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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Islamic Philosophy and the Problem of Evil; a Philosophical Theodicy Several Applications of the Word "Evil" Beside the attempt to clarify the non-existential nature of evil, Muslim philosophers commonly explore the different applications of the term "evil".

Taking these various uses into account helps us to have a better understanding of what an evil is like and prepares the way for distinguishing several aspects of the problem of evil in correspondence to several types of evils.14 Avicenna distinguishes between four uses of "evil": Evil is spoken of in [various] ways. Thus "evil" is said of the blameworthy acts, and "evil" is said of their principles in moral dispositions. "Evil" is said of pains, distresses, and their like.

"Evil" is [also] said of the falling short by each thing of its perfection and of its loss of that which would naturally belong to it. (Avicenna, 2005, p 343) According to the above passage, "evil" is applied to four categories: the immoral actions and wrong doings. the principles of these actions in the agent's dispositions. the pains and distresses and like. the lack of an expected perfection.

One may wonder whether the above classification is in accordance to TNNE , since the first three categories in the list obviously are of an existential nature. Facing this problem, Avicenna makes some more analyses in order to disclose the hidden relation of those categories, the nonexistence.

He thus goes on to claim that the third class, i.e., the sufferings and pains, "even though their meanings are existential, not privative, follow [from] to privation and deficiency." (Ibid) Therefore, suffering and pains are called evil just as far as they are the result of some privation. (I shall discuss this view later under the title of "Apprehension Evil"). What about the first and second types?

Their connection to nonexistence is stated as follows: Evil in acts is also [evil] in relation to the one who loses his perfection by its reaching him, as with injustice, or in relation to a perfection necessary in the religious regime, as [when] adultery [takes place]. Similarly, moral dispositions are only evil by virtue [of such acts] proceeding from them. And they are connected with depriving the soul of perfection that ought to belong to it.