How will Allah judge people on the basis of this unfair life?

Question

Assalamualaikum..

my question is regarding the fairness of this life's test. A group of pious people are having an OK life and they are doing their islamic duties correctly.

A second group of pious people are tested to the maximum in ways unimaginable. My question is how will Allah grade each of them. the Second group suffered so much on earth yet they did their islamic duties. But, the first group, even though they didnt suffer anything on earth, did their islamic duties. How then is it fair? The second group didnt get anything from life on earth. THe first group got something from life on earth but they hadnt asked for it. Why didnt Allah then make life on Earth somewhat equally difficult. Why the bias towards either group?

Please comment.

Answer 1

وعليكم السلام (Wa Alaikum As Salam)

You're overlooking a few things.

1. One thing you have overlooked is that people have varying levels of faith. To hold everyone to the same tests when one group has lower levels of faith and the other has higher levels would be "unfair". -- To put it into perspective, it is like saying Allah (ﷻ) should put you through the same level of hardships that the Prophets of God faced (wars, etc), for the sake of keeping everything at the same level for everyone. But you wouldn't be able to handle it like the Prophets (peace be upon them) could. So Alhamdulillah, Allah (ﷻ) tests us according to our levels of faith, most fairly.

   It was narrated from Mus’ab bin Sa’d that his father, Sa’d bin Abu Waqqas, said: “I said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, which people are most severely tested?’ He said: ‘The Prophets, then the next best and the next best. A person is tested according to his religious commitment. If he is steadfast in his religious commitment, he will be tested more severely, and if he is frail (weak) in his religious commitment, his test will be according to his commitment. Trials will continue to afflict a person until they leave him walking on the earth with no sin on him.’” - Ibn Majah (4023)

2. Another thing you have incorrectly assumed is that you have an easy life if you are not "suffering". Let's compare the rich to the poor. The rich may not be suffering the same trials the poor are suffering (hunger, bad health, etc), but it is also the same vice versa. The rich have other trials they are put through. For example, the temptations for Zina (surrounded by beautiful women), drinking alcohol, showing off (Riya), etc.. may hit the rich much harder than the poor feel. This is their share of struggle and it takes great patience to overcome them as well. -- Many rich people are unhappy, many poor people are unhappy. It has less to do with their conditions and more to do with their hearts.

Basically, there are many different aspects and factors and Allah (ﷻ) will judge people fairly.