Is every misfortune a punishment for one’s own deeds?

No. Some suffering is the result of our own mistakes, but the Holy Qur’an states clearly that misfortune also strikes people who have done no wrong.

There is a verse in the Holy Qur’an which says that misfortune comes because of what our own hands have done. Some people conclude from it that all suffering is a punishment. But that verse describes a particular situation. It is not a rule for every misfortune that befalls a person.

The Holy Qur’an itself makes this clear. The first verse above warns of a calamity that seizes a whole nation and makes no distinction between the good and the bad. In such disasters righteous people suffer as well. If every misfortune were a punishment for one’s own sins, this verse could not be explained.

We know this from everyday life. When a river bursts its banks, the water rises just as high in an honest person’s home as in a cheat’s. No one would say that the honest neighbour was being punished.

So it is wrong to assume that someone who suffers must be guilty. Suffering can be a test, as the other verses above say. It can strengthen patience and trust in God. And for the believer it is not meaningless, because through the hardship he bears God wipes away his faults.

At the same time, Islam invites each of us to look honestly at our own conduct. Some misfortune really is linked to our own mistakes, and then turning back to God is the best course. But a believer does not sit in judgement over the suffering of others. He helps.