This is the last part of our series on the purpose of creation. Previous posts were:
1- Purpose of creation from the perspective of Almighty God
2- Destiny & Free-will
1- Purpose of creation from the perspective of Almighty God
2- Destiny & Free-will
Now lets try to answer another question about the purpose of creation from the perspective of human beings that what is the purpose of our existance in this world. Allah gives the answer in the Holy Qur'an in Sura al Mulk Chapter 67 Verse 2, "It is Allah, Who has created death and life to test which of you is good in deeds." And Allah says in the Qur'an Sura ale Imran Chapter 3 Verse 185, "Every soul shall have a taste of death: and only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the fire and admitted to the garden will have attained the object (of life): for the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception." So this life of ours in this world is a test for the Hereafter. If you obey the commandments of Allah (God), you will go to paradise in the next life. But if you do not obey the commandments of Allah (God), you will go to hell.
Allah (God) says in the Qur'an in Sura al Ankaboot Chapter 29 Verse 2 that do you think that just by saying "we believe", We will let you go. We will surely test you. So one would not go scoot free just by saying he believes; Allah (God) would surely test him. And Allah says in Sura al Baqara Chapter 2 Verse 155, "Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil) but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere." Allah (God) says that He will test everyone.
Allah (God) test different people in different ways. Allah says in the Qur'an in Sura an Nahl Chapter 16 Verse 71 that He has favored some human beings in sustenance over others. Allah repeates the message in the Qur'an Sura al Anaam Chapter 6 Verse 160 that Allah (God) has given some human beings more gifts and based on what He has given you, He will test. Now a question often asked is that how can Allah (God) be just, when some people are born in a poor family. Some people are born in rich family. Some people are born healthy, while many others are born with diseases. It is unjust! This world has life and death, health and disease, wealth and poverty and these all are tests. Allah (God) says in Sura al Anfal Chapter 8 Verse 28 that surely your wealth and you progeny (children) are a test for you. And Allah (God) says in the Qur'an in Sura al Mumin Chapter 63 Verse 9 that let not your wealth and your children deviate you from the remembrance of Allah (God).
One of the best deeds in Charity. If all the people have the same wealth ,so how can Allah (God) test whether some people are charitable or not. This test can only take place, if some people are rich and some people are poor. One of the pillars of Islam is Zakat that every rich person who has the saving of more than the Nisab level (85 grams of Gold), he should give 2.5% of that saving in charity every lunar year. So a rich person has to give away this amount of money to get the marks, but many people do not give Zakat and they will fail. But a poor person does not have to give Zakat and he will get all the marks for Zakat. So it is more difficult for a rich person to go to paradise, but it is much easier for a poor person to go to paradise. Our beloved prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that it is more difficult for a rich man to enter paradise. So wealth is a test.
It is stupidity that we often look upto the rich men that O lucky man! He is rich and look down upon the poor men that O this poor fellow! He does not have anything. But wealth is a test and there are high chances for a rich man to fail in this test thus making it difficult for him to enter Janah (paradise). Suppose if in last year's question paper a very difficult question came and none of the students could solve it, but in this year's question paper that question did not come. Now the student will not be sad that why such a difficult question did not come this year, but they would be happy. So since wealth is a great test, if a poor man does not have it, it only makes his test easier and it would be stupid to say that why his test is not more difficult.
The other test is contentment. It is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari Volume 8 Hadith 447 that our beloved prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that even if a person owns a valley of Gold, he would want to own another valley of Gold. The maximum he can take in his mouth is the dirt of the grave. Even if someone is the richest person in the world, he would still crave for more wealth. Most of the human beings are not content. Allah (God) says in the Qur'an in Sura an Nisa Chapter 4 Verse 32 that do not ask from Allah (God) that, which He has favored other people with. It would be loss for you. It is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari Volume 8 Hadith 328 that prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that look at those people, who are less fortunate than you. Do not look at those people, who are more fortunate than you; lest you would be ungrateful to your Lord. It is said that there was a man, who complained that he did not have shoes, until he came across a man, who had no feet and he started thanking Allah (God) that at least he had feet.
So contentment is a test. It is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari Volume 4 Hadith 304 that prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that the real wealth is contentment; it is not property. So whatever you have thank Allah (Almighty God) and such is a true Muslim, a true believer.
Some people ask that how come Allah (God) has created some people, who are born with disease. Maybe heart disease or handicapped. So isn't Allah (God) unjust? Allah (God) says in the Qur'an in Sura an Nisa Chapter 4 Verse 40 that Allah (God) is not unjust even in the least degree. All this is a test. Allah (God) tests different people in different ways. The children, who are born, are sinless. But Allah (God) says in the Qur'an in Sura al Anfal Chapter 8 Verse 28 that your wealth and your children are a test for you. Allah (God) repeats the message in the Qur'an in Sura al Mumin Chapter 63 Verse 9 that let not your wealth and your children deviate you from the remembrance of Allah (God). So maybe it is possible that it is a test for the parents. Whenever any calamity comes upon any person, it is either a test or a punishment. For those who have deviated from the true path of Allah (God), it is a punishment for them. For those are on the true path, it is a test for them. Maybe the parents are very good Muslim. They offer 5 times Salah (obligatory prayer). They pay Zakat (obligatory charity). They have gone for Hajj (pilgrimage). Now Allah (God) gives them a child, who has congenital heart disease. A true Muslim would say that Alhamdulillah! Thank you Allah! Allah (God) is testing them. While a person, who is ungrateful, would complain that why did Allah (God) give him a child with a disease.
More difficult the test; more higher is the reward. For instance, if you pass the Bachelor of Arts exams, you would become only a graduate. But if you pass the MBBS exams, besides being a graduate, you would Dr, Doctor written written in front of your name. But to pass MBBS is multiple times more difficult than to pass BA. So more difficult the test, the more higher the reward. So maybe Allah (God) wants to give those parents not only Janah (merely paradise), but Janat-e-Firdous (the Highest and the Best Paradise). So even though they are pious, Allah (God) wants to give them a higher reward. That is reason our beloved prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said in Sunan Abu Dawud Volume 3 Hadith 3677 that when a person asked him, who had the maximum tests in this world. Prophet replied that the prophets of Allah (God) had the most difficult tests. After that those people had the maximum tests, who were like the prophets and after those who were like the second people. The more pious a person is, the more difficult would be his test. For instance, you get admission in MBBS, only if you got good marks in 12th standard. So MBBS is a more difficult test. So though the piety level of the prophets is high, still they were tested with more difficult tests. So if any calamity befalls a true believer, he says, "Alhamdulillah! Thank you Allah!" He takes it as a test. So any calamity is either a test or a punishment. The prophets of Allah (God) were pious, so it was a test for them and they passed the tests.
If any good things happens to you, it is either a reward or a test. Maybe you have done good deeds and Allah (God) has rewarded you with wealth or maybe Allah (God) wants to test you with wealth. For those, who have deviated from Allah (God), they pray for wealth and Allah (God) gives them wealth and tests them and they fail. So in this world, they would have the luxury. But in the Hereafter, it is nothing but loss. So Charity is a test. Contentment is a test. Children are a test.
Many a times, we complain that we pray to Allah (God) and nothing happens. Allah (God) says in the Qur'an that you ask Me and I will answer your prayer. And here we ask and ask and nothing happens. So it sounds contradictory that Allah (God) says that He will answer our prayers, but we pray everyday and nothing happens. Allah (God) says in the Qur'an in Sura al Baqara Chapter 2 Verse 216 that you may like a thing, which is not good for you and you may hate a thing, which is good for you. You know not, but Allah (God) knows. For example, a young boy is praying that Allah (God) give me a BMW motorcycle. But Allah (God) does not give him a motorcycle. Because Allah (God) knows that if He will give him a motorcycle, he will ride fast and have an accident. So by not answering his prayer, Allah (God) is answering his prayer. Because he is a good person and he is asking for something, which is not good. He does not know, but Allah (God) knows.
Allah says about the hypocrites in Sura al Baqara Chapter 2 Verse 15 & 16 that Allah gives them grow, so that they go to and fro. So many people, who are associate partners with Allah (God), they ask for wealth and Allah (God) gives them wealth. Allah (God) is testing them and they are digging their own graves. So we should never despair, Allah is always there. Have faith in Allah (God). That is why committing suicide is prohibited in Islam. Allah says in the Qur'an in Sura an Nisa Chapter Verse 29 that kill not yourselves. The moment a person commits suicide, he is being ungrateful. Saying that Allah (God) has given him so much trouble. He is unjust. It is not worth living and he ends his life. Allah (God) says in the Qur'an in Sura al Baqara Chapter 2 Verse 286 that Allah (God) does not lay a burden, greater than he can bear. This is the first part and the other part of the verse we pray that O Allah (God) lay not on us a burden, greater than we can bear. Since Allah (God) has already promised that he will not lay on anyone a burden that he can not bear, then why do we have to pray that lay not on us such a burden that we can't bear. It is because we dig our own grave. We lay a burden upon us that we can not bear. We are responsible. We ask, "give me wealth" and Allah (God) gives us wealth. So we pray to Allah (God) that do not make us the cause to put a burden on ourselves, greater than we can bear.
So we should faith in Allah (God) and worship Him alone. The purpose of our existence in this world is to worship Allah (God) and no one else. This life is a test for the Hereafter. Obey his commandments and be grateful. Whatever test He gives you, a true believer is thankful to Allah, the Almighty God. We often complain that we do not have this or that. The most important thing for living is the air that we breathe. If we do not air for a few minutes, we will die. But how many times have we thanked Allah (God) for the air, He has given us? Since its free, we do not even realize it. We should reflect upon the signs of Allah (God) and thank Him for the blessings that He has given to us.
Now lets come to the last question that why did Allah (God) create this world? What is the purpose of this world? Allah says in the Qur'an in Sura Ibrahim Chapter 14 Verses 32 & 33 that Allah (God) has created the Heavens and the Earth and let water come from the sky; with it He has given fruits. Has caused the ship to sail by the commandment of Allah (God). He has caused rivers to flow for human beings. He has made the sun and moon for you. He has made the night and the day for you. So all these creation and the world is for human beings. All this world is for us human beings. And it is our duty to thank Allah for all these blessings and besides thanking, it is our duty to take care of these things. Allah (God) has created animals, but killing animals is prohibited. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that do not kill animals for target practice. But for food among the Halal (permitted) animals, for which Allah (God) has given permission that you can have, with the way the prophet of Allah (God) has showed us. But for target practice, NO! People wanna conquer these blessings. They kill animals to place their heads on the walls of our house to show off. Allah (God) has created mountains, but instead of giving thanks people wanna conquer them. Hundreds try to climb mount Everest each year and several of them die. Though Allah says in the Qur'an that the camels have been created to carry your load, but we have to love them and respect them. It is mentioned in Sahih Bukhari Volume 8 that there was a man, who gave water to a thirsty dog by going into the well and carrying the water in the socks and he was granted Janah (paradise). In another Hadith mentioned in Sahih Bukhari Volume 8, there was a prostitute, who gave water to a thirsty dog and he was granted Janah (paradise) for this. Companions asked that do we get reward even for giving water to a thirsty dog. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), yes why not! Even the animals, which is prohibited to come into our house, even if we give water to that animal Allah will reward us for that. There is a Hadith that a lady tied a cat and did not give it food and Allah put her in hell for this. At least she should have let it go free and it would have fed on roadents. So we have to love and take care of the animals and even the vegetations. You can eat them for food, but you can not kill the plants unnecessarily. Even in war, prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said that do not cut down the trees and do not burn the vegetation. All these are creations of Allah, the Almighty God.
In the Qur'an in Sura al Adiyat Chapter 100, Allah swears by the steeds of war and says that sparks come out from the hooves of these horses. Clouds of dust rise. They enter the enemy with, that these horses are without any fear. Just because their master, the horse rider commmands them. Allah, the Almighty God swears by these animals that when their master commands them, they run into the enemy lines without fearing the enemy, their swords and other weapons. At the end Allah, the Almighty God says, "But man is ungrateful." Meaning that the horse is obeying his master by hook or crook, but we human beings are ungrateful to our Master, our Lord. That is why it is the duty of every human being to reflect upon the purpose of creation that why have we been created. Allah, the Almighty God is our Creator. He is Merciful. He is Kind. He is Forgiving. He is Just. It is the duty of every human being that he should worship Allah, the Almighty God. Worship Him and no one else. We should remember that this life is a test for the Hereafter. If you follow His commandments, you will go to Janah (paradise). But if you do not follow His commandments, you will fail the test and you will go to Jahanam (hell). And we have to take care of the blessings that Allah has given us.
Duty of Muslims -
Allah says in the Qur'an in Sura ale Imran Chapter 3 Verse 110, "O ye Muslims! You are the best of people evolved for mankind." We are called the best of people, which is a honor and whenever there is honor; it comes with a responsibility and there is no honor without responsibility. Allah tells us our responsibility in the same verse. "Because you enjoin what is good and you forbid what is bad and you believe in Allah." It is the duty of every Muslim that whatever you know, if you know the purpose of creation, tell it to the others. That why were created. That we should worship Allah, the Almighty God alone. Exhort people to the truth and prevent them from going towards wrong. It is the duty of every Muslim. Dawah (exhorting people to the truth) is compulsory and if we do not exhort people to the truth and do not prevent them from going towards wrong, then we are not fit to be called Muslims; we are not fit to called as the best of people. Allah says in the Qur'an in Sura an Nahl Chapter 16 Verse 125, "Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious."
