Authorship
Abu Ameenah Bilal Philips
Reviewing
Muhammad AbdulRaoof
Short Description
Discusses the question of why Allah created, and why Allah created humans
Part Tow
Discusses the question of why Allah created, and why Allah created humans
Part Tow
The Incarnation of God
Perhaps the only common concept to most Christian sects regarding the purpose of mankind’s creation is that God became man so that He could die at the hands of men to cleanse them of sin inherited from Adam and his descendants. According to them, this sin had become so great that no human act of atonement or repentance could erase it. God is so good that sinful man cannot stan'd before Him. Consequently, only God’s sacrifice of Himself could save humankind from sin
Belief in this man-made myth became the only source for salvation, according to the Church. Consequently, the Christian purpose of creation became the recognition of the ‘divine sacrifice’ and the acceptance of Jesus Christ as the Lord God. This may be deduced from the following words attributed to Jesus in the Gospel according to John, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”9
In Paul’s letter to the Colossians he explains that the world was created for Jesus "l5He is the image of the invisible God. the first-born of all creation: l6for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether throne's or dominions or principalities or authorities— all things were created through him and for him.”(RSV. Colossians 1:15)
9 John, 3:16 (RSV)
However, if this is the purpose of creation and the prerequisite for everlasting life, why was it not taught by all the prophets? Why did God not become man in the time of Adam and his offspring so that all mankind would have an equal chance to fulfill their purpose for existence and attain everlasting life. Or did those before Jesus’ time have another purpose for existence? All people today whom God has destined never to hear of Jesus also have no chance to fulfill their supposed purpose of creation. Such a purpose, is obviously too limited to fit the need of humankind
Everything is God
The Hindu scripfures teach that there are many gods, incarnations of gods, persons of God and that everything is God, Brahman. In spite of the belief that the self (atman) of all living beings is actually Brahman, an oppressive caste system evolved in which the Brahmans, the priestly caste, possess spiritual supremacy by birth. They are the teachers of the Vedas]0 and represent the ideal of ritual purity and social prestige. On the other hand, the Sudra caste are excluded from religious status and their sole duty in life is “to serve meekly”" the other three castes and their thousands of subcastes
111 The I eda, meaning "Knowledge." is a collective term for revealed (srnti: heard) sacred scriptures of the Hindus. AD other works-—in which the actual doctrines and practises of Hindus are cncoded—are recognized as having being composed by human authors and are thus classed as smriti (remembered). ( The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 20. p. 530.)
11 Manava Dharmasastra 1.91. (The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 20, p. 553.)
According to Hindu monist philosophers, humankind’s purpose is the realization of their divinity and—following a path (marga) to emancipation (moksha) from the wheel of rebirth—the reabsorbtion of the human soul (atman) into the ultimate reality, Brahman. For those following the bhakti path,12 the purpose is to love <3od because God created humankind to “enjoy a relationship—as a father enjoys his children” (Srimad Bhagwatam). For the ordinary Hindu, the main aim of worldly life lies in conforming to social and ritual duties, to the traditional rules of conduct for one’s caste— the karma path.13
Although most of the religion of the Vedic texts, which revolves around rituals of fire sacrifice, has been eclipsed by Hindu doctrines and practices found in other texts, the absolute authority and sacredness of the Veda remains a central tenet of virtually all Hindu sects and traditions. The Veda is composed of four collections, the oldest of which is the Rigveda (“Wisdom of the Verses”). In these texts, God is described in the most confusing terms. The religion reflected in the Rigveda is a polytheism mainly concerned with appeasing deities associated with the sky and the atmosphere, the most important of which were Indra (god of the heavens and rain), Baruna (guardian of the cosmic order), Agni (the sacrificial
12 The path of devotion to a personal God in which murtis (idols) are worshipped with the hope of going to ki'ishnaloka (a spiritual planet) in their next lives.
13 The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 20. p. 520.
fire), and Surya (the Sun). In later Vedic texts, interest in the early Rigvedic gods declines, and polytheism begins to be replaced by a sacrificial pantheism to Prajapati (Lord of Creatures), who is the All. In the Upanishads (secret teachings concerning cosmic equations), Prajapati merges with the concept of Brahman, the supreme reality and substance of the 'universe, replacing any specific personification, thus transforming the mythology into abstract philosophy.14 If the contents of these scriptures were all that human beings had to choose from for guidance, one would have to conclude that God hid both Himself and the purpose of creation from humankind
God is not the author of confusion, nor does He wish difficulty for mankind. Consequently, when He revealed His final communication to huroankind one thousand four hundred years ago,. He ensured that it was perfectly preserved for all of the generations of human beings to come. In that final scripture, the Qur’an (Koran), God revealed His purpose for creating mankind and, through His last prophet, He clarified all of the details which man could comprehend. It is on the basis of this revelation and the prophetic explanations that we will analyze the precise answers to the question “Why did God create man?” in the coming pages
14 The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 20. pp. 529-530
Why Did God Create
rom the point of view of God, an even more fundamental question needs to be asked, “Why did God create?” This question should be asked because humankind is not, in fact, the greatest creation. God says in Chapter Ghaafir of the final revelation
jSSTl j Jfi
“Indeed, the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind, but most of mankind do not realize it
Qur’an 40:57
The composition of human beings is far less complex than the composition of the universe in which they exist. However, very few people reflect on this reality. Because of the apparent supremacy of human beings over the other creatures on this earth, man’s journeys through space and the continued advancement of their technology and knowledge, humankind in every age becomes arrogant and considers itself the greatest thing in this world. It is worth noting that the majority of humankind’s amazing discoveries are not concerning the human being, but his surroundings. Thus, human efforts tend to be focused on the material world rather
than human beings. In this verse, God brings human beings back to their actual status in this world. Humankind is merely a small part of the existence that resulted from the miraculous act of divine creation. Thus, in order to understand why God created mankind, one first needs to answer the even more fundamental question of why God created
The Creator
Creation is fundamentally the consequence of the divine attribute of being the Creator. A creator who does not create is something of a contradiction in terms. This is not to say that God needs His creation. God is free from ail needs. It is creation which needs Him. But, as the greatness of a writer becomes apparent in his writings, the perfection of the divine creative attribute is manifest in creation. Creation in the true sense is unique to God alone. Although humans ascribe the act of creation to themselves, what they do is not true creation. Humankind merely manipulates what already exists—what was already created by God. A table is made from wood which came from trees and is held together with nails and screws made from metal that came from rocks. Human beings did not make the trees or the rocks. In fact, all human creations can be traced back to basic elements which humans cannot make. Even the artist ‘creates’ designs based on what he has seen. It is not possible to imagine what has not been perceived by the senses. Thus, all of the artist’s thoughts are reflections on what was already created. Only God alone creates from nothing. This basic fact was and still is incomprehensible to some. Some ancient as well as modern philosophers, who could not comprehend how God could create from nothing, claimed that the created world and its contents are all originally a part of God.15 That is, according to them, God took a part of Himself and made the universe. This conclusion is based on comparing God to man, who can only ‘create’ by modifying what already exists. However, God,denies any such comparisons which * would give Him human limitations. In Chapter ash-Shooraa of the final revelation, He states:
{jy/iM ml'
“There is nothing like Him and He is the AllHearer and the All-Seer.”
Qur’an 42:11
Thus, the act of creation is a consequence of the divine attribute of being the Creator. God describes Himself as the Creator in a variety of verses throughout the final revelation to emphasize to humankind that everything belongs to Him alone
IS This is also Hindu belief regarding the supreme reality. Brahman. In the last (10th) book of the Rigveda: in the “Hymn of the Cosmic Man" (Purusasukta), it is said that the universe was created out of the parts of the body of a single cosmic man (Purusa) when his body was burned and dismembered at the primordial sacrifice. The four castes emerge from his body: the priest (Brahman) from the mouth, the warrior (Rajanya) from the arms, the peasant (Vaisya) from the thighs, and the servant (Sudra) from the legs. (The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 20, p. 531)
{J^Tj ^ J* 3 y* ^'}
“Allah is the Creator of all things and He is the agent on which all things depend.”
Qur’an 39:62 {OjJUii Uj
“And Allah created you all and whatever you do.”
Qur’an 37:96
Man needs to realize that nothing takes place in this universe without the permission of God. To seek protection from evil or to seek to acquire good from any source other than God is a major mistake. Due to ignorance, many people attempt to avoid misfortune and to gain good fortune through a variety of charms and amulets, astrology, palmistry, etc. Consequently, in the final revelation, Chapter al-Falaq, God informs human beings to seek refugerin God from evil
{j& U yn jliJl ij*I ji}
“Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn, from the evil of what He has created.”
Qur’an 113:1-2
Allah, God Almighty, is not evil; He is good. He created a world in which evil or good can be done by beings to whom He gave this ability. However, no evil or good can take place in this world without the permission of God. This is why it is futile to turn to others besides God for help and protection
{■Ull jib ja iL#}
“No calamity strikes except by Allah’s permission”
Qur’an, 64:11
The final prophet of God, Muhammad (^t), further elaborated on this concept, saying, “Be aware that if the whole of mankind gathered together to do something to help you, they would only be able to do something for you which Allah had already written for you: Likewise, if the whole of mankind gathered together to harm you, they would only be able to do something to harm you which Allah had already written to happen to you,”16
The Merciful, The Forgiving
In the creation of humankind, the divine attributes of forgiveness, mercy and kindness are also manifested. Human beings were created good and pure with a natural awareness of good and evil. The Almighty also created in humans desires, and gave them an ability to control those desires according to divine law or to turn them loose and follow them blindly. God created mankind knowing that they would disobey Him. Consequently, He taught human beings, beginning with Adam, how to repent and thereby purify themselves of their sins. Adam and Eve represent a pattern for all mankind to follow.
16 Reported by 'Abbaas and collected by at-Tirmithee and authenticated in Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmithee, vol. 2. pp. 308-9. no. 2043
They forgot the commandment of God, and Satan played on their desires. After they had disobeyed God, they turned back to Him in repentance, and He forgave them. In humankind’s disobedience and turning back to God in repentance, the divine attributes of total forgiveness and infinite mercy become manifest. The final Prophet (M) informed his followers of this reality, saying, “If you did not commit sins and turn to Allah, seeking His forgiveness, He would have replaced you with another people who would sin, ask Allah's forgiveness and He would forgive them.,,]1 Every one of the 114 Chapters of the final revelation, except one, begins with the prayer, “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent the Most Merciful.” Allah’s attributes of mercy and forgiveness are stressed to encourage humans not to fall into despair. No matter how great the sins of human beings may be, God can forgive them if man turns back to Him in sincere repentance. The Messenger (m) was quoted assaying, ‘‘’’When Allah created the universe, He made an obligation on Himself [recorded] in a document kept by Him: My mercy supersedes my wrath. 8 He was also reported to have said, “/Allah created] mercy with one hundred parts, one of which was sent down upon the jinn, human beings and other living beings. It is out of this one part that they love each other, show kindness to each other and even the animals treat their offspring with affection. Allah has reserved the
17 Sahih Muslim, vol. 4. pp. 1435-6. no. 6621. reported by Aboo Ayyoob al-Ansaaree
18 Sahih Muslim, vol. 4. p. 1437. no. 6628. reported by Aboo Hurayrah
remaining ninety-nine parts for His true worshippers on the Day of Resurrection. ”19
Had Allah wished, He could have created mankind like angels, incapable of committing sin. However, that was not His wish, as He had already created angels. Human beings were created capable of making mistakes and when they realize their errors and seek God’s forgiveness, the divine attributes of mercy and forgiveness become manifest
Perhaps the only common concept to most Christian sects regarding the purpose of mankind’s creation is that God became man so that He could die at the hands of men to cleanse them of sin inherited from Adam and his descendants. According to them, this sin had become so great that no human act of atonement or repentance could erase it. God is so good that sinful man cannot stan'd before Him. Consequently, only God’s sacrifice of Himself could save humankind from sin
Belief in this man-made myth became the only source for salvation, according to the Church. Consequently, the Christian purpose of creation became the recognition of the ‘divine sacrifice’ and the acceptance of Jesus Christ as the Lord God. This may be deduced from the following words attributed to Jesus in the Gospel according to John, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”9
In Paul’s letter to the Colossians he explains that the world was created for Jesus "l5He is the image of the invisible God. the first-born of all creation: l6for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether throne's or dominions or principalities or authorities— all things were created through him and for him.”(RSV. Colossians 1:15)
9 John, 3:16 (RSV)
However, if this is the purpose of creation and the prerequisite for everlasting life, why was it not taught by all the prophets? Why did God not become man in the time of Adam and his offspring so that all mankind would have an equal chance to fulfill their purpose for existence and attain everlasting life. Or did those before Jesus’ time have another purpose for existence? All people today whom God has destined never to hear of Jesus also have no chance to fulfill their supposed purpose of creation. Such a purpose, is obviously too limited to fit the need of humankind
Everything is God
The Hindu scripfures teach that there are many gods, incarnations of gods, persons of God and that everything is God, Brahman. In spite of the belief that the self (atman) of all living beings is actually Brahman, an oppressive caste system evolved in which the Brahmans, the priestly caste, possess spiritual supremacy by birth. They are the teachers of the Vedas]0 and represent the ideal of ritual purity and social prestige. On the other hand, the Sudra caste are excluded from religious status and their sole duty in life is “to serve meekly”" the other three castes and their thousands of subcastes
111 The I eda, meaning "Knowledge." is a collective term for revealed (srnti: heard) sacred scriptures of the Hindus. AD other works-—in which the actual doctrines and practises of Hindus are cncoded—are recognized as having being composed by human authors and are thus classed as smriti (remembered). ( The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 20. p. 530.)
11 Manava Dharmasastra 1.91. (The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 20, p. 553.)
According to Hindu monist philosophers, humankind’s purpose is the realization of their divinity and—following a path (marga) to emancipation (moksha) from the wheel of rebirth—the reabsorbtion of the human soul (atman) into the ultimate reality, Brahman. For those following the bhakti path,12 the purpose is to love <3od because God created humankind to “enjoy a relationship—as a father enjoys his children” (Srimad Bhagwatam). For the ordinary Hindu, the main aim of worldly life lies in conforming to social and ritual duties, to the traditional rules of conduct for one’s caste— the karma path.13
Although most of the religion of the Vedic texts, which revolves around rituals of fire sacrifice, has been eclipsed by Hindu doctrines and practices found in other texts, the absolute authority and sacredness of the Veda remains a central tenet of virtually all Hindu sects and traditions. The Veda is composed of four collections, the oldest of which is the Rigveda (“Wisdom of the Verses”). In these texts, God is described in the most confusing terms. The religion reflected in the Rigveda is a polytheism mainly concerned with appeasing deities associated with the sky and the atmosphere, the most important of which were Indra (god of the heavens and rain), Baruna (guardian of the cosmic order), Agni (the sacrificial
12 The path of devotion to a personal God in which murtis (idols) are worshipped with the hope of going to ki'ishnaloka (a spiritual planet) in their next lives.
13 The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 20. p. 520.
fire), and Surya (the Sun). In later Vedic texts, interest in the early Rigvedic gods declines, and polytheism begins to be replaced by a sacrificial pantheism to Prajapati (Lord of Creatures), who is the All. In the Upanishads (secret teachings concerning cosmic equations), Prajapati merges with the concept of Brahman, the supreme reality and substance of the 'universe, replacing any specific personification, thus transforming the mythology into abstract philosophy.14 If the contents of these scriptures were all that human beings had to choose from for guidance, one would have to conclude that God hid both Himself and the purpose of creation from humankind
God is not the author of confusion, nor does He wish difficulty for mankind. Consequently, when He revealed His final communication to huroankind one thousand four hundred years ago,. He ensured that it was perfectly preserved for all of the generations of human beings to come. In that final scripture, the Qur’an (Koran), God revealed His purpose for creating mankind and, through His last prophet, He clarified all of the details which man could comprehend. It is on the basis of this revelation and the prophetic explanations that we will analyze the precise answers to the question “Why did God create man?” in the coming pages
14 The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 20. pp. 529-530
Why Did God Create
rom the point of view of God, an even more fundamental question needs to be asked, “Why did God create?” This question should be asked because humankind is not, in fact, the greatest creation. God says in Chapter Ghaafir of the final revelation
jSSTl j Jfi
“Indeed, the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind, but most of mankind do not realize it
Qur’an 40:57
The composition of human beings is far less complex than the composition of the universe in which they exist. However, very few people reflect on this reality. Because of the apparent supremacy of human beings over the other creatures on this earth, man’s journeys through space and the continued advancement of their technology and knowledge, humankind in every age becomes arrogant and considers itself the greatest thing in this world. It is worth noting that the majority of humankind’s amazing discoveries are not concerning the human being, but his surroundings. Thus, human efforts tend to be focused on the material world rather
than human beings. In this verse, God brings human beings back to their actual status in this world. Humankind is merely a small part of the existence that resulted from the miraculous act of divine creation. Thus, in order to understand why God created mankind, one first needs to answer the even more fundamental question of why God created
The Creator
Creation is fundamentally the consequence of the divine attribute of being the Creator. A creator who does not create is something of a contradiction in terms. This is not to say that God needs His creation. God is free from ail needs. It is creation which needs Him. But, as the greatness of a writer becomes apparent in his writings, the perfection of the divine creative attribute is manifest in creation. Creation in the true sense is unique to God alone. Although humans ascribe the act of creation to themselves, what they do is not true creation. Humankind merely manipulates what already exists—what was already created by God. A table is made from wood which came from trees and is held together with nails and screws made from metal that came from rocks. Human beings did not make the trees or the rocks. In fact, all human creations can be traced back to basic elements which humans cannot make. Even the artist ‘creates’ designs based on what he has seen. It is not possible to imagine what has not been perceived by the senses. Thus, all of the artist’s thoughts are reflections on what was already created. Only God alone creates from nothing. This basic fact was and still is incomprehensible to some. Some ancient as well as modern philosophers, who could not comprehend how God could create from nothing, claimed that the created world and its contents are all originally a part of God.15 That is, according to them, God took a part of Himself and made the universe. This conclusion is based on comparing God to man, who can only ‘create’ by modifying what already exists. However, God,denies any such comparisons which * would give Him human limitations. In Chapter ash-Shooraa of the final revelation, He states:
{jy/iM ml'
“There is nothing like Him and He is the AllHearer and the All-Seer.”
Qur’an 42:11
Thus, the act of creation is a consequence of the divine attribute of being the Creator. God describes Himself as the Creator in a variety of verses throughout the final revelation to emphasize to humankind that everything belongs to Him alone
IS This is also Hindu belief regarding the supreme reality. Brahman. In the last (10th) book of the Rigveda: in the “Hymn of the Cosmic Man" (Purusasukta), it is said that the universe was created out of the parts of the body of a single cosmic man (Purusa) when his body was burned and dismembered at the primordial sacrifice. The four castes emerge from his body: the priest (Brahman) from the mouth, the warrior (Rajanya) from the arms, the peasant (Vaisya) from the thighs, and the servant (Sudra) from the legs. (The New Encyclopaedia Britannica, vol. 20, p. 531)
{J^Tj ^ J* 3 y* ^'}
“Allah is the Creator of all things and He is the agent on which all things depend.”
Qur’an 39:62 {OjJUii Uj
“And Allah created you all and whatever you do.”
Qur’an 37:96
Man needs to realize that nothing takes place in this universe without the permission of God. To seek protection from evil or to seek to acquire good from any source other than God is a major mistake. Due to ignorance, many people attempt to avoid misfortune and to gain good fortune through a variety of charms and amulets, astrology, palmistry, etc. Consequently, in the final revelation, Chapter al-Falaq, God informs human beings to seek refugerin God from evil
{j& U yn jliJl ij*I ji}
“Say: I seek refuge in the Lord of the dawn, from the evil of what He has created.”
Qur’an 113:1-2
Allah, God Almighty, is not evil; He is good. He created a world in which evil or good can be done by beings to whom He gave this ability. However, no evil or good can take place in this world without the permission of God. This is why it is futile to turn to others besides God for help and protection
{■Ull jib ja iL#}
“No calamity strikes except by Allah’s permission”
Qur’an, 64:11
The final prophet of God, Muhammad (^t), further elaborated on this concept, saying, “Be aware that if the whole of mankind gathered together to do something to help you, they would only be able to do something for you which Allah had already written for you: Likewise, if the whole of mankind gathered together to harm you, they would only be able to do something to harm you which Allah had already written to happen to you,”16
The Merciful, The Forgiving
In the creation of humankind, the divine attributes of forgiveness, mercy and kindness are also manifested. Human beings were created good and pure with a natural awareness of good and evil. The Almighty also created in humans desires, and gave them an ability to control those desires according to divine law or to turn them loose and follow them blindly. God created mankind knowing that they would disobey Him. Consequently, He taught human beings, beginning with Adam, how to repent and thereby purify themselves of their sins. Adam and Eve represent a pattern for all mankind to follow.
16 Reported by 'Abbaas and collected by at-Tirmithee and authenticated in Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmithee, vol. 2. pp. 308-9. no. 2043
They forgot the commandment of God, and Satan played on their desires. After they had disobeyed God, they turned back to Him in repentance, and He forgave them. In humankind’s disobedience and turning back to God in repentance, the divine attributes of total forgiveness and infinite mercy become manifest. The final Prophet (M) informed his followers of this reality, saying, “If you did not commit sins and turn to Allah, seeking His forgiveness, He would have replaced you with another people who would sin, ask Allah's forgiveness and He would forgive them.,,]1 Every one of the 114 Chapters of the final revelation, except one, begins with the prayer, “In the name of Allah, the Beneficent the Most Merciful.” Allah’s attributes of mercy and forgiveness are stressed to encourage humans not to fall into despair. No matter how great the sins of human beings may be, God can forgive them if man turns back to Him in sincere repentance. The Messenger (m) was quoted assaying, ‘‘’’When Allah created the universe, He made an obligation on Himself [recorded] in a document kept by Him: My mercy supersedes my wrath. 8 He was also reported to have said, “/Allah created] mercy with one hundred parts, one of which was sent down upon the jinn, human beings and other living beings. It is out of this one part that they love each other, show kindness to each other and even the animals treat their offspring with affection. Allah has reserved the
17 Sahih Muslim, vol. 4. pp. 1435-6. no. 6621. reported by Aboo Ayyoob al-Ansaaree
18 Sahih Muslim, vol. 4. p. 1437. no. 6628. reported by Aboo Hurayrah
remaining ninety-nine parts for His true worshippers on the Day of Resurrection. ”19
Had Allah wished, He could have created mankind like angels, incapable of committing sin. However, that was not His wish, as He had already created angels. Human beings were created capable of making mistakes and when they realize their errors and seek God’s forgiveness, the divine attributes of mercy and forgiveness become manifest
Supreme Justice
In the judgment of mankind at the end of this world, God’s attributes of supreme justice and fairness also become manifest. Based on His infinite knowledge, God could have created all members of the human race who were to live on earth and immediately placed some of them in paradise and the remainder in hell. Before creating man, Allah already knew what choices they would make in this life, what provision and opportunities He would give them, and in what state of belief or disbelief they would die. Therefore, in one sense it could be said that some people were created for paradise and others for hell. ‘ Aa’ishah, wife of the Prophet Muhammad (sg), quoted him as saying, “Don t you know that Allah created paradise and hell, and He created inhabitants for each ?”20 If God had immediately placed those headed for paradise in paradise, they would not question God’s decision. Those in
19 Ibid.. vol. 4. p. 1437. no. 6631, reported by Aboo Hurayrah
20 Ibid.. vol. 4, p. 1400. no. 6435.
paradise would happily accept an everlasting life of bliss and be thankful that they were not placed in hell. However, those immediately placed in hell would ask why. They would feel a sense of unfairness due to their ignorance of what they would have done had they lived on earth. Those in hell would relentlessly argue that had they been given a chance to live out their lives on earth, they would have believed and done righteous deeds. Consequently, Allah allows human beings to live out their lives on earth and make all the choices they would have made, so that everyone who enters hell will know that they chose hell by themselves. They will recognize God’s mercy in their lives and acknowledge their sin in rejecting His signs and guidance. And they will accept His judgment as being just and beyond reproach. However, they will still beg for another chance to do good in this world, as God says in Chapter as-Sajdah of the Qur’an
1-pfrvije.j lj—Tu I i! ,j'J °j}jj
“If only you could see [the time] when the sinners will bow their heads before their Lord, [saying], ‘Our Lord! We have now seen and heard, so send us back and we will do righteous deeds. Verily, we now believe with certainty.’ ”
Qur’an, 32:12
However, if Allah were to send them back to this world having forgotten what they had seen of hell, they would again choose evil and end up in hell as before. God spoke about this in Chapter al-An ‘aam
{oyj^
“But if they were returned [to this world], they would certainly go back Jo what was forbidden to them. Indeed they are liars.”
Qur’an, 6:28
Divine Love
God’s love is manifest in beings brought into existence, whether believer or disbeliever, to enjoy life, if only for a brief moment. It is also realized in the creation of paradise for those who choose righteousness over evil. Allah states in the final revelation that He loves those who do good (5:13), those who are just (5:42), those who are pious (9:4), those who are patient (3 :146), those who put their trust in Him (3:159), those who frequently turn to Him in repentance and those who purify themselves (2:222). However, it is He who has defined for human beings through the scriptures and the prophets what is good, just and pious. Conseiquently, those who follow the prophets are most beloved to God. In Chapter Aal ‘Imraan, Allah instructed Prophet Muhammad (M) to say the following to the believers
“If you really love Allah, follow me and Allah will love you and forgive your sins
Qur’an 3:31
The prophets should be followed not only in the compulsory acts ordained by God, but also in their eagerness to do acts of voluntary worship
The love of God is also manifest in His mercy and blessings which He grants to those who deserve them as well as those who do not. But, it is particularly manifest in His willingness to forgive the sins of whomsoever turns to Him in sincere repentance. From the creation of Adam and Eve, repentance was granted to them to erase their sins as an example to all human beings who would follow them into this world. No matter how great human sins may become, the door for sincere repentance remains open until the last day of this world. Anas quoted Allah’s Messenger (^) as saying, “Allah, the Almighty, has said: O son of Adam, as long as you call on Me and ask of Me, I will forgive what you have done, and I do not mind. O son of Adam, even if your sins reached the clouds and you asked My forgiveness, I will forgive you. O son of Adam, ifyou came to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and you met Me without giving Me partners,
I will give you a similar amount of forgiveness.”21
21 Collected by at-Tirmithee and authenticated in Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmithee, vol. 3. pp. 175-6, no. 2805
In the judgment of mankind at the end of this world, God’s attributes of supreme justice and fairness also become manifest. Based on His infinite knowledge, God could have created all members of the human race who were to live on earth and immediately placed some of them in paradise and the remainder in hell. Before creating man, Allah already knew what choices they would make in this life, what provision and opportunities He would give them, and in what state of belief or disbelief they would die. Therefore, in one sense it could be said that some people were created for paradise and others for hell. ‘ Aa’ishah, wife of the Prophet Muhammad (sg), quoted him as saying, “Don t you know that Allah created paradise and hell, and He created inhabitants for each ?”20 If God had immediately placed those headed for paradise in paradise, they would not question God’s decision. Those in
19 Ibid.. vol. 4. p. 1437. no. 6631, reported by Aboo Hurayrah
20 Ibid.. vol. 4, p. 1400. no. 6435.
paradise would happily accept an everlasting life of bliss and be thankful that they were not placed in hell. However, those immediately placed in hell would ask why. They would feel a sense of unfairness due to their ignorance of what they would have done had they lived on earth. Those in hell would relentlessly argue that had they been given a chance to live out their lives on earth, they would have believed and done righteous deeds. Consequently, Allah allows human beings to live out their lives on earth and make all the choices they would have made, so that everyone who enters hell will know that they chose hell by themselves. They will recognize God’s mercy in their lives and acknowledge their sin in rejecting His signs and guidance. And they will accept His judgment as being just and beyond reproach. However, they will still beg for another chance to do good in this world, as God says in Chapter as-Sajdah of the Qur’an
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“If only you could see [the time] when the sinners will bow their heads before their Lord, [saying], ‘Our Lord! We have now seen and heard, so send us back and we will do righteous deeds. Verily, we now believe with certainty.’ ”
Qur’an, 32:12
However, if Allah were to send them back to this world having forgotten what they had seen of hell, they would again choose evil and end up in hell as before. God spoke about this in Chapter al-An ‘aam
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“But if they were returned [to this world], they would certainly go back Jo what was forbidden to them. Indeed they are liars.”
Qur’an, 6:28
Divine Love
God’s love is manifest in beings brought into existence, whether believer or disbeliever, to enjoy life, if only for a brief moment. It is also realized in the creation of paradise for those who choose righteousness over evil. Allah states in the final revelation that He loves those who do good (5:13), those who are just (5:42), those who are pious (9:4), those who are patient (3 :146), those who put their trust in Him (3:159), those who frequently turn to Him in repentance and those who purify themselves (2:222). However, it is He who has defined for human beings through the scriptures and the prophets what is good, just and pious. Conseiquently, those who follow the prophets are most beloved to God. In Chapter Aal ‘Imraan, Allah instructed Prophet Muhammad (M) to say the following to the believers
“If you really love Allah, follow me and Allah will love you and forgive your sins
Qur’an 3:31
The prophets should be followed not only in the compulsory acts ordained by God, but also in their eagerness to do acts of voluntary worship
The love of God is also manifest in His mercy and blessings which He grants to those who deserve them as well as those who do not. But, it is particularly manifest in His willingness to forgive the sins of whomsoever turns to Him in sincere repentance. From the creation of Adam and Eve, repentance was granted to them to erase their sins as an example to all human beings who would follow them into this world. No matter how great human sins may become, the door for sincere repentance remains open until the last day of this world. Anas quoted Allah’s Messenger (^) as saying, “Allah, the Almighty, has said: O son of Adam, as long as you call on Me and ask of Me, I will forgive what you have done, and I do not mind. O son of Adam, even if your sins reached the clouds and you asked My forgiveness, I will forgive you. O son of Adam, ifyou came to Me with sins nearly as great as the earth and you met Me without giving Me partners,
I will give you a similar amount of forgiveness.”21
21 Collected by at-Tirmithee and authenticated in Saheeh Sunan at-Tirmithee, vol. 3. pp. 175-6, no. 2805
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