EXPLAINING CREATION
Purpose of Life
WHY is there a contradiction between the two worlds—the material world and the human world? The material world is a complete world. There is no defect in it. But the human world is apparently an incomplete world.
When we study the material world, we find that it is well planned, intelligently designed and flawless, while the human world is one in which there are problems aplenty and many kinds of unwanted situations. For man, happiness seems to be an unachievable goal. If God is perfect and all-powerful then why this contradiction in nature? If God is perfect and powerful, the world ought to be a world in which there are no contradictions.
This kind of observation as noted above is based on appearances, but if one tried to explain nature according to God’s scheme of things, we would discover that the apparent contradiction is a part of the different aspects of the scheme of the Creator.
Paradise will be accorded on the basis of merit. Only those individuals who pass the test will gain entry into Paradise.
The fact is that, the material world was created as a supporting world. It is a custom-made universe. The universe was made for man and not vice versa, hence we find stability in the world. Man, on the other hand, was created according to quite a different scheme. It is required of man that he develops himself as a self-made man. For this purpose, man has been given total freedom. It is this total freedom that creates all kinds of problems and not creation itself.
According to the Quran, man was created according to a special scheme. God Almighty created Paradise as man's eternal abode. But this Paradise will be given to mankind on a purely selective basis. God will watch man's behaviour in the present world, then, according to the record prepared by the angels, Paradise will be accorded on the basis of merit. Only those individuals who pass the test will gain entry into Paradise.