Author: Abdul Hai Lay'yan
Religious Needs Assessment of Human Beings in the Light of Islamic Teachings (Part 14)
Human Responsibility and the Necessity of Divine Judgment (continued)
This is the very justice that every rational person approves of—that rights are not lost, and injustices do not go unanswered. Anyone who accepts that the human being was created for a noble purpose, and that this purpose is doing good in all things, must certainly accept that he must inevitably be recompensed for his good and bad deeds—whether in relation to his Creator or to creation. Otherwise, this creation would be in vain and without purpose.
Allah the Exalted says: “إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ مَا مِنْ شَفِيعٍ إِلَّا مِنْ بَعْدِ إِذْنِهِ ذَلِكُمُ اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ أَفَلَا تَذَكَّرُونَ * إِلَيْهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقًّا إِنَّهُ يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ بِالْقِسْطِ وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَهُمْ شَرَابٌ مِنْ حَمِيمٍ وَعَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْفُرُونَ”(1) Translation: “Your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six periods, then established Himself above the Throne, managing all affairs. None can intercede except after His permission. That is Allah, your Lord—so worship Him. Will you not then take heed? To Him is the return of all of you—this is the true promise of Allah. Indeed, He originates creation, then He will bring it back again, so that He may justly reward those who believed and did righteous deeds. But those who disbelieved will have a drink of scalding water and a painful punishment for their disbelief.”
The Primary Reason for Creation and Resurrection
Pay attention to this connection: the creation of the heavens, the earth, and everything within them is directly linked to the command to worship Him alone without any partner. This shows that worship is the very right for which human beings were created, and for whose sake the entire universe was placed at their service. Then, immediately after this command, the verse reminds us that all creation will return to Him so that He may judge between them and recompense them for their actions, for they are responsible for what they do.
Consensus on the Resurrection (Ma‘ad)
All Islamic sects, despite their differences, unanimously agree on belief in the Resurrection on the Day of Judgment, and they consider anyone who denies it to be a disbeliever. The meaning of this belief is that human beings remain in the abode of trial—this world—for a duration known only to Allah. When that time ends, all creatures on earth will die. Then Allah, the Almighty, will resurrect all the dead, return their souls to their bodies, gather them all in one place, hold them accountable for all of their deeds, and give them their full recompense. As a result, a group of jinn and humans will be in Paradise, and a group will be in the blazing Fire (Hell). (2)
By journeying along this path toward their Creator, the true purpose of their creation reaches completion, and their success depends on the happiness they will achieve in the Hereafter—whether in eternal bliss or in everlasting punishment.
Three Rational Qur’anic Proofs for the Resurrection
Allah has established the proofs of the Resurrection in the Qur’an upon three foundational principles:
First Principle: Affirming the Perfect Knowledge of the Exalted Lord
As in response to the one who said, “Who will give life to these bones when they have decayed?”, Allah said: “قُلْ يُحْيِيهَا الَّذِي أَنْشَأَهَا أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ خَلْقٍ عَلِيمٌ” (3) Translation: Say: He will bring them to life Who created them the first time—Who brought them from non-existence without any model or pattern—and He is fully aware of every detail, condition, and attribute of all His creations.
Second Principle: Affirming the Perfect Power of the Lord
Allah the Exalted says: “أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّ اللَّهَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَلَمْ يَعْيَ بِخَلْقِهِنَّ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَنْ يُحْيِيَ الْمَوْتَى بَلَى إِنَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ” (4) Do they not know that the God Who created the heavens and the earth—and was not wearied or exhausted by creating them—is fully able to bring the dead back to life? Yes indeed! He is powerful over every single thing.
This verse is a divine proof for resurrection after death—meaning that the One who created the vast, grand, and perfectly structured heavens and earth without any fatigue or weakness, how could He be unable to bring you back to life after death, while He is capable over all things? (5)
In this next verse, Allah combines both attributes—His knowledge and His power and says: ”أَوَلَيْسَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ بِقَادِرٍ عَلَى أَنْ يَخْلُقَ مِثْلَهُمْ بَلَى وَهُوَ الْخَلَّاقُ الْعَلِيمُ“ (6) Translation: Is the One who created the heavens and the earth not fully capable of creating the likes of them (human beings who have turned to dust) once again? Yes indeed! For He is the All-Creator, the All-Knowing.
The creation of the heavens and the earth is greater than the creation of human beings, and resurrecting the dead is but one manifestation of His creative power.
To be continued…
References:
- Surah Yunus, Verses 3–4.
- Abu Muhammad Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Sa‘id, Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi al-Qurtubi al-Zahiri, Al-Fasl fi al-Milal wa al-Ahwa’ wa al-Nihal, Cairo: Maktabah al-Khanji, no date., Vol. 4, p. 66.
- Surah Ya-Sin, Verse 79.
- Surah Al-Ahqaf, Verse 33.
- Abdurrahman ibn Nasir al-Sa‘di, Tayseer al-Karim ar-Rahman fi Tafsir Kalam al-Mannan, p. 783.
- Surah Ya-Sin, Verse 81.
