Soul Purification, - Indeed, It Was the First Night in My Life!

I was moving restlessly on my bed that night; I could not sleep as I
was extremely terrified for no obvious reason. It was four in the
morning and I was overwhelmed with fear and everything was dim and
dark in my eyes. I started reciting the Surahs of the Noble Quran that
I had to memorize. I have memorized many of them, yet I have forgotten
most of them as I did not revise them continually. I closed my eyes
and started recalling what I memorize from the verses of the Noble
Quran; I felt a little bit calm, yet fear was still in the air.
Strangely enough, I started seeing my whole life flash before my eyes.
I recalled my childhood, my sins while I was growing up, and the
prayers that I have often, and maybe always, performed lazily.
Moreover, I started remembering my friend and how we used to meet,
play, and have fun together, never thinking of death! I recalled how
my friend left her house one day, but never came back. She passed away
in a car accident! Then, I started thinking of what I would say to the
Angel of death when he comes to claim my soul; am I ready for death?
Am I ready to meet my Lord? Have I done enough good deeds to enter
Paradise? Would I be among the dwellers of Paradise or the residents
of Hellfire? No, I will definitely, be among the inhabitants of
Paradise, Allaah willing, but what did I do to earn that honor? Are my
deeds enough to get me into Paradise? What did I do to be among the
dwellers of Paradise? Would yelling and shouting at my mother get me
into Paradise? Are backbiting and tale-bearing the kind of deeds that
would get me into Paradise? Am I going to be granted Paradise for not
adhering to the due Hijaab or for my impermissible exposure of my
adornments and beauty? Is Paradise the abode of those who watch
impermissible films and listen to immoral songs? I have always felt
shy to let people sit with me while watching such immoral movies and
songs, yet I have never felt bashful of Allaah The Almighty!
I was silent for some seconds, and then continued my monologue. I
started thinking that I was still, certainly, better than many other
impious people. Then,I started recalling those devout young girls whom
I used to meet in the mosque and how each of them was willing to fight
the whole universe and sacrifice her life and not expose a single lock
of her hair before strangers! Who am I compared to them? Have I made
an agreement with Allaah The Exalted to grant me the chance to repent
before death? Have I made an accord with Allaah The Exalted that I
would not die now or tomorrow? Has Allaah The Almighty promised to
forgive me and admit me to Paradise?
Frightened as I was at these moments, I stood up, shaking out of fear
with frozen tears in my eyes. I headed towards the bathroom, preformed
ablution and stood to perform prayers. I was literally shivering and
shaking all over.
Strangely enough, I found myself shedding tears and crying out of fear
for the first time in my life. It was the first time in my life to cry
like that for something other than the usual worldly affairs and
insignificant trivialities. In fact, I used to cry my eyes out for
missing the chance to commit a sin! Moreover, I also used to cry my
heart out when hearing a love song that moves me, yet it is a mere
Satanic whispering. Alas, I have cried for the most trivial reasons,
yet I have never cried while pondering over the Noble Quran, being
moved with the Words of Allaah that He rendered a remedy and mercy for
us!
Indeed, I have gone astray; I have been inattentive, my feelings have
been numbed and I have been swimming against the tide, yet, here I am
sobbing ad crying my heart out, because of fear of Allaah The
Almighty, lamenting and bemoaning my past sins that I committed
carelessly thinking that they were not that grave. Allaah The Exalted
Says )what means(:}…and thought it was insignificant while it was, in
the Sight of Allaah, tremendous."{]Quran 24:15[
What a great difference between those tears!
No one would believe how much I was moved by the meanings of the
verses that I read that night. It was as if I was reciting them for
the first time in my life, although I used to recite them often in my
prayers! I prostrated myself before Allaah The Exalted for a very long
time. I did not feel the passage of time then, yet the only feeling
that was haunting and absorbing me was the sense of humbleness and
grandeur of being in the Presence of Allaah The Almighty, my Lord and
Creator. I kept supplicating, imploring Allaah The Exalted to forgive
my sins and pardon my misdeeds, thanking and praising Him that I
literally felt the grandeur of His presence. I could not believe what
I was saying back then; I was beseeching Him with supplications that I
never knew I had memorized. I felt as if my heart was imploring Allaah
The Exalted! I finished the prayer and then started remembering my
past sins; then, I started contemplating my own body; how do my hands
move? How does my heart throb? How do my eyes, ears and feet function?
Then, I started pondering over everything around me; how can a tiny
seed grow and become a huge tree? I started thinking; where I have
been all those past years? Have I been inattentive and heedless for
all this time? Have I not felt the grandeur of His presence, although
He was so close to me?
I really felt the Grandeur of Allaah The Exalted at that moment. How
could one overlook and fail to notice such Grandeur? How can a human
being be that ungrateful to his Lord? His Creator bestows upon him so
many blessings and grants him sustenance, in spite of man's continuous
misdeeds and sins, while the human neglects to be grateful, and praise
and pray to Him. In fact, Allaah The Exalted does not deprive the
sinners of sustenance and blessings because of their sins.
Moreover, Allaah The Exalted increases one's sustenance, while this
ungrateful creature increases his sins! How strange this is! Allaah
The Exalted asks His slaves to repent to Him, promising to Pardon all
their misdeeds, and replace them with good deeds, yet man would not
settle for that great deal! How is it that one refuses such a golden
opportunity? How can he say no to such a proposal? Does this creature
not know that he would die one day? Does he not remember that death is
his inescapable fate? How many years could he possibly live? Seventy,
eighty, even one hundred years; and then what? Indeed, he would die
and be buried beneath the ground ]in the dust[. Who would keep company
with him in the darkness of his grave? Who would reassure him and
relieve his worry and fear then? Who would be there for him? Who would
shield him against the punishment in the grave? Where will be his
formative actors and singers then? Where will be his friends with whom
he spent his good times in this life? Where will be his family who has
neglected him? Who would be with him on that day?
I heard the call for the Fajr Prayer; I performed the payer and sat
down to recite the Noble Quran for the first time after the last month
of Ramadan or the one before it! I kept reciting the verses of the
Noble Quran until sunrise of shortly after; and then, I went to bed.
My heart was filled with bliss and tranquility; I was happy and calm
as I wiped away my tears as if I was wiping away my sins. I felt that
my sins were washed with my tears; those tears were washing my heart
from all the stains, relieving my worries and fear. By Allaah, I have
never felt this way before; it was a unique bliss that I have never
experienced before in my entire life. I kept repeating the verse that
reads )what means(:}Those who have believed and whose hearts are
assured by the Remembrance of Allaah.
Unquestionably, by the Remembrance of Allaah hearts are assured.{]Quran 13:28[
At last, I closed my eyes, and fell into a deep sleep. I slept like a
baby and relished the sweetness of deep sleep for the first time in my
life; as if I had not slept for the past nineteen years of my life!

Soul Purification, - Justification is the Excuse of the Weak

Who among us does not make mistakes? Who among us can dare claim that
he is infallible? Every human is expected to make mistakes, and this
is not in itself a defect, for the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa
sallam, said:"All the sons of Aadam constantly commit sins, but the
best of those who constantly commit sins are those who are constantly
repentant."]Ibn Maajah[ The real defect lies in insisting on making
the mistake and adhering to falsehood. The mistake becomes even graver
when its doer endeavors to justify it in order to make himself and
those around him believe that he did not make a mistake at all.
The Definition of Justification
Justification, in the false sense, is the process of fabricating
excuses for one's behavior, thoughts or views, in order to replace the
real motives and reasons. It is the process of concealing the reality
and truth with a justification that one would accept and approve of,
without any reaction or feeling any guilt.
The Evil End of Justification
Justification is an incurable disease that leads to a tragic end,
which results in bitter consequences for the doer, as his continuous
justification distracts him from correcting himself and reflecting on
his defects. Accordingly, he always thinks that he is doing well. If a
slave of Allaah The Almighty reaches this state, it becomes difficult
to reform him and he loses his self-harmony because he is living in a
state of internal psychological warfare in which he is both the
executioner and the victim. The one who suffers from this disease is a
curse on himself and others, as he is extreme in enmity and frequently
argues with others. At this point, he is the most detested of
creatures in the sight of Allaah The Almighty. In this respect the
Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said:"The most hated person in
the sight of Allaah is the extremely quarrelsome person."]Al-Bukhaari[
The Quran Vilifies such People
Such people have existed throughout history. The Quran relates to us
the stories of some of them; for instance, Allaah The Almighty Says
)what means(;}And among them is he who says: "Permit me ]to remain at
home[ and do not put me to Fitnah." Unquestionably, into Fitnah they
have fallen. And indeed, Hell will encompass the disbelievers.{]Quran
9:49[ Commenting on this verse, Al-Qurtubi, may Allaah have mercy upon
him, said,
Muhammad ibn Is'haaq, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said: "The
Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, said to Al-Jadd
ibn Qays, when he wanted to set out for the Battle of Tabook:"O Jadd,
would you like to fight the yellow people ]the Romans[, so that you
could take female captives and servants from them?" Al-Jadd replied,
"My people know that I am besotted by women, and I fear that if I see
the women of the yellow people, I would fall into Fitnah. So, do not
put me in Fitnah but permit me to remain behind, and I will support
you with my money."Thereupon, the Messenger of Allaah turned away from
him, and said:"I permit you."Just look at this man, who, when knowing
the hardship of traveling to Tabook and the difficulty of confronting
and fighting the Romans, wanted to justify his situation and protect
himself! He therefore invented a fabricated excuse which was his
infatuation by women and his fear that he may be tempted upon seeing
them and would then be forced to leave the Muslim army because he
would not have the self-restraint to keep himself from them.
Shaykh-ul-Islam Ahmad ibn Taymiyyah, may Allaah have mercy upon him,
commented on this incident, saying, "Since enjoining good, forbidding
evil, and Jihaad are some of the tests and trials that subject a
person to Fitnah, some people began justifying their abandonment of
these obligations by seeking safety from Fitnah. Allaah The Almighty
Says )what means( with regard to the hypocrites:}And among them is he
who says: "Permit me ]to remain at home[ and do not put me to Fitnah."
Unquestionably, into Fitnah they have fallen. And indeed, Hell will
encompass the disbelievers.{]Quran 9:49["
Similarly, another group of people justified their abandonment of
Jihaad by saying that they could not set out for Jihaad in the heat.
Therefore, Allaah The Almighty Says about them )what means(:}And
]they[ said: "Do not go forth in the heat." Say: "The fire of Hell is
more intensive in heat" - if they would but understand.{]Quran 9:81[
Sayyid Qutb, may Allaah have mercy upon him, said in this regard, "It
is therefore either fighting in the cause of Allaah in the heat for a
limited period, or being cast into Hell for a duration that no one
knows the length of but Allaah."
Does a Believer Justify Himself?
In the previous examples there were some cases which might not be
stated by those who form the cream of Muslim society. However, reality
proves that even some truthful believers might be afflicted by
justification, as Allaah The Almighty Says )what means(:}And We have
certainly diversified in this Quran for the people from every ]kind
of[ example; but man has ever been, most of anything, ]prone to[
dispute.{]Quran 18:54[ Some scholars of Tafseer )Quranic exegesis(
commented on this verse by mentioning what was narrated in Saheeh
Muslim, that 'Ali ibn Abi Taalib, may Allaah be pleased with him,
narrated that the Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam,
came one night to him and his wife Faatimah and said:"Do you not
observe ]late-night Tahajjud[ prayer?"'Ali, may Allaah be pleased with
him, replied, "O Messenger of Allaah, indeed our souls are in the
Hands of Allaah and when He wants to awaken us, He does so." The
Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, set off when he
said this to him. He was slapping his hand on his thigh while going
while saying )what means(:}but man has ever been, most of anything,
]prone to[ dispute{.Ibn 'Aashoor, may Allaah have mercy upon him,
said,
What the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, meant here was that
it would have been more appropriate for 'Ali, may Allaah be pleased
with him, to praise Allaah The Almighty and thank the Messenger of
Allaah, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, for waking him up to pray
Tahajjud, be keen on repeating this act, be pleased with the rebuke of
the Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, and not counter these
words with others in order to justify his sleeping! This is the cause
of the Prophet's astonishment at the words of 'Ali, may Allaah be
pleased with him.
Some Causes of Justification
The main obstacle in justification is the absence of frankness with
one's self, as we fail to talk to ourselves about our own reality.
This is because, from a very early age, we were taught to elevate
ourselves to high moral levels and sublime traits that are often
difficult to attain. Therefore, we try to conceal our reality in a
framework of lies about oneself that were set by the methods of our
early upbringing. ]Qiraa'ah fi mushkilaat at-tufoolah[
Justification might also be due to arrogance that has affected the
heart, and this results in making it difficult to apologize or
appearing to be in a state of weakness according to the thoughts of
such an arrogant person. Love and inclination to this worldly life is
another cause of justification, and perhaps this reason specifically
is what leads many people to do what Allaah The Almighty has
prohibited, and people then justify their actions with false excuses.
For instance, the person who consumes Riba )interest(, claims that he
is compelled to do so; however, if one looks at his case, he would not
find him compelled at all. He might not even be in any kind of a need.
There are many similar violations of the Sharee'ah nowadays, and those
who commit such violations try to justify them.
Is There Treatment?
Undoubtedly, truthfulness with one's self is the clear and easy way in
order not to indulge in the confusion that comes about due to
justification. Reckoning one's self for negligence and acknowledging
its mistakes protects it from a foul final stage of life and leads us
to not accumulate our mistakes. In fact, being truthful with one's
self is one of the highest and hardest degrees of truthfulness.
Let us contemplate the story of the great Companion, Ka'b ibn Maalik,
may Allaah be pleased with him, when Allaah The Almighty saved him by
virtue of his truthfulness. He sat before the Prophet, sallallaahu
'alayhi wa sallam, and said, "O Messenger of Allaah, if I had been in
front of anyone other than you of the people of the worldly life, I
would have thought of an excuse to avoid his dissatisfaction. But by
Allaah, I had no excuse." Consequently, Allaah The Almighty accepted
his repentance, excused him and turned to him. On the other hand,
those who lie and invent weak and false excuses, are exposed by Allaah
The Almighty.
One of the most important means of treatment is the reading of the
biographies of the people who fell into this malady. When
justification dominated the Children of Israa'eel, they used trickery
and various methods to violate the ruling of Allaah The Almighty and
caught fish on the Sabbath. Consequently, Allaah The Almighty
transformed them into apes and pigs. Allaah The Almighty Says )what
means(:}And you had already known about those who transgressed among
you concerning the Sabbath, and We said to them: "Be apes,
despised."{]Quran 2:65[ When one contemplates this punishment for the
one who dares to violate the limits that Allaah The Almighty has set,
undoubtedly, he will think many times before doing such an act when
knowing its evil end.
We supplicate to Allaah The Almighty to guide us to the best manners
and to ward off from us the worst of manners, as He is the most
Gracious and Noble.

Soul Purification, - Practical Steps to Help Lower the Gaze

Here are some practical steps to control your gaze:
1- First, let us agree upon an issue that greatly affects the way you
control your gaze, namely, the issue of the relativity of beauty.
The criteria of beauty vary from one person to another and from one
sensibility to another. For example, you may like certain clothes and
consider them the most attractive. On the other hand, other people may
see these clothes as not beautiful enough, or even ugly.
Hence, what you see as beautiful may not be so in others' eyes; or
rather, it may not be beautiful at all.
Let me give you an example to make this issue clearer; the drug addict
believes that drugs are the best thing in this world. However, you
know the reality of drugs and thus it is impossible for you to say
that drugs may be good just because there are some people who believe
that they are so.
Hence, the prohibited scenes that you see and believe to be beautiful,
like many others, are not so in reality; what is the beauty in a woman
who angers Allaah The Exalted publicly and defies His Commandments
openly?
Where is the beauty in a scene that many other people have enjoyed
before you and many others will enjoy after you?
Where is the beauty in a woman who offers herself as a tradable
commodity through showing her beauty to entice buyers?
What beauty is this when, in reality, it is the work of the devil?
The Prophet, sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam, described the woman who
leaves her house while applying perfume and showing her adornment
saying:"The woman is 'Awrah )part of the body that must be concealed(.
Whenever she leaves her home, the Devil beautifies her in men's
eyes."]Al-Albaani: Saheeh[
Is the woman who is beautified by Satan himself in your eyes and the
eyes of many other men considered beautiful, no matter what the
reality of her appearance may be?
You should know the reality of what you see in order to disdain it and
dissuade yourself from looking at it.
2- Controlling the eye and its movement:
Some people – particularly those who are not habituated to lowering
their gaze – let their eyes lead them instead of leading their eyes.
Such people let their eyes wander all over without any form of
control. However, you can solve this problem by training yourself to
look at a certain place for a period of time and gradually lengthening
the duration until you reach the level of controlling your eyes and
preventing them from looking at anything without necessity.
3- If you lose control over your gaze once, then follow this look
immediately with an act of worship such as asking Allaah The Almighty
for forgiveness one hundred times or making Tasbeeh )saying
"Subhaan-Allaah"( one hundred times, or offering charity. This method
is one of most successful therapies, because you defy the devil
through it and make him regret making you commit that sin, as you
follow it up with repentance and additional good deeds.
4- Penalize yourself by some beneficial action that has a positive
outcome if you lose control over your gaze once. For example, give a
certain sum in charity, preferably a substantial amount, to serve as
sufficient deterrent.
5- Determine a target for yourself and pledge to achieve it. For
example, try to lower your gaze for two days or one week. If you
achieve this purpose, then reward yourself with something pleasant
even if it is something small. You can eat one of your favorite meals
for instance. After that, double this period and double the reward.
6- Always tell yourself that you have a dignified soul and it does not
befit you to pay attention to these lowly matters, as honorable souls
only accept the best things that lead to the best results. On the
other hand, the lowly souls hover about lowly things and land over
them like flies which gather around rubbish. Hence, the honorable soul
does not accept injustice, immorality, theft or treachery, because it
is too sublime to do this. ]Ibn Al-Qayyim in Al-Fawaa'id[
Furthermore, giving full rein to one's gaze is not among the
characteristics of magnanimous men.
The pre-Islamic poet, 'Antarah Al-'Absi, said in one of his poems that
he lowers his gaze if his female neighbor appears, until she enters
her house. If this was the attitude of a poet in pre-Islamic times,
then young Muslim men have even greater reason to do the same.
To conclude, let us go over the following anecdote that happened to
one of my friends. We will see how his realization of the triviality
of this issue in addition to his self-respect, after the support of
Allaah The Almighty, caused him to control his gaze.
Shortly after becoming more committed to his religion, my friend went
with his father to Britain.
We kept warning him strongly against the West, and we asked Allaah The
Almighty to support him in the face of the temptations there. In our
opinion, this young man was about to go through a very difficult test,
especially as he was an adolescent.
Indeed, my friend was accompanied on his travels by his brothers'
sincere supplications and great concern about his religiousness. When
he arrived in Britain, he was extremely scared, because he found
himself face to face with sights he was not used to and he feared that
his feet might slip and forsake chastity.
However, he conducted the following interesting dialogue with himself:
Do you want to look at some flesh? Ok then, let us go to the butcher
and buy some meat to look at! The result is the same in both cases,
and their fate is similar: both of them end in nothing.
Indeed, my friend found that this inner-dialogue was very effective
and whenever he thought about looking at the women who expose their
adornment, he repeated the same dialogue.
Thanks to Allaah The Almighty, he returned home with his chastity and
piety intact.
Hence, you should think about the petty nature of the sin and realize
that it does not deserve the consequent suffering.
7- Seek the help of Allaah The Almighty, supplicate as much as you
can, and ask Allaah The Almighty to provide you with adherence to
chastity and to protect your eyes from looking at what is prohibited.
Do not ever feel ashamed of asking Allaah The Almighty to help you
control your gaze.

Dought & clear, - The Reason Why Mankind Was Created.

Why was mankind created?
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
One of the greatest attributes of Allaah is wisdom, and one of His
greatest names is al-Hakeem (the most Wise). It should be noted that
He has not created anything in vain; exalted be Allaah far above such
a thing. Rather He creates things for great and wise reasons, and for
sublime purposes. Those who know them know them and those who do not
know them do not know them. Allaah has stated that in His Holy Book,
where He says that He has not created mankind in vain, and He has not
created the heavens and the earth in vain. Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose),
and that you would not be brought back to Us?"
So Exalted be Allaah, the True King: Laa ilaaha illa Huwa (none has
the right to be worshipped but He), the Lord of the Supreme Throne!"
[al-Mu'minoon 23:115, 116]
"We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them
for a (mere) play"
[al-Anbiya' 21:16]
"And We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between
them, for mere play.
We created them not except with truth (i.e. to examine and test those
who are obedient and those who are disobedient and then reward the
obedient ones and punish the disobedient ones), but most of them know
not"
[al-Dukhaan 44:38]
"HaaMeem.
[These letters are one of the miracles of the Qur'aan, and none but
Allaah (Alone) knows their meanings.]
The revelation of the Book (this Qur'aan) is from Allaah, the
AllMighty, the AllWise.
We created not the heavens and the earth and all that is between them
except with truth, and for an appointed term. But those who
disbelieve, turn away from that whereof they are warned"
[al-Ahqaaf 46:1-3]
Just as it is proven that there is wisdom behind the creation of man
from the standpoint of sharee'ah (Islamic law), it is also proven from
the standpoint of reason. The wise man cannot but accept that things
have been created for a reason, and the wise man regards himself as
being above doing things in his own life for no reason, so how about
Allaah, the Wisest of the wise?
Hence the wise believers affirm that there is wisdom in Allaah's
creation, and the disbelievers deny that. Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):
"Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the
alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of
understanding.
Those who remember Allaah (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting,
and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of
the heavens and the earth, (saying): Our Lord! You have not created
(all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted are You above all
that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the
torment of the Fire"
[Aal 'Imraan 3:190, 191]
And Allaah says, describing the attitude of the disbelievers towards
the wisdom of His creation (interpretation of the meaning):
"And We created not the heaven and the earth and all that is between
them without purpose! That is the consideration of those who
disbelieve! Then woe to those who disbelieve (in Islamic Monotheism)
from the Fire!"
[Saad 38:27]
Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa'di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Allaah tells us of His perfect wisdom in creating the heavens and the
earth, and that He has not created them in vain, i.e., in play with no
beneficial purpose.
"That is the consideration of those who disbelieve" in their Lord,
because they think that which does not befit His Majesty.
"Then woe to those who disbelieve (in Islamic Monotheism) from the
Fire!" Allaah created the heavens and earth in truth for truth. He
created them so that His slaves might understand the completeness of
His Knowledge and Power and the extent of His Might, and that He Alone
is the One to be worshipped, and not those who have not created even
an atom in the heavens or on earth. And that they might know that the
Resurrection is true and that Allaah will judge between the people of
good and evil. The one who is ignorant of the wisdom of Allaah should
not think that Allaah will treat them equally when judging them. Hence
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Shall We treat those who believe (in the Oneness of Allaah Islamic
Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds as Mufsidoon (those who
associate partners in worship with Allaah and commit crimes) on earth?
Or shall We treat the Muttaqoon (the pious) as the Fujjaar (criminals,
disbelievers, the wicked)?"
[Saad 38:28]
This does not befit Our wisdom and Our judgement. End quote.
Tafseer al-Sa'di, p. 712
Secondly:
Allaah has not created man to eat, drink and multiply, in which case
he would be like the animals. Allaah has honoured man and favoured him
far above many of those whom He has created, but many people insist on
disbelief, so they are ignorant of or deny the true wisdom behind
their creation, and all they care about is enjoying the pleasures of
this world. The life of such people is like that of animals, and
indeed they are even more astray. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):
"while those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as cattle eat;
and the Fire will be their abode"
[Muhammad 47:12]
"Leave them to eat and enjoy, and let them be preoccupied with
(false) hope. They will come to know!"
[al-Hijr 15:3]
"And surely, We have created many of the jinn and mankind for Hell.
They have hearts wherewith they understand not, and they have eyes
wherewith they see not, and they have ears wherewith they hear not
(the truth). They are like cattle, nay even more astray; those! They
are the heedless ones"
[al-A'raaf 7:179]
It is well known to wise people that the one who does a thing knows
more about the wisdom behind it than anyone else and for Allaah is the
highest description (cf. al-Nahl 16:60); He is the One Who has created
mankind and He knows best the wisdom behind the creation of mankind.
No one would dispute this with regard to worldly matters. All people
are certain that their physical faculties have been created for a
reason. The eye is for seeing, the ear is for hearing, and so on. Does
it make sense for his physical faculties to have been created for a
reason but for himself to have been created in vain? Or does he not
agree to respond to the One Who created him when He tells him of the
reason behind his creation?
Allaah has told us that the creation of the heavens and the earth, and
of life and death, is for the purpose of testing, so as to test man.
Whoever obeys Him, He will reward him, and whoever disobeys Him, He
will punish him. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in six Days
and His Throne was on the water, that He might try you, which of you
is the best in deeds. But if you were to say to them: "You shall
indeed be raised up after death," those who disbelieve would be sure
to say, "This is nothing but obvious magic"
[Hood 11:7]
"Who has created death and life that He may test you which of you is
best in deed. And He is the AllMighty, the OftForgiving"
[al-Mulk 67:2]
From this test results a manifestation of the names and attributes of
Allaah, such as Allaah's names al-Rahmaan (the Most Gracious),
al-Ghafoor (the Oft Forgiving), al-Hakeem (the Most Wise), al-Tawwaab
(the Accepter of Repentance), al-Raheem (the Most Merciful), and other
names of Allaah.
One of the greatest reasons for which Allaah has created mankind –
which is one of the greatest tests – is the command to affirm His
Oneness (Tawheed) and to worship Him alone with no partner or
associate. Allaah has stated this reason for the creation of mankind,
as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"And I (Allaah) created not the jinn and mankind except that they
should worship Me (Alone)"
[al-Dhaariyaat 51:56]
Ibn Katheer (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
i.e., I have created them so that I may command them to worship Me,
not because I have any need of them. 'Ali ibn Abi Talhah said,
narrating from Ibn 'Abbaas: "except that they should worship Me
(alone)" willingly or unwillingly. This is the view favoured by Ibn
Jareer. Ibn Jurayj said: i.e., except that they should know Me.
Al-Rabee' ibn Anas said: "Except that they should worship Me", i.e.,
for the purpose of worship. End quote.
Tafseer Ibn Katheer, 4/239
Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa'di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
Allaah, may He be exalted, created mankind to worship Him and to know
Him by His names and attributes, and to enjoin that upon them. Whoever
submits to Him and does what is enjoined upon him will be one of those
who are successful, but whoever turns away from that, they are the
losers. He will inevitably gather them together in the Hereafter where
He will reward or punish them for what He commanded and forbade them
to do. Hence Allaah mentions how the mushrikeen (polytheists) denied
the reward or punishment, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
"But if you were to say to them: 'You shall indeed be raised up after
death,' those who disbelieve would be sure to say, 'This is nothing
but obvious magic'"
[Hood 11:7]
i.e., if you were to speak to these people and tell them about the
Resurrection after death, they would not believe you, rather they
would reject your words vehemently and deny the message you brought,
and they would say, 'This is nothing but obvious magic,' but in fact
it is obvious truth. Tafseer al-Sa'di, p. 333
And Allaah knows best.