The Wisdom Behind Creation

17. Allah the All-Wise did not create angels, jinn and mankind, heavens and earth but to worship(1) praise(2) and glorify Him in their own way.

1- "I have only created jinn and men to worship Me." 051.056 2- "The seven heavens and the earth and all belongs therein declare His Glory. There is not a thing but celebrates His praise, but you understand not (how they) celebrate His praise." 17.44

18. Anyone who refrains from glorifying or worshipping Allah, be it an angel, a jinn or a human being. Allah casts out and curses, and whoso contends with Allah's Divinity and calls others to worship him, Allah shall curse and punish him(3).

3- "And if any of them should say, I am a god beside Him, such one we should reward him with Hell. Thus do We reward those who do wrong." 21.29

19. The only form of worship accepted by Allah is the fulfillment of His commands, whether approved by reason or otherwise, with absolute obedience, humility and love for Him(4).

4- The word "worship" in its broad meaning, according to Sheikhul-Islam Ibnu Taymiyyah, refers to everything Allah loves and to the deeds or utterances with which He is pleased whether they are hidden or, manifested.

20. Allah shall accept none other than the religion of Islam from angels, jinn or men(5) Islam is submission to Allah by being obedient to Him, and by making one's will subservient to His.

5- "If anyone desires a religion other than Islam never will it be accepted of him and in the Hereafter he will be among the losers." 3.85

21. Upon bringing into existence the creation, Allah apportioned for everything, including angels, jinn, and men their means of subsistence(6) and assigned to each its mansion and habitat, and made each cleave to it.

6- "Verily for all things Allah has appointed a due proportion." 65.3

22. Allah the Most High created jinn and men only to worship Him alone and He tries them with good and evil by way of probation and thereby tests their obedience to Him(7).Jinn and men earn good or evil through their choice, yet neither of them can gain good unless Allah accommodates them and grants them His help; evil deeds are committed within the framework of Allah's will and permission and are not a frustration of His will.

7- cf. Quran 21.35

23. Allah Subhanahu made Adam from the clay of this earth with His Own hand, as an independent form of creation, then He commanded Jibril, His Spirit, to breathe life into him, turning him thus into man(8). It is also a fact that bringing Adam into existence took place in Heaven. Allah Subhanahu commanded angels to prostrate to Adam, and all of them obeyed. The jinn Iblees(9) refused out of arrogance, disbelief and rebellion. Allah expelled him from His mercy, and warned Adam against him.

8- "Verily the likeness of Issa with Allah is as the likeness of Adam. He created him then He said unto him: Be! and he is. Allah sent Jibril, who is the Spirit of Allah, to breathe into Maryam, as a result of which she conceived and Issa was born to her. Since Allah confirms that the creation of Issa was as that of Adam then it is quite clear that it was none but Jibril who breathed life into Adam. 9- cf. Qur'an 2.34

24. Allah created Hawwa' (Eve) from one of Adam's ribs and made her his wife(10). Allah then tested them both by permitting them to eat all of the fruits of Jannah, while commanding them to stay away from one particular tree. They disobeyed Allah by eating from it, so He sent them down to earth to live with their posterity,(11) that He may test their obedience and submission to Him. Those who obey shall end in Jannah and those who disobey shall end in Hell.

10- 20.116, 117 11- cf. Qur'an 2.38, 39

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