Man in the QURAN

Scholarship Description:

Man in the QURAN is open for . The scholarship allows level program(s) in the field of taught at . The deadline of the scholarship is .

WHY Allah made man the best of His creation is a loaded question and an inquiry into the details will meet with clear purpose and noble motto behind this aspect. We have already seen that Allah did not leave man without showing him both the ways of right and wrong. Though He gave him the freedom to select the way he likes. He has sent messengers from time to time to invite people to the obedience of Allah alone and to the disobedience of all other forces rejecting the call of Satan.

The cardinal principle of all prophets was "O people, you worship Allah, do not associate anything with Him, there is no God but Him. Allah is the most Merciful to His servants. Out of His mercy He sent messengers with some divine document of guidance to show the divine path of living."

Sayyid Abul A'la Maududi writes in his famous work Risale Diniyat: "First of all, one should have unshakable belief in the existence of God, for unless a man has a firm and unalloyed faith in God's existence, how can he render obedience to Him?

"Then, one must know the attributes of God. It is the knowledge of the attributes of God which enables man to cultivate in him the noblest of human qualities and to fashion his life in virtue and godliness. If a man does not know that there is One and only One God Who is the Creator, the Ruler, and the Sustainer of the universe and there is none else to share with Him even a shred of the Divine power and authority, he may fall a prey to false gods, and offer his homage to them to solicit their favour. But if he knows the divine attribute of tauhid (oneness of God), there is not the least possibility of his falling a prey to this illusion.

"Similarly, if a man knows that God is Omnipresent and Omniscient and He sees, hears, and knows everything that we do in public or in private - nay, even our unexpressed thoughts! - then how can he afford to be indulgent and disobedient to God? He will feel that he is under eternal vigil and will, therefore, behave in the most appropriate way. But he who is not aware of these attributes of God may be misled, because of his ignorance, into God's disobedience.

"So is the case with all other attributes of God. The fact is that the qualities and attributes which a man must possess, if he wants to pursue the way of Islam, can be cultivated and developed only out of profound knowledge of the attributes of God. It is the knowledge of God's attributes which purifies a man's mind and soul, his beliefs, morals, and actions. And a mere cursory acquaintance with or just an academic knowledge of these attributes is not sufficient for the task ahead - there must be an unflinching conviction firmly rooted in the mind and heart of man so that he may remain immune from insidious doubts and perversions.

"Moreover, one must know in detail the way of living by following which one can seek the pleasure of God. Unless a man knows the likes of God, how can he choose and adopt the one and reject the other? If a man has no knowledge of the Divine Law and the Revealed Code of Life is also extremely essential in this respect.

"But here, again, mere knowledge will not suffice. Man must have full confidence and conviction that it is the Divine Law and that his salvation lies in following this code alone. For knowledge without this conviction will fail to spur man to the Right Path and he may be lost in the blind alley of disobedience.

"Finally, one must also know the consequence of belief and obedience and those of disbelief and disobedience. He must know what blessings would be showered upon him if he chooses God's way and leads a life of purity, virtue, and obedience. And he must also know what evil and harrowing consequences would follow if he adopts the way of disobedience and revolt.

"Thus the knowledge of life after death is absolutely essential for this purpose. Man must have an unwavering belief in the fact that death does not mean the end of life: that there will be resurrection and he will be brought to the highest court of justice, to be presided over by God Himself; that on the Day of Judgment complete justice will prevail; and that good deeds will be rewarded and misdeeds punished. Everybody will get his due and there is no escape. This is bound to happen. This sense of responsibility and accountability is quite essential for the full*fledged obedience of the Law of God.

"A man who has no knowledge of the world to come may consider obedience and disobedience quite immaterial. He may think that the obedient and the disobedient will both meet a similar end: for, after death both will be reduced to mere dust. With this attitude of mind, how can he be expected to submit to all the inconveniences and troubles, that are inextricably associated with the life of active obedience, and shun those sins the commission of which does not apparently bring to him any moral or material loss in this world?

"With this mental attitude a man cannot acknowledge and submit to God's Law. Nor can a man, who lacks firm belief in the life hereafter and in the Divine Court of Judgment, remain firm and steadfast in the turbulent waters of life with its attraction or sin, crime, and evil; for doubt and hesitancy rob a man of his will to action. You can remain firm in your behaviour only if you are firm in your beliefs.

"If you carry a wavering mind you cannot remain firm and steadfast. You can whole*heartedly follow a course only if you are sure of the benefits that will accrue to you by following it and of the losses and grievances that will engulf you if you disobey it. Thus, a profound knowledge of the consequences of belief and disbelief and of the life after death is extremely necessary for canalising life into God's obedience. (Risale Diniyat - English Translation - Pp15 and 16).

The following Qur'anic verse of Sura Al Baqara has enough directions in this regard and it explains Allah's policy of sending messengers to teach right and wrong to the people with an encouraging tone to the good doers and discouraging to the wrong doers by glad tidings of paradise and strong warnings about Hell and its severe punishment.

Allah says: "Mankind was one single nation, and God sent Messengers, with them He sent the Book in truth, to judge between people in matters wherein they differed; but the People of the Book, after the clear Signs came to them, did not differ among themselves, except through selfish contumacy. God by His Grace guided the Believers to the trust, concerning that wherein they differed. For God guides whom He will to a path that is straight." (Al-Qur'an 2:213).

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