What is the difference between moral and natural suffering?

Moral suffering is caused by human choices, such as war and crime. Natural suffering comes from nature, such as earthquakes and disease.

Why is natural suffering a particular problem for Muslims?

Natural disasters are not caused by human free will, so they seem to come from creation itself. Muslims must explain why Allah's creation causes such harm.

What problem does suffering raise about Allah's omnipotence?

An all-powerful Allah could stop suffering at any moment. The existence of suffering suggests either Allah cannot or will not act.

Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B 1RB0

Catholic Christianity: Catholic BeliefsAny paper

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Catholic Christianity: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1

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Catholic Christianity: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1

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Christianity: Living the Christian LifeAny paper

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Christianity: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1

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Christianity: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1

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Christianity: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2

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Christianity: Peace and ConflictPaper 2

Topic overview Christian attitudes to peace and Jesus as a peacemaker Christian peacemaking and the work of Pax Christi Christian attitudes to conflict and its causes Christian pacifism, passive resistance and Martin Luther King Christian attitudes to the Just War theory Christian attitudes to Holy War Christian attitudes to weapons of mass destruction Christian responses to violence, war and terrorism

Christianity: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3

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Christianity: EqualityPaper 3

Topic overview Christian teaching on human rights Christian attitudes to equality Christian attitudes to religious freedom Christian attitudes to prejudice and discrimination Christian attitudes to racial harmony and the work of Desmond Tutu Christian attitudes to racial discrimination Christian attitudes to social justice Christian attitudes to wealth and poverty

Islam: Muslim BeliefsAny paper

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Islam: Living the Muslim LifeAny paper

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Islam: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1

Topic overview The purpose of marriage in Islam Muslim teaching on sexual relationships The purpose of the family in Islam How the ummah supports Muslim families Muslim attitudes to contraception Muslim teaching on divorce and remarriage Men and women in the Muslim family Muslim teaching on gender prejudice and discrimination

Islam: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1

Topic overview Muslim teaching on the origins and value of the universe The sanctity of life in Islam Muslim responses to evolution and scientific views of human life Muslim attitudes to abortion Muslim responses to arguments for life after death Muslim responses to arguments against life after death Muslim attitudes to euthanasia Muslim responses to issues in the natural world

Islam: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2

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Islam: Peace and ConflictPaper 2

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Islam: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3

Topic overview Revelation as proof of the existence of Allah Visions and the existence of Allah Miracles and the existence of Allah Muslim attitudes to religious experience The design argument in Islam The cosmological argument and al-Ghazali's kalam Suffering and Allah as compassionate Muslim responses to the problem of suffering

Islam: EqualityPaper 3

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Buddhism: Buddhist BeliefsAny paper

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Buddhism: Living the Buddhist LifeAny paper

Topic overview Buddhist meditation: samatha, metta bhavana, vipassana and zazen Buddhist chanting Mantra recitation, mala beads and offerings Buddhist places of worship: temples, viharas and gompas Buddharupas and other objects of devotion Buddhist puja in the vihara and the home Buddhist death and mourning rituals Buddhist festivals and retreats

Buddhism: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1

Topic overview The purpose of marriage in Buddhism Buddhist teaching on sexual relationships The Buddhist family and its purpose How the Buddhist sangha supports families Buddhist attitudes to contraception Buddhist attitudes to divorce and remarriage Men and women in the Buddhist family Buddhism, gender prejudice and discrimination

Buddhism: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1

Topic overview Buddhist teaching on the origins and value of the universe The sanctity of life in Buddhism Buddhist responses to evolution and survival of the fittest Buddhist attitudes to abortion Buddhist teaching on death, rebirth and the afterlife Buddhist responses to arguments against life after death Buddhist attitudes to euthanasia and hospice care Buddhist responses to the environment and animal rights

Buddhism: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2

Topic overview Buddhist attitudes to justice Buddhist attitudes to crime and its causes Buddhist teaching on good, evil and suffering Buddhist attitudes to punishment Buddhism and the aims of punishment Buddhist teaching on forgiveness and restorative justice Buddhist teaching on the treatment of criminals Buddhist attitudes to the death penalty

Buddhism: Peace and ConflictPaper 2

Topic overview Buddhist attitudes to peace Buddhist peacemaking and the Buddhist Peace Fellowship Buddhist attitudes to conflict and its causes Buddhist pacifism and passive resistance Buddhist responses to the Just War theory Buddhist attitudes to war Buddhist attitudes to weapons of mass destruction Engaged Buddhism and Buddhist responses to violence and terrorism

Buddhism: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3

Topic overview Buddhist teaching on the non-existence of a personal God The devas, the Realm of Gods and the Wheel of Life Enlightenment as a Buddhist religious experience Buddhist teaching on miracles Buddhist prayer and the Avalokitesvara mantra Buddhist teaching on visions Buddhist attitudes to religious experience A Buddhist upbringing

Buddhism: EqualityPaper 3

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Hinduism: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1

Topic overview Hindu responses to the origins and value of the universe Hindu teachings on the sanctity of life Hindu responses to evolution and the origins of human life Hindu attitudes to abortion Hindu teachings and arguments about life after death Hindu responses to non-religious arguments against life after death Hindu attitudes to euthanasia Hindu responses to the natural world and animal rights

Hinduism: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2

Topic overview Hindu attitudes to justice Hindu attitudes to crime and its causes Hindu teachings on good, evil and suffering Hindu attitudes to punishment: danda and prayascitta Hindu attitudes to the aims of punishment Hindu teachings on forgiveness and restorative justice Hindu teachings on the treatment of criminals Hindu attitudes to the death penalty

Hinduism: Peace and ConflictPaper 2

Topic overview Hindu attitudes to peace Hindus as peacemakers: ahimsa and Mahatma Gandhi Hindu attitudes to conflict in society Hindu attitudes to pacifism and satyagraha Hindu attitudes to the Just War theory Hindu attitudes to holy war and dharma yuddha Hindu attitudes to weapons of mass destruction Hindu responses to violence, war and terrorism

Hinduism: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3

Topic overview Revelation in Hindu scripture Hindu attitudes to visions Hindu attitudes to numinous experiences Hindu attitudes to miracles Hindu teaching about prayer and the Gayatri Mantra Hindu teachings on the non-existence of a personal God Hindu attitudes to religious experience as evidence for God Hindu attitudes to religious upbringing

Hinduism: EqualityPaper 3

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Judaism: Jewish BeliefsAny paper

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Judaism: Living the Jewish LifeAny paper

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Topic overview The purpose of marriage in Judaism Jewish teachings on sexual relationships The purpose of the Jewish family How the Jewish community supports families Jewish attitudes to contraception and family planning Jewish teachings on divorce and remarriage Men and women in the Jewish family Judaism and gender prejudice

Judaism: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1

Topic overview Judaism, science and the origins of the universe The value of life in the Tenakh Jewish responses to evolution Jewish attitudes to abortion Jewish arguments for life after death Jewish responses to arguments against life after death Jewish attitudes to euthanasia Judaism and the environment

Judaism: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2

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Judaism: Peace and ConflictPaper 2

Topic overview Jewish teachings on peace Jewish peacemaking Jewish attitudes to conflict Judaism, pacifism and passive resistance Milchemet reshut and Just War in Judaism Milchemet mitzvah and Holy War in Judaism Jewish attitudes to weapons of mass destruction Judaism, violence, war and terrorism

Judaism: Religious ExperiencePaper 3

Topic overview Revelation in the Tenakh Visions in Judaism Miracles in Judaism Jewish attitudes to religious experience The design argument and Judaism The cosmological argument and Judaism Suffering and the nature of the Almighty Jewish responses to the problem of suffering

Judaism: EqualityPaper 3

Topic overview Jewish teaching on human rights Jewish attitudes to equality and ahavat ha-beriot Religious freedom and the story of Esther Jewish attitudes to prejudice and antisemitism Jewish work for racial harmony Jewish attitudes to racial discrimination Jewish attitudes to social justice Jewish teaching on wealth and poverty

Sikhism: Sikh BeliefsAny paper

Topic overview The nature of God in the Mool Mantar God as Creator (Karta Purakh)Human life as the chance to unite with God Sikh beliefs about karma, rebirth and mukti Gurmukh, manmukh and haumai The oneness of humanity in Sikhism Sewa: tan, man and dhan The sangat and Sat Sangat

Sikhism: Living the Sikh LifeAny paper

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Sikhism: Marriage and the FamilyPaper 1

Topic overview The purpose of marriage in Sikhism Sikh teaching on sexual relationships The purpose of the Sikh family How the sangat supports Sikh families Sikh attitudes to contraception Sikh attitudes to divorce and remarriage Men and women in the Sikh family Sikh opposition to gender prejudice

Sikhism: Matters of Life and DeathPaper 1

Topic overview Sikh responses to the origins and value of the universe Sikh teaching on the sanctity of life Sikh responses to evolution Sikh attitudes to abortion Sikh responses to arguments for life after death Sikh responses to arguments against life after death Sikh attitudes to euthanasia Sikh responses to the natural world and animal rights

Sikhism: Crime and PunishmentPaper 2

Topic overview Sikh attitudes to justice Sikh attitudes to crime and the Five Thieves Sikh teaching on good, evil and suffering Sikh attitudes to punishment Sikh views on the aims of punishment Sikh teaching on forgiveness Sikh teaching on the treatment of criminals Sikh attitudes to the death penalty

Sikhism: Peace and ConflictPaper 2

Topic overview Sikh teaching on peace Sikhs and peacemaking Sikh attitudes to conflict Sikh attitudes to pacifism and passive resistance Dharam Yudh: the Sikh Just War The saint-soldier and Sikh views on holy war Sikh attitudes to weapons of mass destruction Sikh responses to violence, war and terrorism

Sikhism: Philosophy of ReligionPaper 3

Topic overview Gurbani and Guru Nanak's revelation at the river Visions and mystical experiences in Sikhism Numinous experience, vismaad and enlightenment in Sikhism Miracles and Sikh belief Sikh attitudes to religious experience The design argument and Sikh belief The cosmological argument and Sikh belief A Sikh upbringing and belief in God

Sikhism: EqualityPaper 3

Topic overview Sikh teaching on human rights Sikh attitudes to equality and solutions to inequality Sikh attitudes to religious freedom and a multi-faith society Sikh attitudes to prejudice and discrimination against religions Sikh teaching on racial harmony and Begampura Sikh responses to racial discrimination Sikh attitudes to social justice and Deg Tegh Fateh Sikh attitudes to wealth and poverty

Islam: Philosophy of Religion

Suffering and Allah as compassionate

3 things to know
Paper 3

Overview

Al-Fatihah on Allah and why it makes suffering a problem, moral and natural suffering, questions about omnipotence and compassion, the philosophical argument, innocent suffering, and how suffering can shake belief.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

What does Surah 1 (al-Fatihah) teach about Allah?

Key term

Why does Surah 1 make suffering a problem for Muslims?

Key term

What is the problem of suffering for Muslims?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
What does Surah 1 (al-Fatihah) teach about Allah?
Model answer
Surah al-Fatihah calls Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful and Lord of the worlds. Allah is Master of the Day of Judgement and guide to the straight path.
2
Why does Surah 1 make suffering a problem for Muslims?
Model answer
Surah 1 stresses Allah's mercy and lordship over all creation. Suffering raises the question of why a merciful ruler of the world allows pain.
3
What is the problem of suffering for Muslims?
Model answer
If Allah is all-powerful and all-compassionate, he could and would prevent suffering. Suffering does exist, which seems to contradict belief in such a God.
4
What is the difference between moral and natural suffering?
Model answer
Moral suffering is caused by human choices, such as war and crime. Natural suffering comes from nature, such as earthquakes and disease.
5
Why is natural suffering a particular problem for Muslims?
Model answer
Natural disasters are not caused by human free will, so they seem to come from creation itself. Muslims must explain why Allah's creation causes such harm.
6
What problem does suffering raise about Allah's omnipotence?
Model answer
An all-powerful Allah could stop suffering at any moment. The existence of suffering suggests either Allah cannot or will not act.

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AOmnipotent means all-powerful.

BBenevolent means all-loving and wholly good.

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