Author: Abdul Hai Lay'yan
Religious Needs Assessment of Human Beings in the Light of Islamic Teachings (Part 12)
Religious Insights Influential in Human Success
Religious insights form the roots and direction of human behavior and decisions. Whenever these insights are based on correct knowledge and clear faith, the course of life is directed toward growth, tranquility, and true success. Therefore, examining and correcting religious insights is a fundamental step in achieving lasting success and happiness in this world and the Hereafter. We will examine this topic in four discussions as follows.
Discussion One: The Reality of the Human Being
The simplest yet precise look at the state of the human being, the role assigned to him in organizing this world, and also that no creature among the inhabitants of this universe is more deserving than him to attain ultimate benefits, leads us to the firm conclusion that: the human being is a noble and high-ranking creature. His existence is not accidental or coincidental; rather, his existence has a great purpose. In this world, he possesses a wealth and capital that is not easily obtained, and yet, in order to walk his path straight, without confusion and error, he is in need of certain knowledge. It is through this that his superiority and excellence over other creatures is realized; otherwise, he will be like them, or even lower.
Allah has described those who have gone astray in the deserts of worldly life and have failed to acquire enlightening knowledge for achieving success through the human capacities granted to them, in this way: [1] “لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لَّا يَفْقَهُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ أَعْيُنٌ لَّا يُبْصِرُونَ بِهَا وَلَهُمْ آذَانٌ لَّا يَسْمَعُونَ بِهَا أُولَئِكَ كَالْأَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْغَافِلُونَ” Translation: “They have hearts with which they do not understand, eyes with which they do not see, and ears with which they do not hear. They are like livestock; rather, they are even more astray. They are those who are heedless.”
Humans and other animals share natural faculties such as nourishment, growth, and reproduction. They are also similar in their use of the five senses (both external and internal), and in states such as imagination, thinking, and remembering.
The primary distinction of the human being over other animals is his intellectual and rational faculty, which guides him to recognize truth for its essence and to discern goodness in order to act upon it. If the human being loses the purpose of these tools (the intellect, the eyes, and the ears), then their existence holds little benefit; because understanding the knowledge through which one obtains benefits and avoids harms is only possible through these tools. Thus, if the human being prevents these exalted tools from performing their elevated functions, he becomes worthy of blame from two perspectives:
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From one perspective, he is blamed for his negligence in strengthening these essential merits within himself.
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From another perspective, he is blamed for the confusion and misguidance that result from his heedlessness. For this reason, Allah the Exalted said: «بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ»؛ Translation: “Rather, they are even more astray”—because animals do not have the ability to attain these virtues, while this ability has been granted to the human being. Whoever turns away from attaining great virtues, despite having the ability, is in a state worse than one who is unable to acquire them. Therefore, such a person is deserving of blame, and his condition becomes worse than that of animals. [2]
Knowing one’s true nature is essential for the human being in order to seek elevation and protect his dignity; and whenever a person does not know his reality, he falls into lowness and disgrace, which attaches him to the worthless realm of beasts.
The Creation of the Human Being
Allah the Exalted, in the following verses, mentions the stages and transformations of the human being: “وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن سُلَالَةٍ مِّن طِينٍ * ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُطْفَةً فِي قَرَارٍ مَّكِينٍ * ثُمَّ خَلَقْنَا النُّطْفَةَ عَلَقَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْعَلَقَةَ مُضْغَةً فَخَلَقْنَا الْمُضْغَةَ عِظَامًا فَكَسَوْنَا الْعِظَامَ لَحْمًا ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَاهُ خَلْقًا آخَرَ فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ * ثُمَّ إِنَّكُم بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ لَمَيِّتُونَ * ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ تُبْعَثُونَ”[3] Translation: “And indeed We created man from an extract of clay. Then We placed him as a drop of fluid in a firm resting place (the womb). Then We created the drop into a clinging clot, and We created the clot into a lump (of flesh), then We created the lump into bones, and We clothed the bones with flesh; then We produced him as another creation. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators! Then indeed after that you will surely die. Then indeed on the Day of Resurrection you will be resurrected.”
In these verses, Allah mentions the stages and changes of the human being from the beginning of his creation to his end.
First, He speaks of the creation of the father of mankind, Adam (peace be upon him), from an “extract of clay,” meaning from all the components of the earth. For this reason, the children of Adam also differ according to the diversity of the earth—some are good, some are bad, and some are in between; some are gentle, some are harsh, and some are in between.
Thus, the origin of humankind is Adam (PBUH), who is their father, and all have branched out from him. This is a truth that leaves no room for doubt, and it is not the case that the human being evolved from another creature that appeared on earth by chance without a Creator.
Then He says: «ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاهُ نُطْفَةً» Translation: “Then We placed him as a drop of fluid”—meaning: We made the offspring of Adam into a drop of fluid that comes from between the backbone and the ribs, and it settles in a “firm resting place” (the womb), protected from corruption, wind, and other factors.
This is the second stage of human creation: after the creation of Adam and his wife from him, the later generations were created in this stage.
Then We turned the drop of fluid which had settled into an «عَلَقَةً» “alaqah” (a clinging clot of blood); meaning, after forty days from the stage of the drop, it turned into red blood. After another forty days, we turned the “alaqah” into a«مُضْغَةً» “mudghah” (a small lump of flesh), small enough to be chewable.
Then, this soft lump of flesh was made into«عِظَامًا» “bones”—hard structures that formed within the flesh according to the needs of the body. Then, «فَكَسَوْنَا الْعِظَامَ لَحْمًا»؛ “We clothed the bones with flesh”—meaning, flesh was placed as a covering over the bones, just as bones were made the structure upon which flesh stands. This stage occurs in the third set of forty days.
Then, «ثُمَّ أَنشَأْنَاهُ خَلْقًا آخَرَ» (Then We produced him as another creation)—in which the soul is breathed into him, and he exits the state of being inanimate and becomes a living and vibrant being; «فَتَبَارَكَ اللَّهُ أَحْسَنُ الْخَالِقِينَ. » “So blessed is Allah, the best of creators.”
The creation of Allah is entirely good, and the human being is among His best creations—rather, he is absolutely the best of them, just as He said: [4] “لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي أَحْسَنِ تَقْوِيمٍ” Translation: “Indeed, we created man in the best form and structure.”
For this reason, the chosen ones among humans—the Prophets and the saints—are the highest and most complete of all created beings.
Then Allah says: «ثُمَّ إِنَّكُم بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ» (Then indeed, after that creation and the blowing of the soul into you) «لَمَيِّتُونَ»—you will surely die in one of your stages and transformations. «ثُمَّ إِنَّكُمْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ تُبْعَثُونَ»—and then on the Day of Resurrection you will be raised to life, so that you may be recompensed according to your good or evil deeds.
Honorable readers who wish to study more deeply and extensively about the creation of the human being may refer to the series of articles titled “The Qur’an: A Miracle Beyond Time” in the diverse section of the official website of the Scientific and Research office of Kalemaat.
To be continued…
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References:
[1]. Al-A‘raf: 179
[2]. Muhammad ibn ‘Umar Fakhr al-Din al-Razi, Tafsir al-Fakhr al-Razi, Beirut: Dar al-Fikr, 1423 AH, Vol. 1, p. 2091.
[3]. Al-Mu’minun: 12–16.
[4]. At-Tin: 4
