The purpose of the gift of rationality given to human beings is to investigate the meaning of Godliness and the nature of the opposite of Godliness—evil. God charges Muslims with a sacred and central obligation: the duty to enjoin the good and forbid the evil and to bear witness upon humanity for God. Conservatives, puritans, and moderates do not dispute that this is a fundamental and basic obligation upon all Muslims. Allah says:
هُوَ اللَّهُ الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ ۖ لَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ
“He is Allah, the Creator, the Originator, the Maker of images. To Him belong the best names.” (Surat al-Hashr 59:24)
This life is very meaningful and purposeful to the believing Muslim because he realizes that it will determine his outcome and permanent position in the next life. He lives to earn the approval of his Creator in preparation for the final return to Him. We all recognize that people make things to perform specific functions for them, in other words, to serve them. Allah says:
الَّذِي خَلَقَكَ فَسَوَّاكَ فَعَدَلَكَ فِي أَيِّ صُورَةٍ مَّا شَاءَ رَكَّبَكَ
“It is He who created you and fashioned you into whatever image He willed to assemble you.” (Surat al-Infitar 82:7-8)
The Creator alone knows best what is beneficial for His creation and what is not. God has made us serve Him, but with one major difference; it is not for the benefit of the Creator Himself but for the benefit of us, His creation. But that doesn’t mean He needs our prayers because it is something that.
The Purpose of our Creation:
- Allah knows what we conceal and what we reveal
- Allah promises who obey Him to enter Paradise
- Allah is the personal name of the One true God
- Allah is very Gracious and Kind to His slaves
- Allah sent Messenger for all mankind
- Allah is everything in His own accord
- Allah is All-Powerful, absolutely Just
- Allah is the one, Who has no partner
- Allah is the Bestower of Sufficiency
- Allah is the Supreme, the Sovereign
- Allah is First, Last, and Everlasting
- Allah knows what is in our hearts
- Allah’s book is the Holy Quran
- Allah is the Maintainer of life
- Allah is the Absolute Truth
- Allah is the Most Merciful
- Allah has no family
- Allah is All-Knowing
- Allah is the Loving One
- Allah is the Only Creator
- Allah is the Oft-Forgiving
- Allah is the Impartial Judge
- Quran is the last holy book
- Allah gives us many chances
- Quran is truly the Word of God
- Quran contains all kinds of principles
- Quran is a material and spiritual guide
- Quran contains all creed, deeds, and ethics
- Quran is a miracle in terms of its words and meaning
- Quran informed about humans and described our Lord
God created us to worship Him was inevitable. His perfect names and attributes were going to manifest themselves. Thus, human efforts tend to be focused on the material world rather than human beings. Allah says:
إِن يَنصُرْكُمُ اللَّهُ فَلَا غَالِبَ لَكُمْ وَإِن يَخْذُلْكُمْ فَمَن ذَا الَّذِي يَنصُرُكُم مِّن بَعْدِهِ وَعَلَى اللَّهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ
“Whoever brings a good deed, shall the value of ten like it. And whoever brings an evil deed will be punished with one like it. And they will not be wronged.” (Surah Al-Imran 3:160)
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. Allah says:
الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ
”[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed – and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving.” (Surah Al-Mulk 67:2)
The Quran is a guidebook teaching us how to worship God in the purest manner and thereby achieve our purpose in life. The Quran is unique because it has remained preserved in its exact and original form for more than 1,400 years. God created us for a test here on earth, conveying His words.
Allah Almighty says in The Holy Quran:
- “ God created you in stages.” (Quran 71:4)
- “Be not sad, surely Allah is with us.” (Quran 9:40)
- “Verily, We created man of the best stature.” (Quran 95:4)
- “Indeed, God is free from the need of the worlds.” (Quran 29:6)
- “Do you worship what you have carved yourself?” (Quran 37:95)
- “No calamity strikes except by God’s permission…” (Quran 64:11)
- “Travel in the land and see how (Allah) originated the creation, and then Allah will bring forth the creation of the Hereafter (i.e. resurrection after death). Verily, Allah is Able to do all things.” (Surat Al – Ankabut -Verse 20)
Allah, Almighty, 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. Everyone would acknowledge that our body parts, such as our eyes, ears, brains, and hearts, have a purpose. Allah says:
وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن سُلَالَةٍ مِّن طِينٍ
“We created humankind from an essence of clay.” (Surah Al-Mu`minun 23:12 )
The love of God should also be expressed in the love of those whom God loves. It is inconceivable that one who loves God could hate those whom God loves and love those whom He hates. He did not create human beings out of a need on His part. If not a single human worshipped God, it would not diminish His glory in any way, and if all of mankind worshipped Him, it would not increase His glory in any way. Allah says:
وَمَا خَلَقْنَا السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا لَاعِبِينَ
“And not We created the heavens and the earth and whatever (is) between them (in) play.” (Surah Ad-Dukhan 44:38 )
The fact that God knows our choices does not make it any less voluntary. Although God wants people to believe in Him, He does not force anyone. If God willed, He could guide all of humankind, He has power over everything. Everyone would acknowledge that our body parts, such as our eyes, ears, brains, and hearts, have a purpose. Every person is being tested as to who will choose to acknowledge God and follow His guidance. Allah says:
لَخَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ خَلْقِ النَّاسِ وَلَٰكِنَّ أَكْثَرَ النَّاسِ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
“Indeed, the creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of mankind, but most of mankind do not realize it.” (Surah Ghafir 40:57)
Allah created a world in which evil or good can be done by beings to whom He gave this ability. The “miracle” of our creation enables us to recognize and remain in total awe of Allah’s limitless powers. That, in turn, allows us to submit to Him and to His message conveyed to us through His Prophets. Allah says:
قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“If you love Allah, then follow Allah will love you and He will forgive you your sins. And Allah (is) Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surah Al-Imran 3:31 )
God is a saviour and caretaker of human beings. Most importantly, for those who strive after Godliness, and through gratitude reach the point of loving God, God reciprocates their love. It is through love that union with the Divine becomes possible, and the manifestation of this union is a partnership between the Creator and the created. Allah says:
إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَّبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا
“Indeed, We [We] created man from a semen-drop, a mixture, (that) We test him; so hearing and sight.” (Surah Al-Insan 76:2 )
God has provided every element of His creation, living and inanimate, with guidance. We can thus expect that He would provide us with guidance as well. His revelation instructs humanity what to do, what to avoid, and the reason for it. Allah says:
وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا وَلَئِن قُلْتَ إِنَّكُم مَّبْعُوثُونَ مِن بَعْدِ الْمَوْتِ لَيَقُولَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ
And He (is) the One Who created the heavens and the earth in six epochs, and His throne was on the water that He might test [you] which of you (is) best (in) deed. But if you say, “Indeed, you (will be) resurrected after [the] death,” surely would say those who disbelieved, “This is not but magic clear.” (Surah Hud 11:7 )
It informs man what is expected of him, how to accomplish it, and the results of the continual positive effort. Through Prophet Muhammad, God revealed to man the ways of worship suitable to his physical and psychological nature and individual talents, and in harmony with his particular role on the earth. These, in combination, are what enable him to fulfil the purpose of his creation.
