In what aspects is God just?

Question

I am wondering because I see some people very rich and others very poor. I often see bad people healthy and good people sick. How is God just if

some people are poor and others are wealthy,

some are sick, others are healthy,

some are beautiful, others are ugly,

some are smart, others are stupid,

so what does it mean when someone says God is just

and notice that Just (Al 3adl) is one of God's 99 names in Islam.

Would you please help me understand this?

Thanks

Salam

Answer 1

Thanks for this nice question.

First of all, the Qur'an makes it clear that both happiness and sadness (including richness and poverty, etc.) are both two kinds of test from God:

021.035 Every soul shall have a taste of death: and We test you by evil and by good by way of trial. to Us must ye return.

Al-Qur'an, 021.035 (Al-Anbiya [The Prophets])

And it gives good news to those who stay patient in times of need:

002.155 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,

002.156 Who say, when afflicted with calamity: "To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return":-

Al-Qur'an, 002.155-156 (Al-Baqara [The Cow])

Moreover, God doesn't force people to do more than they can do. That is, a rich person isn't superior to a poor person since he gives more money in charity than the poor. 100 dollars which the rich person gives might be equivalent to 1 dollar which the poor person gives:

002.286 On no soul doth Allah Place a burden greater than it can bear. It gets every good that it earns, and it suffers every ill that it earns. (Pray:) "Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget or fall into error; our Lord! Lay not on us a burden Like that which Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear. Blot out our sins, and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. Thou art our Protector; Help us against those who stand against faith."

Al-Qur'an, 002.286 (Al-Baqara [The Cow])

To conclude, we might not see or feel justice in this world, but surely the full justice is accomplished in the hereafter. A pious poor believer is much higher in ranking than a rich person who doesn't really care about obeying God because he was carried away by the goods of the world. Finally, the prophet Muhammad (pbuh) is reported to have said that the majority of the inhabitants of heaven are poor people.

Allah Knows Best.

Answer 2

Everybody will find justice in the life to come.

Meanwhile, God allows people to do as they choose.  The reason is that God wants us to love Him by choice, not because we are robots who can't choose.  

Answer 3

There is no justice, not on Earth, not in the law system, not in everyday life.  We hope that there's some justice after the grave.  I suspect we're all going to be disappointed.