the problem of evil and theodicy in babanzâde ahmet naim

Babanzâde (1872-1934) continues the general line of islamic thought in both the detection and solution of the problem of evil. he addresses the problem of evil from a religious and moral perspective. he tries to solve the problem of evil by taking verses and hadiths as references and frequently quoting them. the concepts of human will, intentions, trust in god and allah’s way of dealing (sunnatollāh) in islam come to the fore in his methodology. babanzâde does not have a pessimistic perspective on the problem of evil. he criticizes sects such as mutezile, kaderiye, cebriye, and determinism in relation to the problem of evil. he notes that there are extremes or shortcomings in their attitudes. although he occasionally deals with evils in nature in the context of the concept of sunnatollāh, he focuses on human-induced moral evils rather than metaphysical evils. he does not think that there is any metaphysical evil. he thinks that the evil in human actions does not result from god’s compulsion, and that man is not inherently in some kind of evil swamp. he follows a line that claims that evil mostly originates from the individual or society and that the person experiences the consequences of his own choices. he accepts that people should first put their trust in god and use their partial will for good, instead of blaming god for the evil that occurs. he thinks that people are not victims of fate, like a leaf in the wind or a knife in the hand of a murderer. he adopts a sensitive idea that a muslim must be purified from evil not only in his actions but also in his mind, heart, and intentions. he also sees it as necessary to fight against evil both individually and socially. he thinks that the family, school, and state are responsible for this issue. finally, the validity of babanzâde’s theodicy for today will be discussed.