Thus, this particular, limited evil that exists has as its cause either an absence or something existent. An absence may be the lack of a necessary condition or of part of a cause. Its cause cannot be sheer nonexistence, for sheer nonexistence cannot constitute a complete cause of something existent. Rather, the cause of good and pleasure may be in place, yet a necessary condition is not met, and so pain occurs. Examples include failure to perform obligatory duties, which causes blame and punishment; lack of knowledge, which causes the pain of ignorance; lack of hearing, sight, and speech, which causes the suffering of blindness, deafness, and muteness; and lack of health and strength, which causes pain, illness, and weakness.

In these and similar cases, evil is likewise traced to an absence on the servant’s part. This bears out the words of Allah’s close friend:

“And when I am ill, it is He who cures me.”

Although illness is an existing pain, its cause is diminished strength and the loss of existing health. This is an absence originating in man, who has no existence in and of himself. Thus, the words of the True One are borne out:

“Whatever evil befalls you is from yourself.”

And His words:

“You said, ‘From where has this come?’ Say, ‘It is from yourselves.’”

The same applies to similar statements concerning cases where the cause is a failure to perform an obligatory duty, and likewise to the Companion’s statement: “If it is an error, then it is from me and from Satan.”

This is clarified by the fact that all prohibited acts—disbelief, wickedness, and disobedience—are committed by the servant only because of his ignorance or need. If he knew their harmfulness and had no need of them, he would not commit them. Ignorance is rooted in absence, and need is likewise rooted in absence.