Why is Religion Revealed?

From the moment of creation, every man is endowed with the faculty of conceiving the existence of Allah through the use of his conscience and wisdom.

It is a clear fact that everything in the universe, down to the slightest detail, is the creation of Allah. Everything surrounding us is solid evidence of the existence of Allah. Allah created the birds flying in the sky; the fish in the depths of the ocean; the camels of the desert or the penguins which inhabit the south pole; the bacteria in our body, invisible to the naked eye, fruits, plants, clouds, planets, and glorious galaxies in the most complete state, and equipped them all with delicate systems and superior characteristics.

Similarly, all systems supporting life on earth are based on very delicate balances. Very slight, even millimetric variations or deviations in these balances would render life on earth impossible. A brief examination of these balances reveals the extraordinary calculation and order inherent in them. For instance, if the earth revolved at a slower speed around the sun, it would result in huge temperature differences between day and night. A faster speed, on the other hand, would mean the more frequent occurrence of hurricanes and floods, a serious challenge to existence on earth.

Likewise, there are many other delicate balances making the earth a life-supporting planet, and it is impossible that they could have come into existence by chance. Accordingly, it is impossible that a wise man would attribute such exquisite balances and calculations to blind chance. A car or a camera reminds man of the existence of a conscious designer. Similarly, one should conclude that the universe, with its glorious interrelated web of systems, is not a self-governing entity which came into existence all by itself. Allah frequently draws our attention to the evidence of creation:

Pondering over the issues mentioned in the above verses surely suffices to make one, albeit, totally deprived of religious knowledge, conceive of the existence of Allah and appreciate His power and might. Just considering one's body, a composition of interrelated complex systems, makes one conscious of the superior creation of Almighty Allah.

Consequently, one, who is even unaware of the book revealed by Allah, can reach Allah through observation and contemplation of his surroundings. For people of understanding, the world overflows with evidence:

At this point, the need for religion becomes more apparent. This is simply because one who perceives the existence of our Creator would surely like to feel closer to Him, know Him better and find ways to attain His love and mercy; and the only way to do this is to have a good understanding of the values of the Qur'an, the unchanged word of Allah and the Divine book of Islam, the religion of truth.

In the Qur'an Allah Provides Knowledge for the Most Fundamental Issues One Needs to Know

In every age, Allah has sent down messengers and books to man, thereby introducing Himself to man, instructing him about the attitudes, behavior, moral values and life style He is pleased with. They have informed man about the true meanings of the concepts of good and bad, right and wrong, making us aware of the life after death, the rewards for those who obey Allah and the punishment awaiting rebellious people.

In this way, Allah explained every issue man needs to know throughout his life by means of Divine religions. All information pertaining to a fulfilling and rewarding life both in this world and beyond is provided to man. This basic purpose of righteous religions, conveyed to man through messengers and books, is given in many verses in the Qur'an:

In the Qur'an Allah Explains the Real Purpose of Life

Throughout world history, billions of people came into being, lived and then died. Only a minority of these people endeavored to grasp the real purpose of life. The rest simply drifted with the daily flow of events and spent their lives in vain pursuits. Basically, fulfilling their own desires became their main purpose in life. An unconscious and irresponsible attitude underlay this dominant mode of behavior in almost all societies throughout the ages. Every generation, with a few exceptions, repeated the errors of the preceding ones and simply adopted the purposes and values of their forefathers. This is a vicious cycle still repeated today.

The majority of people are enslaved by "unvarying" but utterly distorted philosophies and principles, that do them no good and which are mostly based on the following line of reasoning: Man comes into existence, becomes adult, grows old and dies. One is born only once, and death puts an end to everything. This is why people have to "make the most of life" and strive to satisfy their whims and desires throughout their lives.

Thus, the majority of people come to spend their lives which they think to be their one and only opportunity, in adhering to the life style and mode of behavior they inherited from past generations. In a spirit totally deprived of the awareness of death, they make pursuing pleasures and planning for the future the ultimate aims of their lives. Regardless of cultural and social differences, this fact holds true for all people. A prestigious education, an admirable position in business life, high standards of living, a happy family and countless similar goals become the unchanging pursuits of life.

These goals can be further extended and would fill many pages if enumerated. However, the truth is, all these people turn a blind eye to the one and only reason for their existence. Meanwhile, they spend their whole lives, which is a unique opportunity offered to them to accomplish their ultimate purpose, in vain. This ultimate purpose is to be a servant of Allah. This is explained in the Qur'an as follows:

The way to be a good servant of Allah is also communicated in the Qur'an. Being a servant of Allah means accepting the unity and existence of Allah; knowing His attributes and appreciating His majesty, serving no other Deity except Him and devoting one's life to earning His approval. In the Qur'an, the moral values and lifestyle favored by Allah are described in detail and people are summoned to this way of living.

A person living within the boundaries set by these values is given the good tidings of a perfect life both in this world and beyond. Otherwise, a bitter end awaits man.

The lifestyle one adheres to in this world shapes his eternal life. After death, there is no opportunity whatsoever to compensate for one's reprehensible deeds. Therefore, behaving with a distorted logic as if man owes his existence in this world to coincidences, as if he is not bounded by any limits, and as if he has come to this world solely to spend his life in the pursuit of vain desires would ultimately lead to his own ruination. Those behaving irresponsibly towards our Creator, ignoring the real purpose of their existence, and remaining unconcerned about the consequences in the life beyond will be chided thus in the hereafter:

In reality, such people are not unaware of their purpose in life: Allah proclaimed it through His messengers and books and provided guidance to the true path. Furthermore, man is granted a lifetime to take warning. A show of regret by those who, having turned a deaf ear to all these opportunities, have deviated from their real purpose in life and pursued their own desires will not save them from torment:

Allah Explains How to be a Servant to Him in the Qur’an

Since man has been created to be a servant to Allah, human beings are obliged to learn how to worship Him. This is also communicated in the Qur'an:

A detailed account of the type of worship that Allah requires from His servants is provided in the Qur’an. One finds in the Qur'an all the answers pertaining to the questions frequently raised about praying the five daily prayers, regular worship, obligatory alms and so on. Besides these, the attributes of a believer praised by Allah, the type of behavior a believer should endeavor to avoid, and the moral values a believer should display are all explained in the Qur'an. Modesty, willingness to make sacrifices, honesty, justice, mercy, compassion, determination and similar moral characteristics are shown to be the essential attributes of the good servant to Allah. Wicked deeds, wrong attitudes, and improper ways of addressing people are all identified in the Qur'an, and believers are warned against them.

Allah created the whole universe and man from nothingness. Among all the living beings, man especially has been given many favors, among them the "spirit," that being the most important and greatest distinguishing feature. That is what makes man a conscious being. The abundance of favors bestowed upon man is so great that-as Allah informs us-if man tried to number them, he could never count them (Surat an-Nahl: 18). So, man has to ponder upon why all these favors have been given to him, and what is demanded from him in return.

Man is endowed with the faculty of comprehending that all the favors he enjoys are given to him by Allah. Consequently, he easily comprehends that he should feel grateful for them. Yet, he may not know the way to express this gratitude. At this point, it is again the Qur'an that guides him.

In the Qur'an, Allah primarily demands that His servants feel the necessity to obtain His approval all throughout their lives. To this end, at every moment of one's life, one must prefer the consent of Allah rather than the fulfillment of one's own will and desires. Otherwise, one would become a slave to one's own desires:

Accordingly, all through his life, a believer evaluates all the alternatives-be it about an incident, a thought or an attitude -and chooses the one most pleasing to Allah.

Consequently, a believer, who spends his life in attaining the approval of our Creator, may hope to be rewarded with eternal bliss. Therefore, being a servant to Allah is merely for one's own good. Allah is surely in no need of one's prayers, worship or good deeds. As revealed in the Qur'an: "Allah is Rich beyond need of any being." (Surat al-Ankabut: 6)

In the Qur'an Allah Advises Man How to Distinguish between Good and Evil

In an environment where Qur'anic principles are disregarded, various unreliable criteria are employed to establish the difference between good and evil. Reliance on such diverse criteria results in erroneous conduct and harmful consequences. For instance, a person who attempted a crime only once is regarded as more innocent than others who have committed several crimes. A burglar describes himself as a harmless person compared to a murderer, while a murderer thinks that he is not so bad since he has committed murder only once in his lifetime. In his eyes, it is those who make their living from murder who are evil. A professional killer, on the other hand, draws a distinction between himself and a psychopath, and considers himself quite innocent. The same also holds true of those who, although not criminals, are unethical in their conduct. One who gossips regards this offense as a trivial one since he does so with no bad intentions. One bearing malice towards another thinks himself to be good deep in his heart, since he bears malice only when he is in the right. It is possible to extend the list of such arguments. In brief, all these people think themselves innocent and never accept the wickedness of their offenses. However, their excuses are all invalid and they are all seriously in the wrong. This is because what makes an individual faultless is his complete adherence to the book of Allah. Conversely, when he acts against the morality of the Qur'an, he is guilty, no matter what he claims.

As we know, the human soul has two sides: the conscience and the lower soul (ego). The conscience always inspires man to do the good and the right thing, while the lower soul (nafs) drives man to ill-behavior, of which Allah does not approve. The full use of one's conscience, on the other hand, is possible only by a strong faith and fear of Allah.

Religion enables man to acquire the consciousness with which to distinguish between good and evil. Only having faith in what is revealed by Allah and complete compliance with it can endow man with a sound faculty for thinking and a decision-making mechanism. For instance, a believer who fears Allah, as meant in the Qur'an, is granted a criterion by which to judge between right and wrong:

The unique source that distinguishes between right and wrong, truth and falsehood is the Qur'an:

The Qur'an provides a detailed description of right and wrong and how to use our conscience and consciousness. For instance, in a specific verse, a comprehensive description of the concept of righteousness is given:

Every belief one inherits from one's family or forefathers, or imbibes from one's social environment, is inherently untrustworthy as long as it does not comply with Qur'anic principles. One example is certain phrases commonly used in society to describe a good man. "He wouldn't hurt a fly" is one such phrase. However, if a man avoids hurting a fly, but fails to comply with the commandments of the Qur'an, it is hardly proper to say that he is a good person. What really matters is to avoid wicked deeds established as such by the Qur'an and to do what is praised as good. For some, feeling pity for the poor, or compassion towards children and helping them are sufficient reasons to qualify a person as "religious". All these are very excellent, but according to the Qur’an, these activities do not entitle a person to be called a true believer. The true believer is a person who meticulously complies with the commandments of the Qur'an and devotes his whole life to earning Allah's approval.

The Qur'an Instructs Man in the Real Nature of this World

In the Qur'an, the last surviving authentic revealed guide to the true path for humanity, Allah informs us that the purpose of our life is to worship Him alone. Meanwhile, the Qur'an also draws our attention to the fact that this world is a place where believers are tried and tested by our Creator to this end. Accordingly, as a requisite of this test, Allah warns man against factors specially created to tempt man away from the true path, explaining their nature to be utterly "deceptive." (Surah Al 'Imran: 185) In the Qur'an, there are many verses describing the real nature of the life of this world. The following are examples:

Social status, prosperity, children, good standards of living as well as poverty and poor living conditions are the means by which man is tested in this world. One of the verses is as follows:

That the creation of life and death is but to test man is related in the following verse:

All good as well as the unfavorable conditions surrounding man are created to test him in this world (Surat al-Anbiya': 35). All favors given or taken back from man are a part of this test:

In this verse, the point of view of an unconscious person who cannot grasp the nature of this test is explicitly described.

Believers are warned against such an unconscious attitude and repeatedly reminded about their real purpose in life:

Nevertheless, such people are far from comprehending these facts, and are tempted by the deceptive lure of these favors. Attachment to this life and craving for possessions cause them to stop short at nothing in the attainment of their worldly goals. Meanwhile, they feel deep frustration or hopelessness when they encounter trouble and difficulties. In the Qur'an, reference is also made to such a state of mind:

Believers who interpret all incidents in terms of the guidance of the Qur'an turn to Allah under all circumstances, keep in mind the remembrance of Allah and the hereafter and engage in a steady effort to attain the real abode of man. In accordance with the reminder of the Prophet Muhammad (saas), "Be in the world as if you were a stranger or someone on a journey," (Al-Bukhari) they know that they will stay but a little while in this world and that their real abode is the hereafter. That is why true believers never go astray when they receive an abundance of favors, nor become despondent or depressed when they remain deprived of them. Aware that they are being tested in their reactions to favors as well as deprivations, they always endeavor to display the attitudes most favored by Allah. They react to events having the following verse in mind:

In the face of all these facts, one is again deeply reminded that the Qur'an is an explicit manifestation of Allah's great mercy, since believers learn the most accurate facts by means of the Qur'an.

Allah Informs Us in the Qur'an that the Hereafter is the Real Abode of Man

In regard to issues which are beyond the ability of our perceptions, man is incapable of learning anything; the "future" is one such issue. Nobody can be sure what will happen in the next few seconds. Due to this limited capability in perception, in every age, people have been left curious about issues related to the future, especially about the nature of the life after death.

Surely, the most accurate answers to these questions are given by Allah, the Creator of the universe, of all human beings, death, the Day of Judgment, of Hell and Paradise, the future, the past, and the hereafter. Allah created the universe and all living beings from nothingness and continues to create them moment by moment. Allah also creates time, one of the dimensions of the universe, by which all living beings are bound. Allah, however, is not bound by time; He is surely unfettered by the concepts of time and space. Allah created everything in the dimension of timelessness. Allah knows and creates everything we regard as past and present in a single moment. (For further details, please refer to the book, Timelessness and the Reality of Fate and Eternity Has Already Begun by the same author).

Including the future, everything imperceptible to our senses is referred to as the "Unseen." The hereafter also remains to be a part of the "unseen" for people so long as they live. The Qur'an informs man about the existence of the hereafter and gives a detailed account of it. In every age, philosophers have set forth many assumptions regarding the life after death, along with the various cultures which abound in superstitious beliefs about the next life. However, the most accurate information regarding the hereafter is provided by the religion of truth.

Only the religion of truth informs man about the temporary nature of this world and the eternal life, the hereafter, awaiting man. That a day will come, when everyone will be rewarded or punished by Allah according to one's good or evil deeds, is also revealed by in the Qur'an. The Qur'an is the unique source from which we gather information about the moment of death, the Day of Judgment, Paradise, and Hell. In the Qur'an, the last revelation of Allah, He reminds us in many verses that the real abode of man is the hereafter: Allah reveals in one verse: