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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books A Shi'ite Encyclopedia (chapter 11) Viewers and Participants Those who have been in contact with mankind and nature from close-up, and have not been mere viewers, have never doubted the justice of God. Socrates (The Philosopher), in the time of his prosecution, takes the cup of poison from the guard and drinks it. Since he had a great message for all people of all times, he drank the poison with no fear.

, the best of mankind ever, said: "No prophet has been suffered like me!" If we also look at the life of Ali Ibn Abi Talib, the 's miracle and his most beloved companion, we find that his life was highly filled out with suffering and pain. One out of many, is that he was the best in knowledge and action among his society after the prophet, yet he remained silent for twenty five years for the sake of the people's ideological unity at that time.

He accepted this psychological suffering for twenty five years. Later, when the people realized who he was, and came to him and chose him as their leader, he ruled the society with utmost justice, even though he was continuously in war with so called Muslims during his short period of ruling, and then he was killed shortly.

Ali's justice was a kind of justice which has made the eastern materialist, Shibli Shumayyil, to say about him: "The leader Ali, greatest of all, is the man who neither the West nor East, neither yesterday nor today, have seen his example." (Ali, The voice of human justice, by George Jordac). Ali himself said: "If you give me all the world with everything in it, with a condition that I take a husk of barley from an ant's mouth, I will not do so!" (Nahjul Balaqah, by Imam Ali).

For the just, this world is most painful, but nevertheless, Ali never said that this world is evil. He always said that it is the world of suffering, be ready, be careful. He also said: This world is the best place for one who understands it well. In fact when we believe in the justice of God, we try to see the same justice in the society. Because any injustice is against the will of God and against the music of the universe.

This is why belief in the justice of God has always been a great threat to the ruling powers. You might say that very well, but it does not follow that since some people like , Ali have said and done so, the problem of evil does not exist. Very well, but where did the problem of evil come from, anyway?