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ʾa-fa-ḥasibtum ʾannamā khalaqnākum ʿabathan wa-ʾannakum ʾilaynā lā turjaʿūna
Did you suppose that We created you aimlessly, and that you will not be brought back to Us?’
— Ali Quli Qarai
23Al-Mu’minūnالمؤمنونVerse 115 of 118
The Believers23. Al-Mu’minūnالمؤمنون
Al Mu’minūn
The Believers
MeccanVerse 115 of 118
Surah al-Mu’minun - Verse 115
115. “What! Do you then think that We created you aimlessly and that you shall not be returned to Us?”
Allah does nothing in vain and created man for a purpose. Without the Hereafter, the life of the world would be useless, and therefore the aim of the creation of man is not peculiar to or limited for this world. This verse thus reflects this truth and becomes a very effective and instructive means to awaken those who are centered upon this world alone. It says:
“What! Do you then think that We created you aimlessly and that you shall not be returned to Us?”
This short, meaningful sentence gives a compelling reason for the reality of the Day of Judgment and the existence of Reckoning; which is that if the Day of Judgment were not a reality this worldly life would remain without purpose. This life has many difficulties and hazards which Allah has prepared as preliminaries and conditions for the life to come. If this short life on the earth was all there had been, all our sufferings and struggles here would have been meaningless and vain. We will discuss this subject in greater detail later.
The Holy Qur’an has mentioned some of the purposes for the creation of man:
1. Worship:
“I created the jinn and humankind only that they might worship Me.”
(And through this means they might become perfect and close to Allah).33
2. Trials:
“Who has created life and death that He may try you, which of you is best in conduct...” 34
3. Receiving Divine Mercy:
“Except those on whom your Lord has mercy; and for that (mercy) did He create them .. .” 35
Imam Ali (as) said:
“May Allah have mercy on him who is aware of his value.”
(And knows from what place he has come, where he is now, and where he will go to).36 Imam Hussayn (as) said:
“Allah has not created his servants but to know Him, then when they knew Him they would worship Him, and when they worshipped Him they would no longer need to worship others.” 37
Imam Ali (as) said:
“The world is created for something else not for its own sake.” 38
(This world is a means to achieve the Hereafter). Surly those who seek all of their goals in this world will become world-oriented and cling to the earth, as verse 176 of Sura Al-’A‘raf says:
“...but he clung to the earth...”
There is a poem that says:
Footnotes