Creation and behaviour of humans

The holy month of Ramazan seems a good time to contemplate the creation of human beings and their rather haughty behaviour. We are all witness to how the majority of our countrymen – including most of the leaders – totally ignore the spirit of the divine edicts. It is almost like the Quran and Hadees seem no more than the Arabian Nights or Tilism Hoshruba to them.

Let us first take a look at how we were created. “Surely We created man in the best mould; then We reverted him to the lowest of the low, except those who have faith and do righteous deeds. Theirs is a never-ending reward.” (95: 4-6) “He Who excelled in the creation of all that He created. He originated the creation of man from clay, then made his progeny from the extract of a mean fluid, then He duly proportioned him, and breathed into him of His spirit, and bestowed upon you ears and eyes and hearts. And yet little thanks do you give.” (32: 7-9)

“Allah created you from dust, then from a drop of sperm, then He made you into pairs. No female conceives (a child) except with His knowledge. None is given a long life, nor is any diminished in his life but it is written in a Book. Surely that is quite easy for Allah.” (35:11) “It is Allah Who created you in a state of weakness; then after weakness He gave you strength, then after strength He made you weak and old. He creates what He pleases. He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful.” (30:54)

“He it is Who created you from a single being, and He it is Who made from it its mate. He it is Who created you for eight heads of cattle in pairs. He creates you in your mothers’ wombs, giving you one form after another in threefold depths of darkness. That, then, is Allah, your Lord. His is the kingdom. There is no god but He. So, whence are you being turned astray?” (39:6)

“He it is Who created you from dust, then from a sperm-drop, then from a clot; then He brings you out as an infant, then causes you to grow into full maturity, and then causes you to grow further so that you may reach old age, while some of you He recalls earlier. All this is in order that you may reach an appointed term and that you may understand (the Truth). (40:67) “Surely We brought man into being out of dry ringing clay which was wrought from black mud.” (15:26)

“Was he not a drop of ejaculated semen, then he became a clot, and then Allah made it into a living body and proportioned its parts, and then He made of him a pair, male and female?” (75:37-39) “Verily We created man out of a drop of intermingled sperm so that We might try him, and We therefore endowed him with hearing and sight. Surely We showed him the Right Path, regardless of whether he chooses to be thankful or unthankful (to his Lord).” (76:2-3)

Let us now see what purpose there was behind our creation. “I created the jinn and humans for nothing else but that they may serve Me.” (51:56) “O mankind, serve your Lord Who has created you as well as those before you; do so that you are saved.” (2:21)

“Did you image that We created you without any purpose, and that you will not be brought back to Us?” (23:115) “Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion of the Universe, and Who has power over everything; Who created death and life that He might try you as to which of you is better in deed. He is the Most Mighty, the Most Forgiving. (67:1-2)

Let us now look at the behaviour of these ungrateful creatures. “Man wearies not of praying for good, but when evil visits him, he despairs and gives up all hope. And if We bestow Our Mercy upon him after hardship, he will surely say: ‘This is what I truly deserve, and I do not believe that the Hour (of Resurrection) will ever come to pass; and if I am returned to my Lord, there too I shall enjoy the best.’ Surely We shall fully apprise the unbelievers of what they have done, and We shall certainly make them taste a severe chastisement. When We bestow Our favour upon man, he turns away and waxes proud; but when a misfortune touches him, he is full of supplication (41:49-51)

“If Allah were to grant ample sustenance to His servants, they would go about transgressing in the land. But He sends down in due measure whatever (sustenance) He wills. Surely He is Well-Aware and All- Seeing concerning matters that relate to His servants. (42:27) “Yet they have made some of His servants a part of Him. Indeed man is most evidently thankless.” (43:15)

“Verily man is impatient by nature: bewailing when evil befalls him, and tight-fisted when good fortune visits him.” (70:19-21) “Nay, the truth is that you love ardently (the good of this world) that can be obtained hastily, and are oblivious of the Hereafter.” 75:20-21) “Nay, surely man transgresses; for he believes himself to be self-sufficient.” (96:6-7) “Verily man is most ungrateful to his Lord; and he himself is a witness to that, and surely he loves riches with a passionate loving.” (100:6-8)

We have seen that the All-Knowing Almighty has declared man as cowardly, hasty, ungrateful, impatient, boastful, arrogant, etc, and He has warned us in many places in the Quran (see Surah Al-Fajr) that Allah’s chastisement and punishment is very painful. In addition to this, He has also pointed out numerous favours that He has blessed us with (see Surah Al-Rahman).

It now becomes clear that most Muslims totally ignore divine edicts, for which they will have to face the consequences. Our leaders bear a grave responsibility in having to look after the welfare and security of the people and they will have to pay a heavy penalty for failing to do so.