Nowadays,the common Atheist question and argument to Islam is this:
"Why would God be so cruel that he will test the World with SUCH harsh tests(Example:Hunger in African countries)and then send us to hell for disbelief?!"
First of all this argument is irrational and biased,because on the Harsh tests you forgot that we are also commanded to be charitable and give charity to these people who are going through this harsh test,and also these people are usually ISOLATED,they donot know what Islam is.
So if we look into Islamic sources we see that those who didn't know Islam will get one last test,from which Allah will decide they will go to Heaven or hell,and even there it depends on if the person was good or not.
NOW "Send us to hell for disbelief?!"
This argument too is irrational because Hell isnt just solely for Disbelief in the Quran and Allah SWT,Allah SWT says he will guide those who try to guide themselves to him,
And even if it was about Disbelief, it is also justified,let me post a huge refutation I wrote to Hell being unjust here
:A very huge doubt I've seen that Muslims doubt Islam for is the concept of Hell,why would Allah SWT send you to hell?
Well,let me answer that Question,first we look to Islamic sources about hell will Allah SWT's decision be Just?
Sahih Bukhari: Volume 1, Book 2: Belief, Number 21:
Narrated Abu Said Al-Khudri (R.A):
The Prophet [S.A.W.S] said, “When the people of Paradise will enter Paradise and the people of Hell will go to Hell, ALLAH [S.W.T] will order those who have had faith equal to the weight of a grain of mustard seed to be taken out from Hell. So they will be taken out but (by then) they will be blackened (charred). Then they will be put in the river of Haya’ (rain) or Hayat (life) (the Narrator is in doubt as to which is the right term), and they will revive like a grain that grows near the bank of a flood channel. Don’t you see that it comes out yellow and twisted?”
From the Hadith it seems yes,now lets go back to the Question many Muslims doubt due to Shirk being the worst action,first of all lets take an example and analogy think about a false teacher teaching you That the earth is flat and you believe him,and the real teacher teaches you earth is spherical you ignore him,The Real teacher then has the right to punish you,Now in the case of Shirk its like this,Allah SWT had mercy on you and created you to test you,with a non-harsh test yet you donot thank him for your own creation and you donot thank him for what you have,you are being ungrateful and looking towards false creators,now Allah SWT has the right to punish you then,think about it and contemplate on it,think about it like this Allah SWT created his creatures because he had mercy on them,to test them and all our lives think about it all our lives we haven't acknowledged him,non-acknowledgement is a sign of disrespect so by not Thanking your creator,by ignoring him because he created you,you think you will go to heaven just like that? No bro thats INJUSTICE,so Shirk is injustice because its ignoring your creator for another false creator,lets say a False teacher came to you and taught fake things like the Earth is flat,Then you say the earth is flat to the real teacher and she/he will PUNISH you for believing the false teacher's words,Allah does not see us as his children,he sees us as his Creation,and see it like this,he gave you a WHOLE LIFE,which is basically like a ETERNITY,he gave all his creatures SOO MUCH time,yet in the end you disbelieve him,It is Allah's right it is JUST for him to send you to hell because he gave you a whole life in which you could acknowledge him,but you chose not to,so therefore it is Just for Allah to send us to a eternal damnation to hell for disbelieving,Mercy has its limits.
Now the question my come up,why the Punishment for Shirk?
The answer is:
Because Shirk is ignorance your whole life,infact Shirk can be forgiven if you divert your ways back to Islam but just keeping on following it ignoring your creator till your death,the same logic applies as above,because Shirk is blatant ignorance of the true creator and is basically disrespecting the creator.
