they are created? And at the sky – how it is raised? And at the mountains – how they are erected? And at the earth – how it is spread out? So remind, [O Muhammad]; you are only a reminder. You are not over them a controller.)Then God made man the master on all the creatures; in Christianity: “So God created man in His own image…Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” In Islam, God subjected the whole universe to man and granted him his favors: (Do you not see that Allah has made subject to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth and amply bestowed upon you His favors, [both] apparent and unapparent?)
Secondly: Throughout the history of mankind, God warned men against evil and corruption; and its consequences that have negative effects that spread not only on man’s life but on the entire Earth. As in Christianity the entire Earth was cursed due to man’s sin: “Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’: “Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life…”
Also Islam clarifies that the corruption that occurs in the environment is the product of the evil deeds of man: (Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].)That’s how God- Glory to His name- rejects evil and corruption, and warns man from their consequences; in Christianity God commanded the people of Israel not to be corrupted by evil deeds: “When you beget children and grandchildren and have grown old in the land, and act corruptly and make a carved image in the form of anything, and do evil in the sight of the Lord your God to provoke Him to anger, I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that you will soon utterly perish from the land…”
In Islam: (And cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. That is better for you, if you should be believers).
Injustice by all its kinds and methods is the most of evils that God rejects: “You shall not oppress a hired servant who is poor and needy, whether one of your brethren or one of the aliens who is in your land within your gates. Each day you shall give him his wages, and not let the sun go down on it, for he is poor and has set his heart on it; lest he cry out against you to the Lord, and it be sin to you.” And God said: “You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor.” And in Islam: (And never think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them for a Day when eyes will stare [in horror].)Also: (How [clearly] they will hear and see the Day they come to Us, but the wrongdoers today are in clear error.)
Religions have recommended that justice is the way of life: “To do righteousness and justice Is more acceptable to the Lord than sacrifice.” And in Islam: (Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing).
Charity
We talked previously about the importance of repentance and returning to God, and man should realize that the true repentance should be accompanied by true charity deeds presented to all people and not fake ones. If the sin is accompanied by evil deeds, thus without a doubt repentance is linked to charity deeds. That’s why in Christianity God said: “Wash yourselves, make yourselves clean; Put away the evil of your doings from before My eyes. Cease to do evil, Learn to do good; Seek justice, Rebuke the oppressor; Defend the fatherless, Plead for the widow.”
In Islam: (Indeed, they who have believed and done righteous deeds – those are the best of creatures). Stories about Beautiful Egypt never end!
General Bishop
Head of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center
