Allah, the Merciful, created man (Qur’an 55:1-3) out of His mercy to give him mercy (Qur’an 11:119).

إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ رَبُّكَ ۚ وَلِذَٰلِكَ خَلَقَهُم

Except whom your Lord has given mercy, and for that He created them.

Qur’an 11:119

Man was placed in Jannah, an abode of mercy (Qur’an 45:30, Surah Ar Rahman 55:46-78, Qur’an 7:49), showing the state of blessedness that Allah created us to bestow upon us.

So as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, their Lord will admit them into His mercy. That is what is the clear attainment.

Qur’an 45:30

In our elevated state, we were made above the angels who were told to bow to us (Qur’an 2:34).

The Merciful God gave man free will, an utmost endowment. Higher than angels but with the capacity to be the lowest of all beasts, less than a rat or bug, once we act deaf and dumb and abandon using our intellect. (Qur’an 8:22)

The Contract: The Fall and The Restoration Deal

Fooled by Satan, man violated and ‘fell’ (Qur’an 7:24). Allah gave man a deal/transaction (Qur’an 9:111): ‘Your life and wealth dedicate to serve (worship) Me, fight and die, and I will reward you with Jannah (mercy).’ The Qur’an affirms that this deal is confirmed in earlier scripture, Gospel and Torah.

Indeed, We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it; but man [undertook to] bear it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant.

Qur’an 33:72

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (New International Version)

Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 100:3 (New International Version)

The Purpose of Life and the Purpose of Creation

Verily, Allah created, on the same very day when He created the heavens and the earth, one hundred parts of mercy… (Muslim)

So the purpose of life is “Ibadah“: humble dedication (Qur’an 51:56), and the purpose of His creating man is to give him mercy (Qur’an 11:119). This bountiful and eternal mercy, man now has to earn while on earth through humility and obeisance, and involving self-purification (tazkiyah) with positive societal reform – all encompassed in the “ibadah” term in Qur’an 51:56.

In Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs, we read: “(Save him on whom thy Lord hath mercy) except whom your Lord has saved from falsehood and other religions, and these are the believers; (and for that He did create them) He created the people of mercy for mercy, and created the people of difference for differing.”

Divisive Corrupters vs Reforming Peace-makers

In Qur’an 2:36, Allah commands mankind to descend to Earth, where some will live as adversaries to others. The angels noted this corruption and conflict potential of free-willed man, saying ‘man will cause corruption and shed blood’ (Qur’an 2:30).

In Qur’an 11:117-119, it is emphasized that those who have been given mercy for which they were created are the ones who are in agreement, they unite and reform the earth, and not those causing division and discord among people– who’s reward is hell. The term “muslihuun”, reformer or peace-maker (Qur’an 11:117), refers to those who bring about reconciliation, peace, and positive change in society. This contrasts with the “mufsiduun”, corrupters of the earth who perpetuate divisiveness and disagreement.”

Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The merciful will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful. Be merciful to those on the earth, and the One in the heavens will have mercy upon you.”

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1924

We all have a communal duty that extends outside of ourselves, sent down as caretakers of earth, وَهُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَكُمْ خَلَـٰٓئِفَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَرَفَعَ بَعْضَكُمْ فَوْقَ بَعْضٍۢ دَرَجَـٰتٍۢ لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِى مَآ ءَاتَىٰكُمْ “And it is He who has made you successive caretakers “Khalaaifa” upon the earth and has raised some of you above others in degrees [of rank] that He may try you through what He has given you.” (Qur’an 6:165) Each individual, equipped differently, bearing varying degrees of responsibility, actively nurturing interdependence and accountability.

Do they distribute the mercy of your Lord? It is We who have apportioned among them their livelihood in the life of this world and have raised some of them above others in degrees [of rank] that they may make use of one another for service. But the mercy of your Lord is better than whatever they accumulate.

Qur’an 43:32

So worshiping or serving Allah in Qur’an 51:56 transcends self-interest or self-focus. It entails an elevated social and environmental responsibility, aimed at enhancing life on Earth through assisting others, fostering unity and peace, and sustaining the environment and all living beings.

Your Lord would never destroy any towns for doing wrong while their people were reformers (muslihuun).

Qur’an 11:117

So the sign of those who have been given mercy is their positive role on earth and their non divisiveness. It’s necessary to point out that unity does not mean uniformity.

Abu Huraira reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “By Him in Whose Hand my soul is! You will not enter Paradise until you have faith/believe and you will not have faith/believe until you love each other. Shall I show you something that, if you did, you would love each other? Spread peace among yourselves.”

Source: Muslim 54

The focus of this hadith for many, has been spreading the salam as a greeting and not the larger issue of being a muslihuun and promoter of unity and love over divisiveness. Islam by name means submission but also “peace.”

They said, “O Messenger of Allah, all of us are merciful.” The Prophet said: إِنَّهُ لَيْسَ بِرَحْمَةِ أَحَدِكُمْ خَاصَّتَهُ وَلَكِنْ رَحْمَةُ الْعَامَّةِ Verily, it is not only mercy between yourselves, but rather it is mercy in general.

Source: al-Sunan al-Kubrá lil-Nasāʼī 5760

So we can check ourselves. Are we merciful, devoted servants of Allah, helping sustain creation and striving for peace and unity? Or are we merciless corrupters of the earth, promoting strife, discord and suffering, as the angels feared? Every adornment was put on this earth for the purpose of this test (Qur’an 18:7) and at its conclusion the earth will be cleared to barren ground. (Qur’an 18:8).

And then our actions while alive and even the footprint left behind to affect others after we passed, shall be brought to account (Qur’an 36:12).

Related: Purpose of Life

“Verily, Allah created, on the same very day when He created the heavens and the earth, one hundred
parts of mercy. Every part of mercy is coextensive with the space between the heavens. and the earth and He out of this mercy endowed one part to the earth and it is because of this that the mother shows affection to her child and even the beasts and birds show kindness to one another and when there would be the Day of Resurrection, Allah would make full (use of Mercy).” (Muslim)

“Be merciful to others and you will receive mercy. Forgive others and Allah will forgive you.” (Ahmad)

ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْمَرْحَمَةِ

And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience (+perseverance) and advised one another to mercy.

Qur’an 90:17

Related Tafsir:

And Allah knows best