The objection has arisen because the critics have not reflected deeply on two sets of laws enforced in this world by God. They think that the whole world is functioning under one set of laws. The truth is that God has ordained two different sets of laws for this world. One is the law of nature which relates to the organisation of this universe. This comprises of the system of cause and effect and the properties of various elements. We observe the impact of this law at all times. The second is the law of Shariah, which relates to the moral and spiritual aspects of man and is revealed through Prophets and Messengers, and it operates on the principle of reward and punishment that will be experienced in the life after death. The above objection has arisen as a result of mixing up the two sets of laws and not properly differentiating between them.
What is the law of nature? The law of nature is that everything, every motion and every stillness, as well as each and every object of the world, has an innate ability to exert a certain effect. For example, the law of nature is that, if ingested in a certain quantity, arsenic will kill a living being, unless another law of nature counteracts the actions of arsenic and nullifies its effect. Likewise, it is in keeping with the law of nature that when a critical point of weakness has been reached, the roof will collapse and would kill anyone who is underneath unless another law of nature intervenes to save this person. Similarly, it is in keeping with the law of nature that a person who does not know how to swim will drown in deep waters unless an alternative way of nature saves him through an intervention. Thus, it is part of nature that anything, no matter how advanced, will be adversely affected if it does not have the ability to counter the power of harmful and damaging forces. All this, and countless others, are part of the law of nature whereby everything produces its natural effect and the wheels of this great machine are perpetually set in motion. These laws do not discriminate between friend or foe. Under normal circumstances, in pursuance of the duties assigned to them, they are obliged to raise up or drop down, push forward or pull backwards anyone who is at the receiving end. (There are exceptions, which pertain to special Divine decrees under a special independent law and are manifested in the form of miracles and acceptance of prayers through the Prophets and Auliya’.)
As opposed to the above: What is the law of Shariah? It is the law and the code of conduct revealed by God for the followers of a religion so that they reform their morals, get closer to God, and partake of the favours and the blessings reserved for the righteous. Under this law, everyone is granted the free will to abide by it or not, and the reward or retribution of one’s deeds is determined in the life after death (except for some veiled effects that appear in this world). For instance, Shariah urges people to worship God in a prescribed way in order to attain His nearness and pleasure, but does not force them to do so. If one wants to defy it, he is free to do so and is not forced to follow this law. The effects of this defiance may appear in this world in a subtle way, but the real and definite punishment is deferred to the hereafter. There is a saying among the sages: this world is the place for deeds and the next is the place for reward and punishment.
As for the law of nature, however, this world is both for deeds and for recompense. The two laws do not interfere with each other except in exceptional circumstances, the mention of which here is not necessary. Anyone who violates the law of nature is not spared the consequences on the grounds that he did not violate the law of the Shariah. He will certainly suffer the consequences of violating the law of nature, and compliance with the law of Shariah cannot save him from that. Consider, for example, if a roof collapsed on two people, one pious and the other a sinner: in accordance with the law of nature, both will die or both will survive, depending on the way the roof fell. It would not [simply] be the case that the pious one is saved and the evil one dies. Similarly, if a pious and God-fearing person, who does not know how to swim, jumps into deep water, he will not be saved from drowning merely because he is pious. His piety relates to the law of Shariah and water is under the law of nature. The law of nature normally is not influenced by the law of Shariah.
In short, as a general rule, the law of Shariah only determines the recompense of a good or bad deed within Shariah and has no bearing on the recompense determined by the law of nature, and vice versa. It is absurd for the atheists to support their belief with this. As for instance, a pious and righteous person who had young children went for a bath in the river and drowned whereas an evil person bathing in the river at the same time returned home safe and sound; a very chaste and well behaved girl caught fire and died a day after her marriage while an unchaste and ill-mannered girl married the same day lived happily ever after; an innocent and good-natured boy was crushed to death by a falling roof whereas an evil and filthy boy playing there went out moments earlier and escaped harm etc. On the basis of such instances, the atheists argue that if there was a God such outrage and injustice would not have taken place.
If one thinks carefully, this objection is weak and absurd. The person who drowned violated the law of nature and suffered accordingly, though he conformed to the Shariah; the other had not violated the law of nature and, therefore, was not liable to any penalty under that law though he was on the wrong side of the law of Shariah. The same applies to the girl who caught fire and died—she fell afoul of the law of nature and perished. That was determined by the law of nature, and conforming to the Shariah was of no avail. The other girl, though guilty of contravention of Shariah, escaped any punishment under the law of nature as she did not violate any law of nature.
So there is no disorder or injustice. The laws of nature treat everyone as an equal. Indeed, it would be most unfair if the laws of nature punished people even if they have broken no law or if people were punished through the laws of nature for breaking the laws of Shariah or vice versa. This is not how it all works; nature punishes for violation of its laws and Shariah punishes for violation of its laws (with exceptions that form another topic altogether and need not be mentioned here). This cannot be regarded as objectionable or unwise by any sane person.
I wonder what kind of wisdom and intelligence critics have to raise such objections; how can they consider a process full of wisdom which breaks no law, and does not create any conflict between the two sets of laws, as contrary to justice. Unfortunately, all this is a result of a big misunderstanding, when the reason for an incident which takes place under the law of nature is sought in the law of Shariah—and when they fail to find an explanation, they call it unfair. O ye unfortunate one! May God bestow wisdom upon you. Seek explanation of natural occurrences in the law of nature, and of Shariah punishment in the law of Shariah. Then you will come to realise that there is no injustice at all; in fact, what you are suggesting is injustice. Indeed, it is a great injustice to suggest that an accidental death of a person by burning, drowning, or a collapsed building, which is in concordance with the laws of nature, cannot be fair because he has committed no sin according to the law of Shariah. Most regrettably, it is preposterous to attribute the law of Shariah for acts of nature and vice versa and then blame God for this!
Remember, Shariah and nature are two separate laws that do not interfere with the affairs of each other just like civilised worldly governments. However, under very special circumstances, God may command one set of laws to come into action in order to support the other. For instance, when Prophets and Messengers are ordained and there is eagerness in the heavens for reformation of the world, the forces of nature are made subservient to the cause of Shariah. Such exceptional decrees are manifested as miracles and Divine signs. In general, however, the law of nature and law of Shariah act independently of each other and neither interfere with, nor step aside for, each other. The whole misconception stems from amalgamating the two sets of laws and failing to recognise them as independent entities.