• Our purpose of life is different from Allah’s purpose in creating us, which follows at the bottom of this article; also see: Creation: A Gift of Mercy.

When Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ made man, Satan (the devil) requested stay to take advantage of our free will and turn us to abandon God and spread mischief.

Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ told Satan that His people will never fall for Satan’s traps. Man made his first mistake, being misled by Satan and we were sent down to earth, for the purpose. So what’s that purpose?

To be on Allah’s سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ team, in worship and gratitude. Worship being our means of connecting with our Creator.

Believers are on Allah’s team and shall prove Satan wrong and get the immense reward after this short reality show, life-demonstration. So believers have made a deal, a contract with Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ.

The verse below shows that this deal is contained in all the holy messages messengers brought and has been taught by all prophets. For the eternal reward of the excellent and blissful paradise, believers have sold their souls and assets to Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. Their lives and deaths, even if it calls for fighting for and dying for Him, and all they own belong to Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ. Like a job, they only use these as He wishes, but better than any job, the reward is incomparable and He is lenient in the terms, allowing them in fulfillment of the contract to actually enjoy themselves while at it.

The verse reads:

Indeed, Allah has purchased from the believers their lives and their properties [in exchange] for that they will have Paradise. They fight in the cause of Allah , so they kill and are killed. [It is] a true promise [binding] upon Him in the Torah and the Gospel and the Qur’an. And who is truer to his covenant than Allah ? So rejoice in your transaction which you have contracted. And it is that which is the great attainment.

Quran 9:111

The verse also emphasizes that this contract is in all previous scriptures. We find in the Bible:

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)

For everyone belongs to me, the parent as well as the child—both alike belong to me. The one who sins is the one who will die.

Ezekiel 18:4 (New International Version)

One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. ¹¹ If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? ¹² And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? ¹³ No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Luke 16:10-13

It is a great honor to have been given this deal, with a short trial for eternal reward. A blessing and honor we must bee grateful for. And we demonstrate our gratitude through worship – by adhering to God’s directives on our conduct on earth. And what are the duties man has promised to undertake with his contracted life and assets on loan?

These are summarized in the subsequent verse, posted below:

[Such believers are] the repentant, the worshippers, the praisers [of Allah], the travelers [for His cause], those who bow and prostrate [in prayer], those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and those who observe the limits [set by] Allah. And give good tidings to the believers.

Quran 9:112

• Repent for your sins
• Worship Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ
• Praise your Lord
• Travel for good or away from evil and evil temptations
• Observe the contact prayers, with bowing and prostration
• Promote good
• Fight and discourage evil
• Stay within the reasonable limits set by Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ
• And give positive reinforcement to yourself and fellow believers as the winners

It is important to emphasize that the requirements are not too stringent. Allah سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ says in this verse, “stay within the limits.”

So while those not on Allah’s سُبْحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ team, who are not believers, may dedicate themselves to play and party and not have any limiting rules or regulations for their existence, the believer is cognizant of the events at his creation and knows that this life is a mere test to which he has been given tools to re-establish himself as an amazing and reasonable creation not made in error, so he can gain the most excellent reward in the hereafter soon to come. A little patience and test will be done, hence the all important chapter on our home page, Wal-Asr (by the time contracted).

Allah’s Purpose In Creating Us

Allah swt is Ar Rahman. The most merciful. While the purpose of our life is to connect to Allah through worship. He is Al Ghaniyy, the Self-sufficient. He does not need anything from us. On the contrary, He created us for our benefit: to bestow His mercy upon us.

Qu’ran states:

إِلَّا مَن رَّحِمَ رَبُّكَ ۚ وَلِذَٰلِكَ خَلَقَهُمْ

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

Qur’an Hud 11:119

Thus we see that Ar Rahman, the Most Merciful created humankind and jinns to gift us His mercy. Mercy given to all, even those who disbelieve in Him, in this world and mercy in the next world for the faithful.

This is the benevolence of the magnificent Creator. Verse 118 states that humanity will always disagree and splinter. Allah the Most Merciful tolerates us while we violate ourselves and are divisive. Those with mercy will likewise get along with other human beings in emulation of Allah’s merciful nature. Thus we will be the best as a social species, coexisting in peace with mercy to each other.

When Allah made man, the angels quizzed, “Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood?”

And [mention, O Muḥammad], when your Lord said to the angels, “Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority.” They said, “Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we exalt You with praise and declare Your perfection?” He [Allāh] said, “Indeed, I know that which you do not know.”

Qur’an 2:30

The merciful Muṣ’liḥūna (Reformers)

Thus the sign of the exemplary human who has the gift of mercy for which we are created, is his not corrupting the earth, but being a merciful muṣ’liḥūna (reformer), having a peaceful nature, getting along with others and not being divisive.

Those who are recipients of Allah’s mercy are the ones who are granted guidance and unity. This implies that part of the purpose of creation is to demonstrate Allah’s mercy by guiding some individuals towards righteousness and unity.

Ibn Abbas reportedly said, “He created the people of mercy for mercy, and created the people of difference for differing.”

Are we the pride of Allah’s creation?

• Read more at: Creation: A Gift of Mercy