The Divine Purpose of Trials: Understanding Allahs Mercy and Human Creation

⚠️ Translated by AI, may contain inaccuracies.

By: Dr. Muhammad Akram Nadwi, Oxford

Respected scholar from Lahore, Maulana Fazlur Rahman Mahmood, asked the following question: “Assalamu Alaikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh, respected Shaykh! I hope you are well. I have a question: Allah is self-sufficient and has no needs. Why was it necessary to create humans and put them through trials? If the purpose of creation is worship, then aren’t other creatures already doing that? I hope you will provide an answer.”

Allah, the Almighty, is characterized by perfection in every way. His perfection existed from eternity and will remain forever. His attributes, like His essence, have no beginning or end. The creation of beings has not added anything to His attributes, and the absence of creation would not detract from His essence or qualities.

He is the Creator, distinct from His creation. There is no resemblance or connection between Him and His creation, and any claim of similarity or union with Him is disbelief. He is in need of no one, while everything is in need of Him. He is the Creator and Owner of all benefit and harm, and nothing in creation can benefit or harm Him. His essence is far above any such illusion.

One of His attributes is “Ar-Rahman” (The Most Gracious) and “Ar-Raheem” (The Most Merciful). His relationship with creation is one of mercy, which encompasses both love and benevolence. He created everything as an expression of this attribute of mercy, a reality that is repeatedly emphasized in the Qur’an under various titles, such as in “Bismillah Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem” and in Surah Al-Fatiha: “Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Alameen, Ar-Rahman Ar-Raheem,” and in Surah Ar-Rahman, where it is beautifully explained.

Angels, jinn, and humans are also manifestations of this mercy, meaning that the Lord of the Worlds created them to bestow upon them His boundless mercies and to increase these mercies for them.

To add to these mercies, He gave them a test, which is to use their given abilities to strive for the best. The better they become, the more deserving they are of rewards and bounties. The path to excellence has been embedded in their nature, and reason was created to support this nature. If these beings strive to become better, they earn greater rewards, but their striving brings no benefit to the Lord of the Worlds.

As a further act of His mercy, He gave commands and prohibitions to preserve and support their innate nature and intellect. These commands and prohibitions are an extraordinary blessing, for without them, even natural guidance would be doubtful. This is what is meant in the verse: “And I have completed My favor upon you.”

Allah’s creation includes an infinite variety of species and kinds, and in this diversity lies another mercy. It helps creation recognize His limitless power and knowledge, as every difference is a great sign pointing to His greatness.

This diversity is also reflected in the differences between angels, jinn, and humans. Angels were created in a way that they always strive to be better, ascending in ranks of closeness. They can only obey and cannot disobey. This is because Allah wanted to use them as agents between Himself and His creation, although He does not need any agents. He could manage everything directly without intermediaries, but His eternal wisdom necessitated that there be a veil between Him and His creation for their own benefit.

In contrast, jinn and humans have both capacities—the ability to be better and the ability to become worse. Since Allah is entirely merciful, He wishes for jinn and humans to strive for excellence so they may earn His eternal rewards. Out of this mercy, He revealed scriptures, sent prophets, and established the system of glad tidings and warnings. The test of humans is ultimately for their own benefit. If they succeed in this trial, they earn Allah’s pleasure and the bliss of Paradise. Failing in this test would be a great injustice to themselves, resulting in the displeasure of the Most Merciful and the punishment of Hell. The description of these two outcomes is itself a manifestation of His mercy.

From the above explanation, it becomes clear that every creature is engaged in its own form of worship, and this diversity is a testament to His power and knowledge.

The test of humans is ultimately for their own benefit, and this system of trials is a reflection of His boundless mercy. He is pleased with obedience and worship and displeased with disobedience, not because obedience brings Him any benefit or disobedience causes Him any harm, but because He loves to bestow honor and reward upon His servants and does not desire to punish them.

🤲 May Allah make us obedient servants and grant us His nearness in Paradise. Ameen.