✿ The Purpose of Human Creation: Worship and Trial ✿
✍ Written by: Dr. Zahid Mughal
Man is a conscious and purposeful being. In every task, he acts with intent and strives to achieve defined goals — investing time, energy, and facing obstacles with perseverance.
If man cannot live a life devoid of purpose, can the astonishing human body, the complex universe, and the very existence of man be without purpose?
The Qur'an clearly informs us that Allah ﷻ created mankind and settled him on Earth for a specific reason.
Allah ﷻ says:
تَبٰرَكَ الَّذِيْ بِيَدِہِ الْمُلْكُ۰ۡوَہُوَعَلٰي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرُۨ۱ۙ الَّذِيْ خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيٰوۃَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ اَيُّكُمْ اَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا۰ۭوَہُوَالْعَزِيْزُ الْغَفُوْرُ۲ۙ
(Al-Mulk: 1–2)
“Blessed is He in whose hand is the dominion, and He is over all things competent.
He who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed.”
Allah ﷻ made man His vicegerent on Earth for the purpose of trial:
وَہُوَالَّذِيْ جَعَلَكُمْ خَلٰۗىِٕفَ الْاَرْضِ... لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِيْ مَآ اٰتٰىكُمْ...
(Al-An‘ām: 165)
“It is He who made you successors upon the Earth and raised some of you above others in degrees [of rank] to test you through what He has given you.”
Allah ﷻ states unequivocally:
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْاِنْسَ اِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوْنِ
(Adh-Dhāriyāt: 56)
“I did not create jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”
Worship must be measured by the standard of divine guidance — i.e., the Shariah.
قُلْنَا اھْبِطُوْا... فَمَنْ تَبِــعَ ھُدَاىَ... فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْہِمْ وَلَا ھُمْ يَحْزَنُوْنَ
(Al-Baqarah: 38)
“We said, ‘Descend all of you from here; then when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance — they will have no fear, nor will they grieve.’”
Allah ﷻ sent prophets (‘alayhim as-salām) to guide mankind toward this purpose — to teach Tawḥīd and instruct people to worship Allah alone:
وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِيْ كُلِّ اُمَّۃٍ رَّسُوْلًا اَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللہَ وَاجْتَـنِبُوا الطَّاغُوْتَ۰ۚ
(An-Naḥl: 36)
“And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], ‘Worship Allah and avoid false deities.’”
All prophets delivered the same essential message:
➤ Believe in One God,
➤ Worship none but Him,
➤ Do not be deceived by the glitter of this world.
This unified prophetic mission is extensively elaborated in Surah Ash-Shu‘arāʼ.
The essence of this worldly test is submission to Allah and adherence to His divine guidance.
The Qur'an says:
فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرٰتِ۰ۭ اِلَى اللہِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيْعًا...
(Al-Māʼidah: 48)
“So race one another in good deeds. To Allah is your return all together, and He will inform you concerning that over which you used to differ.”
Allah ﷻ created mankind with a defined purpose, and that purpose is:
➤ Worshiping Allah,
➤ Recognizing His Oneness (Tawḥīd),
➤ Following His guidance as conveyed by the Prophets,
➤ Striving for eternal success in the Hereafter.
The ultimate triumph lies in obedience to Allah, in walking the path shown by His Messengers, and in fulfilling the true aim of human existence.
✍ Written by: Dr. Zahid Mughal
❖ The Purpose of Human Creation and the System of the Universe
Man is a conscious and purposeful being. In every task, he acts with intent and strives to achieve defined goals — investing time, energy, and facing obstacles with perseverance.
If man cannot live a life devoid of purpose, can the astonishing human body, the complex universe, and the very existence of man be without purpose?
The Qur'an clearly informs us that Allah ﷻ created mankind and settled him on Earth for a specific reason.
❖ The Purpose of Human Creation
Allah ﷻ says:
تَبٰرَكَ الَّذِيْ بِيَدِہِ الْمُلْكُ۰ۡوَہُوَعَلٰي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرُۨ۱ۙ الَّذِيْ خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيٰوۃَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ اَيُّكُمْ اَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا۰ۭوَہُوَالْعَزِيْزُ الْغَفُوْرُ۲ۙ
(Al-Mulk: 1–2)
“Blessed is He in whose hand is the dominion, and He is over all things competent.
He who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed.”
Allah ﷻ made man His vicegerent on Earth for the purpose of trial:
وَہُوَالَّذِيْ جَعَلَكُمْ خَلٰۗىِٕفَ الْاَرْضِ... لِّيَبْلُوَكُمْ فِيْ مَآ اٰتٰىكُمْ...
(Al-An‘ām: 165)
“It is He who made you successors upon the Earth and raised some of you above others in degrees [of rank] to test you through what He has given you.”
❖ Worship: The True Purpose of Life
Allah ﷻ states unequivocally:
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْاِنْسَ اِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوْنِ
(Adh-Dhāriyāt: 56)
“I did not create jinn and mankind except to worship Me.”
Worship must be measured by the standard of divine guidance — i.e., the Shariah.
قُلْنَا اھْبِطُوْا... فَمَنْ تَبِــعَ ھُدَاىَ... فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْہِمْ وَلَا ھُمْ يَحْزَنُوْنَ
(Al-Baqarah: 38)
“We said, ‘Descend all of you from here; then when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance — they will have no fear, nor will they grieve.’”
❖ Shariah and Prophetic Guidance
Allah ﷻ sent prophets (‘alayhim as-salām) to guide mankind toward this purpose — to teach Tawḥīd and instruct people to worship Allah alone:
وَلَقَدْ بَعَثْنَا فِيْ كُلِّ اُمَّۃٍ رَّسُوْلًا اَنِ اعْبُدُوا اللہَ وَاجْتَـنِبُوا الطَّاغُوْتَ۰ۚ
(An-Naḥl: 36)
“And We certainly sent into every nation a messenger, [saying], ‘Worship Allah and avoid false deities.’”
All prophets delivered the same essential message:
➤ Believe in One God,
➤ Worship none but Him,
➤ Do not be deceived by the glitter of this world.
This unified prophetic mission is extensively elaborated in Surah Ash-Shu‘arāʼ.
❖ The Test of Life: The Path to Success
The essence of this worldly test is submission to Allah and adherence to His divine guidance.
The Qur'an says:
فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرٰتِ۰ۭ اِلَى اللہِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيْعًا...
(Al-Māʼidah: 48)
“So race one another in good deeds. To Allah is your return all together, and He will inform you concerning that over which you used to differ.”
✔ Summary
Allah ﷻ created mankind with a defined purpose, and that purpose is:
➤ Worshiping Allah,
➤ Recognizing His Oneness (Tawḥīd),
➤ Following His guidance as conveyed by the Prophets,
➤ Striving for eternal success in the Hereafter.
The ultimate triumph lies in obedience to Allah, in walking the path shown by His Messengers, and in fulfilling the true aim of human existence.
