Religion And Human Nature (2/2)

As for man's livelihood, whether in the form of rain falling from the sky; crops growing from earth; fish, birds and animals; treasures and minerals underground; the air we breathe; the wind driving ships on the sea; or power driving machines such as steam power, electric power; atomic energy, the power of fuel or of water falling down from mountains - who, other than Allah, provides all these? "Lo? Allah, He it is that gives livelihood, the Lord of unbeatable might". (Qur'an, Surah Adh-Dhariyat, 51:58)

Man yearns after the unseen which only Allah knows, but all his attempts fail. He longs to know what is in store for him in his future life, what his lot will be next year, what is going to happen to him a month or a week or a day later and what is going to take place in a moment. He cannot discover what is going to take place in a moment, whether good or evil. Who, other than Allah alone, enjoys omniscience, since He has created everything and nothing in the heavens and the earth escapes His infinite knowledge?

Many things impress the human mind, awakening it to the idea of the One God, with no partner. It perceives that He alone possesses perfection, might, glory, greatness and limitless power.

"He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, Nor is He begotten; and there is none like unto Him." (Qur’an Surah Al-Ikhlaas, 112:1-4)

Thus, man would enjoy righteous nature and be an upright believer.

But the human nature sometimes suffers from derangement and relapse. The faculty of perception may be dulled; so man fails to perceive the signs of inimitability in the universe and life. He forgets the miraculous power that gives livelihood, controls events and possesses comprehensive knowledge of the seen and the unseen.

When man undergoes a new experience, all his senses will be alert to it. If he notices a scene or hears something new for the first time or goes to a new town, street or house, he will be careful to recognise the details of the new place. He is highly impressed since it is new to him; but as he grows familiar with the scene or place and sees it several times, his senses no longer pay much, or perhaps the least, attention to it.

Sometimes man behaves likewise towards Allah. He forgets that Allah is the Creator, the Director, the Giver of life and death. He overlooks the multitudes of signs in this universe. He neglects to observe the rising sun and light until they are swallowed up in the dark. He fails to notice the fragrant, beautiful flowers with joyous colours and the melodious notes of song -birds. He ignores thunder, lightning and rain falling from the clouds. He disregards the new-born baby and the dead man. He forgets about his complete weakness in relation to the absolute power of Allah.

Other things may dull man's senses - He may be busy with his food, drink, whims and transient worldly comforts, which would divert his mind from considering the portents in the universe, seeking Allah's favour and remembering the Hereafter and the reckoning and retribution in it.

Another cause of dull perception may be deviation from Allah's orders. Man would be rebellious against Allah on earth and follow his own lust - He would go beyond what Allah allows him to do because of his greediness and his desire to have mastery over others and make them slaves to his desires; so he encroaches upon their property, honour or blood and wants to deify himself so as to be worshipped beside Allah. He may be too proud to serve Allah, or he may be fascinated by what he possesses - his talents, health, power, money or anything Allah has bestowed on him. He thinks he has acquired them by his own power and forgets that all these bounties emanated from Allah.

The human perception or mind gets dull owing to one of the afore-mentioned reasons or to other deviations and relapses; so it forgets Allah wholly or ascribes a partner to Him and imagines that someone or something in the universe shares divinity, majesty and power with Allah. Thus, the human nature gets corrupt and is possessed by Satan, who drives it away from Divine Guidance and Favour. Yet, Allah does not let His servants go astray; so He sent them Prophets to call them to guidance and turn them back to truth. He has sent Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah be upon him) as the last Prophet to be a harbinger of good tidings and a warner to all mankind up to the Day of Resurrection.

He revealed to him the Qur'an and guaranteed its preservation, "Lo! We, even We, reveal the Reminder (i.e.the Qur'an) and Lo! We verily are its guardian". (Qur'an, Surah Al-Hijr, 15:9).

The Qur'an includes all that is essential for human nature to be noble and virtuous, guides to the real meaning of divinity and acquaints with the Rightful God, Creator and Director of the universe, Owner of Sovereignty without any partner.