Where does evil come from?

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.

All incidents in the universe take place by the fate and decree of Allaah The Almighty, for Allaah The Almighty Says (what means):

• {Indeed, all things We created with predestination.} [Quran 54:49]

• {No disaster strikes except by permission of Allaah.} [Quran 64:11]

It is stated in a Hadeeth (narration): "… and to believe in destiny, its good and evil." [Muslim] The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: "Everything is destined even the inability and skill (to do things)." [Muslim]

Shaykh Ibn Al-‘Uthaymeen mentioned valuable words about predestined evil, emphasizing that all the actions of Allaah are good, as indicated by the Hadeeth: "All good is in Your Hands, and evil is not ascribed to You." [Muslim]

Destiny may seem to be evil for the slave of Allaah when it is something that he does not like, such as illness, poverty, or being subjected to prescribed corporal punishments. However, it may involve some good that he is unaware of, such as forgiving his sins or raising his degrees. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “No fatigue, nor illness, nor misery, nor sorrow, nor harm, nor distress befalls a Muslim, not even the prick of a thorn, but Allaah will expiate by it some of his sins." [Al-Bukhari]

In another Hadeeth, he said: "Strange are the ways of a believer for there is goodness for him in all his affairs, and that is for none except for a believer. If he is blessed with prosperity, he thanks (Allaah) and that would be good for him. And if he is afflicted with an adversity, he keeps patient and that would also be good for him." [Muslim]

People might be afflicted with trials to make them turn to Allaah in repentance. Allaah The Almighty Says (what means): {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]} [Quran 30:41]

Moreover, carrying out the prescribed corporal punishments expiates people's sins as mentioned in Hadeeth: "He who has committed something of these [sins], and was punished for it in this worldly life, then it is expiation for him."

Allaah Knows best.