HUMANS ON TRIAL
Why has God Given Man Freedom?
UNLIKE any other creature in the universe, man appears to enjoy free will. God has not placed any curbs on him. This freedom is for the purpose of putting man to the test, and is not meant to encourage him to lead a life of permissiveness like animals do, and then just pass away one day. Rather its purpose is that man should lead a morally upright life of his own free will, thus demonstrating that he is of the highest moral character.
One who conducts himself in this manner should be reckoned as God’s special servant who, without any apparent compulsion, chose to be a man of principle; who, without being subjected to any external force, did of his own free will, what his Lord would have desired. This liberty accorded to man gives him the opportunity to gain credit for being the most superior of all creatures of God.
All the things in this world are God’s subjects. The stars and their satellites rotate in space entirely at their Lord’s bidding. Trees, rivers, mountains, and all other such natural phenomena function according to the unchangeable laws of God laid down by Him in advance. Similarly, the animals follow exactly those instincts instilled in their species as a matter of Divine Will. Man is the only creature who has been given, exceptionally, the gift of power and freedom.
The freedom granted to human beings is for the purpose of putting man to the test, and is not meant to encourage him to lead a life of permissiveness like animals do, and then just pass away one day
This freedom has opened doors of two kinds for man, one leading to success and the other to failure. If, on receiving freedom an individual becomes arrogant and insolent, it will mean that he has failed the test. If on the other hand, he remains modest and humble, bowing to his Lord’s will on all occasions, he will have made the right use of his God-given freedom. He will, without any compulsion, have bound himself by divine principles. One who chooses this course will succeed in the test of freedom. He will be handsomely rewarded by God as no other creature. Held to be the chosen servant of God, he will remain in an everlasting state of blissfulness and blessedness.