7.2. WHY DID GOD CREATE MANKIND
From the perspective of humankind, the question “Why did God create man?” implies “For what purpose was man created?” In the final revelation, this question is answered without any ambiguity. Humans are first informed by God that every human being is born with an innate consciousness of God. In Chapter al-A‘raaf, Allaah said:
“[Remember] when your Lord extracted from the loins of Adam’s children their descendants and made them testify [saying]: ‘Am I not your Lord?’ They said: ‘Yes, we will testify to it.’ [This was] in case you say on the Day of Judgment: ‘We were unaware of this.’ Or you say: ‘It was our ancestors who worshipped others besides God and we are only their descendants. Will you then destroy us for what those liars did?’ ”Quran, 7:172-3
Consequently, every human being is responsible for belief in God, which is imprinted on each and every soul. It is based on this inborn belief that Allah defined the purpose of humankind’s creation in Chapter ath-Thaariyaat :
“I have created the jinn19 and humankind only for My worship.”Quran, 51:56
Thus, the essential purpose for which humankind was created is the worship of God. However, the Almighty is not in need of human worship. 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. God is perfect. He alone exists without any needs. All created beings have needs. Consequently, it is humankind that needs to worship God.
The Meaning of Worship
To understand why human beings need to worship God, one must first understand what is meant by the term ‘worship.’ The English term ‘worship’ comes from the Old English weorthscipe meaning ‘honor.’ Consequently, worship in the English language is defined as ‘the performance of devotional acts in honor of a deity.’According to this meaning, man is instructed to show gratitude to God by glorifying Him. In Chapter an-Nasr of the final revelation, Allaah says:
“Glorify the praises of your Lord.” Quran, 110:3
In glorifying God, man chooses to be in harmony with the rest of creation which naturally glorifies its Creator. Allah addresses this phenomenon in many chapters of the Quran. For example, in Chapter al-Israa, Allaah states:
“The seven heavens and the earth and whatever is in them glorifyHim and there is nothing which does not glorify His praise. 21 However, you do not understand their glorification.”Quran, 17:44
However, in Arabic, the language of the final revelation, worship is called ‘ibaadah, which is closely related to the noun ‘abd, meaning ‘a slave.’ A slave is one who is expected to do whatever his master wills. Consequently, worship, according to the final revelation, means ‘obedient submission to the will of God.’ This was the essence of the message of all the prophets sent by God to humankind. For example, this understanding of worship was emphatically expressed by Prophet Jesus in the Gospel according to Matthew, 7:21, “None of those who call me ‘Lord’ will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” It should be noted that ‘will’ in this quote means ‘what God wants human beings to do’ and not ‘what God permits humans to do,’ because nothing happens in creation without the will (permission) of God. The ‘Will of God’ is contained in the divinely revealed laws which the prophets taught their followers. Consequently, obedience to divine law is the foundation of worship. In this sense, glorification also becomes worship when humans choose to obey God’s instructions regarding His glorification.
The Need for Worship
Why do human beings need to worship and glorify God by obeying the divinely revealed laws? Because obedience to divine law is the key to success in this life and the next. The first human beings, Adam and Eve, were created in paradise and later expelled from paradise for disobeying the divine law. The only way for human beings to return to paradise is by obedience to the law. Jesus, the Messiah, was reported in the Gospel according to Matthew to have made obedience to the divine laws the key to paradise: Now behold, one came and said to him, “Good teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?” So he said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments.”Also in Matthew 5:19, Jesus Christ was reported to have insisted on strict obedience to the commandments, saying, “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”
Remembrance of God
All of the various acts of worship contained in the divine laws are designed to help humans remember God.
“Verily, I am Allaah, there is no god beside Me, so worship Me and establish regular prayer for My remembrance.”Quran, 20:14
Regarding fasting, Allaah stated in Chapter al-Baqarah:
“O you who believe! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you that you may become God conscious.” Quran, 2:183
The believers are encouraged to remember God as much as possible.
“O believers! Remember Allah often.” Quran, 33:41
Remembrance of God is stressed because sin is generally committed when God is forgotten. The final revelation, the Quran, addresses this phenomenon in Chapter al-Mujaadalah as follows:
“Satan got the better of them and caused them to forget Allah. Those are the party of Satan. Truly the party of Satan are the real losers”Quran, 58:19
God, through Divine law, has prohibited intoxicants and gambling primarily because they cause human beings to forget God.
“Satan’s plan is to incite enmity and hatred among you with intoxicants and gambling, and hinder you from the remembrance of Allah and regular prayer. Will you not then abstain?”Quran, 5:91
Consequently, humankind needs to remember God for their own salvation and growth.
“Those who, having done something shameful or having wronged their own souls, remember Allaah and immediately ask forgiveness for their sins…”Quran, 3:135
The Religion of Islaam
The most complete system of worship available to human beings today is the system found in the religion of Islaam. The very name ‘Islaam’ means ‘submission to the will of God.’ Although it is commonly referred to as ‘the third of the three monotheistic faiths,’ it is not a new religion at all. It is the religion brought by all of the prophets of God for humankind. Islaam was the religion of Adam, Abraham, Moses and Jesus. God addresses this issue in the final revelation with regard to Prophet Abraham, saying:
“Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian, but he was an upright Muslim who did not worship others besides God.” Quran, 3:67
Since there is only One God, and humankind is one species, the religion which God has ordained for human beings is one. He did not prescribe one religion for the Jews, another for Indians, yet another for Europeans, etc. Human spiritual and social needs are uniform, and human nature has not changed since the first man and woman were created. Consequently, no other religion is acceptable to God besides Islaam, as He clearly states in Chapter Aal ‘Imraan of the final revelation:
“Surely Allaah’s religion is Islaam.”Quran, 3:19
“And whoever desires a religion besides Islaam will not have it accepted, and he will be among the losers in the hereafter.” Quran, 3:85
Every Act Is Worship
In the Islamic system, each and every human act can be transformed into an act of worship. In fact, God commands the believers to dedicate their whole lives to Him. In Chapter al-An‘aam, Allaah says
“Say: ‘Surely my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.’ ” Quran, 6:162
However, for that dedication to be acceptable to Allah, each act must fulfill two basic conditions:
First, the act must be done sincerely for the pleasure of God and not for the recognition and praise of human beings. The believer also has to be conscious of God while doing the deed to insure that it is not something forbidden by Allaah or the last Messenger.
The second condition is that the act be done in accordance with the prophetic way, called in Arabic the Sunnah. All of the prophets instructed their followers to follow their way because they were guided by God. What they taught were divinely revealed truths, and only those who followed their way and accepted the truths would inherit eternal life in paradise. It is in this context that Prophet Jesus, may the peace and blessings of God be upon him, was reported in the Gospel according to John 14:6, as saying, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Similarly, ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood related that one day Prophet Muhammad drew a line in the dust for them and said, “This is Allaah’s path.” He then drew several lines [branching off] to the right and to the left and said, “These are the paths [of misguidance] on each of which is a devil inviting people to follow it.” He then recited the verse: “Verily, this is my path, leading straight, so follow it. And do not follow the [other] paths for they will scatter you about from Allaah’s path. That is His command to you in order that you may be conscious of Allah. ” Thus, the only acceptable way to worship God is according to the way of the prophets. That being the case, innovation in religious affairs would be considered by God among the worst of all evils. Prophet Muhammad was reported to have said, “The worst of all affairs is innovation in religion, for every religious innovation is a cursed, misleading innovation leading to the hellfire.” Innovation in religion is forbidden and unacceptable to God. The Prophet was also reported by his wife, ‘Aa’ishah, to have said, “He who innovates something in this matter of ours, that is not of it, will have it rejected.”
The Best of Creation
Those who believe in One Unique God, without partners or offspring, and do righteous deeds [according to the above-mentioned principles] become the crown of creation. That is, although humankind is not the greatest creation of Allah, they have the potential to become the best of His creation. In Chapter al- Bayyinah, Allaah states this fact as follows:
“Surely, those who believe and do righteous deeds are the best of creation.”Quran, 98:6
The Gravest Sin
To contradict the purpose of one’s creation is then the greatest evil that a human being can commit. ‘Abdullaah reported that he asked Allaah’s Messenger (r) which sin is the gravest in Allaah’s sight and he replied, “To give Allaah a partner, even though He created you.”Worshipping others besides God, called shirk in Arabic, is the only unforgivable sin. If a human being dies without repenting from his or her sins, Allah may forgive all their sins except shirk. In this regard, God stated the following in Chapter an-Nisaa’:
“Surely Allah will not forgive the worship of others besides Him, but He forgives sins less than that to whomever He wishes.”Quran, 4:48
“And they denied [the signs] wrongfully and arrogantly, though within themselves they were convinced of them.”Quran, 27:14
To atheists and materialists, life has no purpose beyond the fulfillment of their desires. Consequently, their desires also become the god which they obey and submit to instead of the One True God. In Chapter al-Furqaan of the final revelation, Allaah said:
“Have you seen the one who takes his desires as his god?”Quran, 25:43
Love of God
Shirk also occurs when human beings love, trust or fear the creation more than Allah. In Chapter al-Baqarah of the last revelation, God said:
“There are among men those who worship others besides Allah as equals to Him. They love them as only Allah should be loved. But those who believe have a stronger love for Allah.”Quran, 2:165
Anas ibn Maalik narrated that the Prophet said, “Whoever possesses [the following] three characteristics has tasted the sweetness of faith: he who loves Allah and His Messenger above all else; he who loves another human being for Allaah’s sake alone; and he who hates to return to disbelief after Allaah has rescued him as he hates to be thrown into a fire.”
“If you try to count Allaah’s blessings, you will not be able to add them up.”Quran, 14:34
However, the supreme love which humans should feel for God must not be reduced to the common denominator of their emotional love for creation. Just as the love humans feel for animals should not be the same as what they feel for other humans, the love of Allah should transcend the love humans feel towards each other. Human love of God should be, fundamentally, a love manifest in complete obedience to the laws of God, as stated in Chapter Aal ‘Imraan, “If you love Allah, then follow me [the Prophet] and Allaah will love you.”This is not an abstract concept, because human love of other humans also implies obedience. That is, if a loved one requests that something be done, humans will strive to do it according to the level of their love for that person.
The love of God should also be expressed in the love of those whom God loves. It is inconceivable that one who loves Allah could hate those whom Allaah loves and love those whom He hates. The Prophet was quoted by Aboo Umaamah as saying, “He who loves for Allah and hates for Allah, gives for Allah and withholds for Allah, has perfected his faith.”Consequently, those whose faith is proper will love all those who love God. In Chapter Maryam,Allaah indicates that He puts love in the hearts of the believers for those who are righteous.
“Surely, Allaah will bestow love [in the hearts of the believers for] those who believe and do righteous deeds.”Quran, 19:96
Prayers
Prayers should only be directed to God alone, for only He can answer prayers. He is accessible as long as He is called upon sincerely.
“When My servants ask you [O Muhammad] about Me, [tell them] that I am near, I answer the prayer of everyone who calls on Me.”Qur’aan, 2:186
The Prophet emphasized this point, saying, “If you ask in prayer, ask only Allah, and if you seek help, seek it only from Allah.”Thus, prayer to human beings or through human beings, dead or living, is a form of shirk. The one to whom prayers are directed becomes an object of worship. An-Nu‘maan ibn Basheer reported that the Prophet said, “Supplication is worship.”
“Surely, those whom you call on in prayer besides Allah are servants like yourself.”Quran, 7:194
Thus, the Catholic Christian practice of praying to saints is shirk. If something is lost, Saint Anthony of Thebes is prayed to in order to help find it. St. Jude Thaddaeus is the patron saint of the impossible and is prayed to for intercession in incurable illnesses, unlikely marriages or the like. And it used to be that when someone set out on a journey, Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travelers, was the object of prayers for protection. However, in 1969 St. Christopher was unceremoniously struck off the list of saints by papal decree, after it was confirmed that he was fictitious. Prayers to Mary, the mother of Jesus, and to the angels, as on Michaelmas are also shirk. Even Christians who shun saint worship commit shirk whenever they direct prayers to Prophet Jesus, through him or in his name. Likewise, any Muslim who prays to Prophet Muhammad commits shirk. Consequently, God commanded the Prophet to inform his followers as follows in Chapter al-A‘raaf:
“Say [O Muhammad]: ‘I have no power to bring good or avert harm even from myself, except if Allaah wills. If I had knowledge of the unseen, I would surely have accumulated only good and no evil would have befallen me.”Quran, 7:188
Aboo Hurayrah reported that when the verse “Warn your nearest relatives,”was revealed to the Prophet, he said the following to his relatives: “O people of Quraysh, secure deliverance from Allaah [by doing good deeds], for I cannot avail you at all against Allaah…O Faatimah, daughter of Muhammad, ask me whatever you wish [in this life], but I have nothing which can avail you against Allaah.”
By Bilal Philips
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