What Is The Purpose Of Life

What is the Purpose of Life? (Second Edition)

By

Mostafa Malaekah

Copyright © 2004 Mostafa Malaekah. All rights reserved.* *(Reprinting, reproducing, or translating this booklet is permitted for Islāmic da‘wah centres on the condition that absolutely no change, addition or omission is introduced.) They say that a fool lives to eat and a wise man eats to live. But then, the question remains: For what purpose does the wise man live? Living should not be an end in itself. There has to be a purpose for which one lives. So what is that purpose? Where From? Where To? And Why? No man should be ignorant about the reason for his existence, his aim in life or his state after death. Many thinkers have expressed basic questions in simple words: "Where from?" "Where to?" and "Why?" Meaning: Where did I come from? Where am I going? And why am I here? Those who believe only in the material world and who do not believe in a Creator - the atheists – recognise only what can be identified through the senses and confirmed by experience. They assume that this universe and everything in it came into existence by itself and all its order is due only to blind coincidence. They think that man is simply like an animal or a plant that he will exist for a short period and then end like any other animal or plant. An Arab poet, Elyā Abū Mādhi, expressed his uncertainty about the purpose of life in the 1950’s in his poem At-Talāsim, meaning "puzzles", which I have translated into English. He says in his poem: I came not knowing from where, but I came. And I saw a path in front of me, so I walked. And I will remain walking, whether I want to or not. How did I come? How did I see my path? I do not know! Am I new in this existence or am I old? Am I free and unrestrained, or do I walk in chains? Do I lead myself in life, or am I being led? I wish I knew, but… I do not know! And my path, oh what is my path? Is it long or is it short? Am I ascending or am I descending therein and sinking? Is it I who walks the road, or is it that the road is moving? Or are we both standing still while time it is that’s running? I do not know! Do you think: before I was a man proportioned That I was nothing - inconceivable? Or do you think that I was something? Is there an answer to this puzzle, or will it remain eternal? I do not know ... and why do I not know?? I do not know! Doubt and confusion about the existence of a Creator must be quite disturbing because it deprives the atheist and the agnostic of the tranquillity, security and peace of mind that comes with faith. Unbelievers do not have satisfying answers to the question of one’s existence. And thus many claim that man lives for himself and for the pleasures of this life. So what happens when life turns sour? What happens when one goes through hardships? It is no coincidence that the largest number of suicides takes place amongst people who do not know their purpose in life. Do you know which country has the largest number of suicides? It is Japan. In the year 2003, there were 34,400 suicides in Japan.1 That is 94 suicides per day, or 1 suicide every 15 minutes! This despite Japan being the second largest economy in the world, wherein people do not have to worry about providing a roof over their heads or about food or medical care. A Perfect Environment for Life To the atheist and the agnostic one might say: "Suppose you find a watch in the middle of a desert. What would you conclude? Would you think that someone dropped this watch? Or would you suppose that the watch came into being by itself? Of course no sane person would say that the watch just happened to develop from the metals that lie buried in the earth. The watch must have had a Al-Eqtisadiah Newspaper, 24-07-2004 (based on France Press News Agency).

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manufacturer. If it tells accurate time we expect the manufacturer must have intelligence. Mere chance cannot produce a precisely working watch. But what else tells accurate time? Consider the sunrise and sunset. Their timings are so strictly regulated that scientists can publish in advance the sunrise and sunset times in your daily newspapers. But who regulates the timings of sunrise and sunset? Consider also that we benefit from the sun only because it remains at a safe distance from the earth, a distance that averages 149.6 million kilometres. If it was much closer, the earth would burn up. And if it was too far away, the earth would turn into an icy planet making human life impossible. Who decided in advance that this was the right distance?" The Creator who gave us light, energy, protection and beauty deserves our thanks. Yet some people insist that He does not exist. From the earliest recorded history, mankind has been unanimous, with very few exceptions, in the opinion that there is a Creator and that there is life after death. However, men differed about the essence of this Creator, about how to worship Him and about the description of the life after death. For example, Hindus believe in reincarnation, that after death one’s soul will then go into a human or an animal body depending on whether one did good or bad deeds in his life, and that this process continues without end until the soul reaches perfection and unites into one with its Creator. People of other religions like Jews, Christians and Muslims also believe in life after death, but not in reincarnation like the Hindus. All three - Jews, Christians and Muslims - have different views about what happens to the soul after one’s death. The fact that most nations and communities throughout history believed in a Creator made the mission of prophets to advocate the worship of the one and only Creator, God, rather than to prove His existence. Why Did People Turn Away from God? The situation in the world today differs because there are now a very large number of people who do not believe in a Creator or in life after death. For example, one of two surveys in the Czech Republic in the year 2000 found that only 13% believe in life after death, and the other found that only 17% believe in God.2 In Sweden, an academic study3 conducted in 1998 found that only 18% of people in Sweden4 believe in God. This is partly due in the last century to the acceptance of the so-called theory of evolution by Darwin and, in some countries, the impact of totalitarian communism rule. This theory has no academic or scientific substance, but gained favour with so many people because it appealed to the doubts they had about the God they were told to believe in, which is not surprising. If you give an educated person the description of a Creator that is illogical and unreasonable, he would refuse to believe. Some of the most important doctrines of Christianity - the doctrines of the trinity, the divinity of Jesus, the divine-sonship of Jesus, original sin and the atonement are neither rational nor in conformity with the teachings of Jesus himself. The religion revealed to the prophets of various nations was the same, but in the course of time it was misinterpreted and became mixed with superstitions, and then degenerated into mythical beliefs and meaningless rituals. The concept of God, the very core of religion, became debased by: 1. The anthropomorphic tendency of making God into a being with a human shape, needs and deficiencies 2. The association of other persons with the one God in His Godhead (as in Hinduism and Christianity) 3. The deification of angels 4. Considering the Prophets "avatars" or incarnations of God 5. The personification of the attributes of God into separate divine persons I was recently attending a lecture in Sweden given by a Muslim to a group of retired men and women over 65 years of age. The lecturer first asked the group: "How many of you believe in God?" They all raised their hands except two men. Then the lecturer asked: "Which of you do not believe in God?" The remaining two elderly men raised their hands. However, one of them paused and interrupted the lecturer, saying: "Tell me what you mean by 'God' so that I can answer you!" After the session I said to the lecturer: "That man was intelligent, because at first he said he did not believe in God, most probably because of the Christian concept of God, but then he was willing to have an open mind and rethink his position based on the concept of God that could be presented by the Muslim."

The Prague Post, 25-10-2000. Folkkyrkor och religiös pluralism – den nordiska religiösa modellen, Gustafsson & Petterssson (editors), 2000, P. 82. 4 This figure includes people with a foreign background, the majority of whom believe in God. This means that the percentage of native Swedes who believe in God is actually lower than 18%. 2 3

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Why Are We Created? Those who believe in the Creator can answer the questions: "Where from? " and "Where to?" But what about the answer to the third question, Why have we been created? If we were created by a Creator, shouldn’t He tell us the purpose of our creation, what He expects of us and on what basis He is going to judge us on the Day of Judgement? What is the Islāmic view? Muslims say they know the purpose of life because they have the Qur’ān. But people of other religions also have their own scriptures, so what is so special about the Qur’ān? The Qur’ān is basically a book of divine guidance in areas that cannot be covered by human senses or intellect, such as faith, methods of worship, the moral code and laws that govern transactions between people. These are the four basic foundations of religion, areas in which man needs divine guidance. The Qur’ān is the last scripture revealed by Allāh ("Allāh" is the proper name of God and is not used to denote any other being. Therefore, it is used here in preference to the word "God"). The Qur’ān is the recorded words of Allāh, Himself, dictated verbatim to the final prophet, Muhammad, in instalments through the angel Gabriel over a period of 23 years, between 610 and 633 AD. It is divided into 114 units, each called a "sūrah". Muhammad received revelation of the Qur’ānic surahs whenever Allāh willed to bestow on him new revelation. Muhammad had a group of scribes entrusted with committing immediately whatever was revealed to him to writing. Those scribes wrote them down on parchment, pottery, date palm leaves, flat stones, tree bark, wood, dried animal skins and even the shoulder bones of sheep or camels, and the revealed verses were also memorised by heart. The mere recitation of the Qur’ān is in itself an act of worship, and Muslims referred to these verses for their rulings and recited them in their five daily prayers. In this manner, the verses of the Qur’ān were preserved in the hearts of Muslims as well as having been written down during the lifetime of the Prophet. Muhammad was instructed by the angel Gabriel exactly where to place every new passage in the surahs, which were placed in order by divine decree. Muhammad recited the whole of the Qur’ān before Gabriel more than once in the last year of his life. No revealed book has ever enjoyed the authenticity of the Qur’ān, or the cherishing, reverence, surveillance and care of its followers as has the Qur’ān. It had already been recorded and memorised entirely by a large number of Muslims during the lifetime of Muhammad. After Muhammad’s death, the first caliph, Abū Bakr, commissioned one of the original scribes, Zaid ibn Thābit, to be in charge of collecting the original records of Qur’ānic revelations and compiling a complete copy of the Qur’ān. Zaid produced that copy written on pages of leather. It was arranged in the same order as revealed to the Prophet. This was done within the first two years after the Prophet’s death. The copy was then entrusted to the second caliph, ‘Omar, and then to the third caliph, ‘Othmān. ‘Othmān called on Zaid to head a committee of four scholars who would take on the task of making additional copies. Those seven copies (produced 14 years after Muhammad’s death) were distributed to the various centres of the Muslim state to be the official reference in each centre. At least three of those original copies of the Qur’ān are still intact today, one in Tashkent, one in Istanbul, and one in Cairo. They do not differ, even by one letter, from the millions of copies of the Qur’ān circulated today. This authenticity of the last revelation is in itself miraculous. The Qur’ān is the only divine scripture that has been kept intact in exactly the same language of revelation, word for word and letter for letter. The Qur’ān is unique because it is the word of the Creator in its purest form. Muslims believe in the original revelations sent down to Prophets Moses, David and Jesus, but none of these revelations is still intact, and none is found in the original language of revelation. The Qur’ān came to the Arabs in their language while they were at their peak in eloquence, and it challenged them to produce any book like it, or ten chapters similar to it, or even one single chapter similar to it. This challenge still exists today and no response has been forthcoming. The beauty of its expression is unique and cannot be paralleled by human writings, but being the word of the Creator, any subject covered in the Qur’ān must also be unique. This is evident in its jurisprudence and instruction in the area of worship. The concepts of divinity, prophethood and morality are all uniquely defined in the Qur’ān. If we look at its narrations of history, we learn how previous nations received the divine message, their reaction to it and the outcome. The Qur’ān relates these accounts accurately, as has been proven by modern archaeological discoveries. The Qur’ān is credible Besides religious guidance, the Qur’ān contains hundreds of verses that speak of the universe, its components and phenomena such as the earth, sun, moon, stars, mountains, wind, running water, plants, animals, and the successive stages of development of the human being. More than 1,000 verses relating to cosmic facts or cosmic phenomena can be counted in the Qur’ān. At the time of its revelation, scientific knowledge of the universe was almost non-existent so it was not easy to elaborate on verses relating to the universe or its phenomena except within the limitations of that time. However, we now know much more about the laws of the universe than before, and that is why reviewing verses relating to the cosmos, man and his surroundings exposes one of the most obvious

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miracles of the Qur’ān, which was revealed more than 14 centuries ago. It has been found to contain many scientific facts, although it was revealed at a time when people had no knowledge whatsoever of such facts. The Qur’ān has addressed these facts in a language that is more precise, accurate and concise than that of the scientists. Nothing in the Qur’ān contradicts any established scientific fact. These cannot all be covered in a short article so I have selected only five verses that testify to the miraculous nature of the Qur’ān from a scientific point of view, and thus, to its authenticity and credibility. 1- The creation of the universe has recently been explained by astrophysicists as a phenomenon popularly known as the "Big Bang". It is supported by observational and experimental data gathered by astronomers and astrophysicists over the past decades. According to the "Big Bang" theory, the whole universe was formed from the explosion of a singularity, a point of infinite smallness and density that expanded into a uniform mass which then separated to form galaxies. These then divided to form stars, planets, the sun, the moon, etc. The Qur’ān contains the following verse regarding the origin of the universe: "Have those who disbelieved not considered that the heavens and the earth were [once] a joined entity, and then We separated them and made from water every living thing? Then will they not believe?" (Qur’ān 21:30) How could a scripture, which first appeared in the deserts of Arabia 1400 years ago, contain such a profound scientific truth? 2- In 1925, an American astronomer by the name of Edwin Hubble provided observational evidence that all galaxies are receding from one another, which implies that the universe is expanding. The expansion of the universe is now an established scientific fact. This is what the Qur’ān says regarding the formation of the universe: "And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are [its] expander." (Qur’ān 51:47) In his book "A Brief History of Time", Stephen Hawking says: "The discovery that the universe is expanding is one of the great intellectual revolutions of the 20th century." But the Qur’ān mentioned it long before man even learned to build a telescope! 3- Scientists state that before the galaxies in the universe were formed, celestial matter initially existed in the form of gaseous matter, and that huge amounts of it were present before the formation of galaxies. To describe celestial matter, the word "smoke" is more appropriate than gas. The following Qur’ānic verse refers to this state of the universe: "Then He [Allāh] directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke..."(Qur’ān 41:11) Again, this fact is a corollary to the "Big Bang" theory and was not known to mankind during the time of Prophet Muhammad. What then, could have been the source of this knowledge? 4- About the source of iron, we read in the Qur’ān: "Indeed, We have sent down iron, wherein is great might and benefits for the people."(Qur’ān 57:25) It has recently been proven that all iron, not only in our planet but also in the entire solar system came from outer space. This is because the moderate temperature of the sun cannot generate iron. The sun has a surface temperature of 6000 degrees Celsius and a central temperature of about 20 million degrees Celsius. Much hotter stars exist, known as novae or super novae, where temperatures can reach hundreds of billions of degrees Celsius, and it is in these stars that iron is formed. When the percentage of iron reaches a certain proportion of the mass of the star, it explodes, and the particles travel in space until they are captured by the gravitational fields of other heavenly bodies. That is how our solar system obtained its iron, and it is an established fact today that all the iron in our solar system was not generated within the system but came to it from outer space. 5- Modern earth sciences have proven that mountains are not just surface elevations, but that they extend 10-15 times their surface elevation into the ground, and these extensions are called mountain roots. Mountain roots were unknown to scientists until the turn of the 20th century. If we look at the peg used for anchoring a tent, we find that most of its length is buried in the ground, while its smallest part crops out on the surface. Mountains are shaped like pegs5 and serve a similar function, which is to stabilise the continents. The Qur’ān describes mountains as pegs or stakes: "Have We not made the earth a resting place? And the mountains as stakes?" (78:6-7) We have also learned that the outer rocky layer of the earth is fractured by faults into plates that float on molten magma. With the earth’s rotation around its own axis, these floating plates would have been constantly shifting had it not been for the stabilising influence of mountains. No soil would have accumulated, no water would have been stored in the soil, no plant would have germinated, no house could have been built, and life would have been impossible on our planet. This has just begun to be understood in the framework of plate tectonics since the late 1960’s.6 Yet the Qur’ān mentioned these scientific facts 1400 years ago: "And He has cast into the earth firmly set mountains, lest it shift with you." (16:15) The prophet Muhammad is quoted to have said: "when Allāh created the earth it began to shake and jerk, then Allāh fixed it with mountains and it stabilised."7 Earth, Press and Siever, p. 413 & 435. Also see Earth Science, Tarbuck and Lutgens, p. 157-158. Also Anatomy of the Earth, Cailleux, p. 220. 6 The Geological Concept of Mountains in the Qur’ān, El-Naggar, p. 5 & 44-45 7 Narrated by at-Termdhi and Ahmad (compilers of Hadiths). 5

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One might wonder why the Qur’ān mentions matters which were not known to anyone at the time of its revelation or even centuries afterwards. But Allāh knew in His eternal knowledge that a time would come when men would discover these facts and thereby recognise that the Qur’ān is His word and that Muhammad was His last messenger. So What Is the Purpose of Life? What does the Creator, Allāh, tell us about our purpose in life? Allāh states in the Qur’ān that He created man to be His khalifah, His trustee on earth (Q 2:30). Mankind's basic trust, i.e., our responsibility, is to believe in and worship Allāh: "And I did not create the Jinn and mankind except to worship Me…"(Q 51:56-58) The purpose of man’s creation is to worship the Creator. The essence of Allāh's message through all the prophets also was: "O mankind, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him."(Q 7:59,65,73,85; Also 11:50,61,84; and 23:23,32) However, worship is not limited to religious rites alone but includes all that is intended or done with the intention to obey Allāh in all that He has ordained or prohibited or to obtain His approval and reward. Since worship is the purpose of our creation,8 it is obviously not confined to the portion of time spent on prayer, fasting and recitation of the Qur’ān. Allāh ordained for every being its own mode of worship: "And there is not a thing except that it exalts [Allāh] by His praise, but you do not understand their [way of] exalting."(Q 17:44) Those methods of worship are compatible with the nature of each being and within the limits of its ability. Accordingly, He revealed to man through Prophet Muhammad many ways of worship suitable to his physical and psychological nature, to his individual talents, and in harmony with his particular role upon the earth. In combination they will occupy every moment of his conscious existence and enable him to fulfil the purpose of his creation. The constant time filling remembrance of Allāh for which a believer is rewarded is not simply the repetition of certain phrases and formulas, but in the attitude that says, "What would Allāh like me to do at this moment?" and "What would He expect of me at this moment?" The appropriate answer in one instance might be prayer. Or it could be something else – honesty, courage, patience, kindness, refusal, action, restraint, assistance, avoidance, advice, silence, gratitude or jihād.9 Choosing the right response and acting upon it (perhaps in an ingenious manner) is a skill latent in every human being but perfected only by the sincere believer, who by doing so worships Him well. Why did the Creator make our purpose of life to worship Him? He does not benefit in the least from our worship, for He is absolute and perfect. It is we, the worshippers, who benefit from this relationship: "O mankind, you are those in need of Allāh, while Allāh is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy." (Q 35:15) Man is not only the material body that we see, but is in reality both a body and a soul. We know the needs of the body, but what about the needs of the soul? The Creator of that soul knows its needs, and as such has prescribed a variety of worships in specific amounts and at certain times - during the day, night, week, month, year and lifetime - to satisfy its needs. Some are obligatory, while others are voluntary but recommended. In combination, and if performed in the proper way, these kinds of worship provide the soul with its "nourishment" and a cure for its ailments. Without belief in Allāh and the comfort and closeness that comes from worshiping Him, man will ultimately feel a void and discomfort in the soul. Allāh confirms this: "And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressed [i.e., difficult] life." (Q 20:124) Furthermore, When Allāh is pleased with one’s efforts, He rewards him in this life, but especially in the next life after death. Only then will absolute justice and good be realised, and only then will every soul obtain what it has earned. But in order to worship Allāh correctly, we have to know Him, otherwise we may form a distorted concept of Him and thus go astray. In the Qur’ān Allāh tells mankind what He is and what He is not. For example, in response to a question about Allāh posed to Prophet Muhammad, Allāh instructs him to give the following reply: "Say: "He is Allāh [who is] One, Allāh, the Eternal Refuge. He neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent." (Surah 112) Allāh tells us in the Qur’ān that all prophets came with the same message to their peoples - that is, to believe in Allāh and to worship Him. He also informs us that the people of other nations deviated from the original teachings of their prophets. This is due to the fact that earlier scriptures were not well preserved, and with time were lost or altered. The second reason is because the clergy introduced doctrines that were never part of God’s religion.10 Because of the changes that had crept into religion In the Qur’ān 67:2, 76:2, 18:7, 21:35 (and elsewhere), Allāh states that He created man in order to test him. This is not contradictory since man succeeds in his test only by worshipping Allāh in ways suitable to every circumstance: through patience and supplication or gratitude and praise, while remaining steadfast in obedience to Him and generous in manner toward His creatures. 9 The often misunderstood and overused term jihād literally means "struggle" and not "holy war." Jihād, as an Islāmic concept, may be on a personal level, an inner struggle against evil within oneself; a struggle for decency and goodness on the social level; or a struggle on the battlefield when necessary. 10 e.g., the Christian "trinity" was introduced after the council of Nicea in 325 AD and the Council of 8

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previously, Allāh tells us that He sent Prophet Muhammad as His last and final messenger to guide mankind, and revealed to him a scripture that He promised would be preserved forever. Allāh provides a criterion to prove that the Qur’ān is from Him: "Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’ān [i.e., its meanings and its objective]? Had it been from [any] other than Allāh, they would have found within it much contradiction." (Q 4:82) The Qur’ān is available for scrutiny and investigation by any person. In fact, this test must be applied to any scripture that claims to be the word of God. There Is No "Blind Faith" in Islām Islām is not a religion of "blind faith" but one that strongly calls on man to use his logic, reasoning and intellect. In the Qur’ān Allāh stresses the necessity for people to think, to reason and to use their minds. The word "mind" or "reasoning" is mentioned 49 times in the Qur’ān 11. Also, Allāh refers to "people of understanding" 16 times in the Qur’ān12. He refers to "those of intelligence" twice13, and refers in many verses of the Qur’ān to the intellect14, to the heart15 and to "perception"16. The Qur’ān also emphasizes the need to "contemplate" and "give thought",17 and to "remember" and "recall"18 relevant knowledge and events that may have been forgotten but are important to strengthen faith. Allāh praises people who use their minds: "Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding, who remember Allāh while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], "Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire." (Q 3:190-191) And about the Qur’ān, Allāh says: "[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they [i.e., people] might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded."(Q 38:29) "Then do they not reflect upon the Qur’ān, or are there locks upon [their] hearts?" (Q 47:24) In the Qur’ān, expressions derived from the word "knowledge" occur 865 times. In one verse Allāh says: " Are those who know equal to those who do not know? Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding." (Q 39:9) "And so those who were given knowledge may know that it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is the truth from your Lord and [therefore] believe in it, and their hearts humbly submit to it." (Q 22:54) On the other hand, the Qur’ān strongly rejects viewpoints based on myths, illusions, ignorance, blind imitation of others, conjecture, prejudice, whims and worldly desires. In fact, Allāh confirms that most people on earth have gone astray through assumption, conjecture and ignorance: "And if you obey most of those upon the earth, they will mislead you from the way of Allāh. They follow not except assumption, and they are not but falsifying."(Q 6:116) Is There Really Life After Death? All the prophets of God invited their people to worship Him (Allāh), and to believe in life after death. They laid so much emphasis on the belief in life after death that doubt about it meant denying the message of God. The very fact that all the prophets of Allāh have dealt with this metaphysical question of life after death so confidently and so uniformly (the gap between their messages in some cases being thousands of years) goes to prove that the source of their knowledge of it was the same for all, i.e., divine revelation. We also know that the early prophets were strongly opposed by their people, mainly on the issue of life after death, as most of them considered it impossible. But in spite of the opposition, the prophets also won many sincere followers. The question now arises: What made those followers forsake the established beliefs, traditions and customs of their forefathers, notwithstanding the risk of being totally alienated from their own communities? The simple answer is that they made use of their faculties of mind and heart and realized the truth. Did they recognize the truth through perceptual consciousness? They could not, as a perceptual experience of life after death is impossible. Allāh has given man, in addition to perceptual consciousness, rational, aesthetic and moral consciousness. It is this type of consciousness that guides him regarding realities that cannot be verified through sensory data. That is why all the prophets of Allāh, while calling people to believe in Him and in life after death, appealed to the aesthetic, moral and rational consciousness of man. Constantinople in 386 AD. 11 In Arabic: ta‘qiloon 24 times, ya‘qiloon 22 times, and a‘qal, na‘qil and ya‘qil one time each. 12 In Arabic: ulul-albāb or ulil-albāb. 13 In Chapter 20 by the Arabic term ulin-nuhā. 14 By the Arabic word al-fu’ād. 15 In Arabic, al-qalb. 16 By the Arabic word al-hijr. 17 In Arabic, fikr or tafakkur. 18 In Arabic, dhikr or tadhakkur.

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The Qur’ān very clearly states that the disbelievers have no sound basis for their denial of life after death: "And they say, "There is not but our worldly life; we die and live and nothing destroys us except time." And they have of that no knowledge; they are only assuming. And when Our verses are recited to them as clear evidences, their argument is only that they say, "Bring [back] our forefathers, if you should be truthful." Say, "Allāh causes you to live, then He causes you to die; then He will gather you for the Day of Resurrection, about which there is no doubt." However, most of the people do not know." (Q 45:24-26) Is it conceivable that with death life would end completely for thieves, killers, criminals, oppressors and tyrants without anyone of them receiving his due punishment? On the other hand, how many have done good, sacrificed and struggled for justice but did not get their reward? How many people called for right, adhered to it and defended it but tyrants stood in their way, persecuted them, harmed them, pursued them, made them homeless and tortured them until they died for the cause of justice? This, while their tyrant enemies lived in security, peace and luxury. Can the mind not accept, in fact demand, that there is another abode where those who did good will be recompensed and those who committed evil will be punished? If there was no life after death, the very belief in God would become meaningless, or even if one believed in God, it would then be an unjust and indifferent God, having once created man and then no longer being concerned with his fate. The moral and rational faculties of open-minded thinkers endorse the probability of life after death. Allāh confirms this truth in the Qur’ān: "And We did not create the heaven and the earth and that between them aimlessly. That is the assumption of those who disbelieve, so woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire. Or should We treat those who believe and do righteous deeds like corrupters in the land? Or should We treat those who fear Allāh like the wicked?"(Q 38:27-28) "Or do those who commit evils think We will make them like those who have believed and done righteous deeds – [the evildoers being] equal in their life and their death? Evil is that which they judge. And Allāh created the heavens and earth in truth and so that every soul may be recompensed for what it has earned, and they will not be wronged."(Q 45:2122) "And We did not create the heavens and earth and that between them in play. We did not create them except in truth, but most of them do not know. Indeed, the Day of Judgement is the appointed time for them all."(Q 44:38-40) The Qur’ān emphatically states that the Day of Judgement must come and that Allāh will decide the fate of each soul according to his or her record of deeds: "But those who disbelieve say, "The Hour [i.e., the Day of Judgement] will not come to us." Say, "Yes, by my Lord, it will surely come to you. [Allāh is] Knower of the unseen." Not absent from Him is an atom's weight within the heavens or within the earth or [what is] smaller than that or greater, except that it is in a clear register - that He may reward those who believe and do righteous deeds. Those will have forgiveness and noble provision. But those who strive against Our verses [seeking] to cause failure [i.e., to undermine their credibility] - for them will be a painful punishment of foul nature." (Q 34:3-5) The Day of Resurrection will be the time when Allāh's attributes of justice and mercy will be in full manifestation. He will shower His mercy on those who suffered for His cause in the worldly life, believing that an eternal bliss is awaiting them. But those who denied and abused the bounties of Allāh, caring nothing for the life to come, will be in the most miserable state. Drawing a comparison between them, the Qur’ān says: "Then is he whom We have promised a good promise which he will obtain like he for whom We provided enjoyment of worldly life [but] then he is, on the Day of Resurrection, among those presented [for punishment]?" (Q 28:61) The belief in life after death not only guarantees success in the Hereafter but also renders this world full of peace and happiness by making individuals most responsible and dutiful in their activities: "Every soul will taste death. And We test you with evil and with good as trial; and to Us you will be returned."(Q 21:35) Why Should One Read the Qur’ān? No person can afford to be ignorant of the Qur’ān, for it is the constitution revealed by Allāh to regulate and govern human life. It speaks with the perfect knowledge of the Creator about His creation. It exposes the truth and invites man to the way of truth. It contains important information about human destiny and that of the individual. It educates and raises men to the highest moral, intellectual and social level when they strive to comprehend it and apply its teachings to life. Moreover, it is the actual words of Allāh – not created, but revealed by Him through the angel Gabriel to a human messenger, Muhammad, for the benefit of humanity. It is an eternal miracle given to the final prophet, Muhammad, as proof of his prophethood and a challenge to all succeeding generations. It is of unique and inimitable quality. Revealed fourteen centuries ago, it remains today completely intact and unaltered in its original Arabic form. What does one discover when he understands the meanings of the Qur’ān? The answers to this question can be classified in four main categories: 1. That he can know his Creator as He has described Himself

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2. That he can know the purpose of life on this earth and what is expected of every person during this life 3. That he becomes aware of the consequences of his attitudes and his behaviour 4. How he should relate to all things – to Allāh by worship and obedience, to his fellow man by justice to all, and to the universe in general by putting those things under his control to good use This divine message was revealed to confirm and renew the relationship between man and his Creator and to reinstate the sincere and correct worship of the one true God, Allāh, who says: "Then let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided."(Q 2:186) Awakening For man, worldly life is a valuable commodity on lease from Allāh. It is the raw material of his eternal life – either lasting blessing or painful penalty. The Qur’ān remains a timeless miracle, a statement from Allāh to mankind from beyond the limits of creation. In it are the answers to questions which continue to agitate the hearts of non-believers despite their amazing advances in science and technology – such questions as: "Where did we come from, and where are we going?" "Why do we exist?" "Are we created by chance and left to chance?" "If there should be a purpose to our creation, then what is it?" Without answers to these questions which are inherent in human nature, the mind will either remain restless and disturbed, or it will seek refuge from subconscious anxiety by drowning itself in worldly affairs – particularly those pursuits that afford a false sense of purpose and accomplishment. In His mercy Allāh has sent down a cure for ailments of the soul, offering guidance and direction for any who will accept it – a reassuring constant in an ever-changing world. And in His mercy He has provided evidence to satisfy the inquiring mind and uneasy heart: "We will show them Our signs in the horizons and in themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth."(Q 41:53) All things in creation have a beginning, and our beginning is an awakening… the realization that within oneself all is not well. This awakening may come early in life, or it may come quite late. And even, perhaps, there might be several beginnings after periods of stagnation. Yet, each beginning holds the highest potential, and this is a great mercy from Allāh. However long or short a life span might be, its quality is determined from that point when one asserts his human faculties of thought and reason and awakens to the purpose of his creation, undertaking to fulfil his responsibilities on earth in obedience to his Creator. From this beginning, true life emerges – life of a higher quality which only the believer can achieve…"And is one who was dead and We gave him life and made for him light by which to walk among the people like one who is in darkness, never to emerge therefrom?"(Q 6:122) Why Islām? The purpose of life is to know Allāh, to believe in Him and to worship Him as He directed. That means living our lives according to His commands. In the Qur’ān, Allāh tells us that since the messages of all prophets before Muhammad have been altered, their objectives cannot be achieved except by correctly following His last and final message - Islām. He will judge people on the Day of Resurrection based on their belief in and adherence to that message. Allāh stated: "Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allāh is Islām."(Q 3:19) He also declares: "And whoever desires other than Islām as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers [in the Hellfire]."(Q 3:85) The present life is a trial in preparation for the next realm of existence. Muslims know that man was not created merely for this worldly life; rather, this world was created for man. So, if a fool lives to eat and a wise man eats to live, then a wiser man is the believer who lives for his Creator and his next eternal life. How Does One Become a Muslim? To become a Muslim a person simply needs to pronounce the shahadah (declaration of faith) with sincere conviction: "Ash-hadu al-lā ilāha ill-Allāh, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan rasūlullāh". This means, "I testify that there is no deity [worthy of worship] except Allāh, and I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of Allāh." References: 1. Saheeh International, The Qur’ān – Arabic Text with Corresponding English Meanings, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Abul-Qasim Publishing House, 2001. 2. Naik, Zakir, Qur’ān & Modern Science - Compatible or Incompatible?, Mumbai, India: Islamic Research Foundation, 2000. 3. World Assembly of Muslim Youth, Life after Death, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: World Assembly of

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Muslim Youth, n.d.

4. Islamic Information & Dawah Centre International, What if you find a watch in the sand?, Toronto, Canada: Islamic Information & Dawah Centre International, n.d.

5. Umm Muhammad, A Muslim’s Concept of Time, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Abul-Qasim Publishing House, 2002.

6. Malaekah, Mostafa, Upptäck Islam (Discover Islām), Gothenburg, Sweden: Islamiska Informationsföreningen, 2002. For more information on Islām visit: 1- www.harunyahya.com 2- www. sultan.org 3- www. beconvinced.com 4- www. Islamworld.net

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