In the name of God, the Lord of Mercy, the Giver of Mercy,
I swear by this city - and you [Prophet] are an inhabitant of this city - I swear by parent and offspring, that We have created man for toil and trial.* Does he think that no one will have power over him? I have squandered great wealth, he says. Does he think no one observes him? Did We not give him eyes, a tongue, lips, and point out to him the two clear ways of good and evil? Yet he has not attempted the steep path. What will explain to you what the steep path is? It is to free a slave, to feed at a time of hunager an orphaned relative or a poor person in distress, and to be one of those who believe and urge one another to steadfastness and compassion. Those who do this will be on the right-hand side, but those who disbelieve in Our revelations will be on the left-hand side, and the Fire will close in on them.
*really? not paradise and obedience? I wonder how far this goes. Beyond that, this sura is beautiful in its own right.
1 comment:
"We have created man for toil and trial" What this means---We are here on earth for a short period of time from birth to death.--This life is filled with "tests"---circumstances that will test our goodness and our faith. Those who have wealth--it is a test of how they will use it. If they use it for selfish egoic purpose, they will fail the test. If they use it in a "God-conscious" manner for the benefit of their souls and for others (God's creations) they will have passed the test. Our ultimate destination is in our hands---we determine our future by how we live our lives here on earth. We have been given intelligence to understand and engage with the world around us and to accomplish the noble purpose for which we were created--which is to expend our effort, our energies, and our creativity for the benefit of all of God's creation.---and as the Quran says-this is the steep path. taking this road is not easy.---but if we do, it is worth it.
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