Can all a person’s needs be met in this life?
We are taught by Allah swt that it can not. We know that the prophet Adam was given everything anyone could want, complete peace and abundance. Yet he wanted immortality and superhuman powers and committed sin to get it. This tells us, that even if all humans were given peace, spouse, money, accolades, respect and admiration from the universe’s creation (status), and everything a human could possibly want, we would still seek more and commit sins.
Would helping humanity get their needs met, whether its wealth, power, dignity, or status, make them more likely to be good and sin less?
If we gave some people money, power, love, leadership, how do we know they would act righteous? It’s very possible that they will act worse in their pursuit to become like God (example prophet Adam or Pharoah).
God was merciful to Adam, so he allowed him to live his life on earth, with struggle, so he could remember to worship God out of need, fear, and gratitude. However, another issue occured, humans started creating partners to God so that they could have their needs met faster through an intermediary or shortcut. This is a sin God does not forgive, because you are bypassing the exercise created for you, and you are find a way to deny God (with all of his exclusive attributes). You are choosing to reach into the supernatural world, and bypass God, and seek your needs to be meet through fake deities. Even though your needs are not met, you have already chosen to sin, thereby nullifying the process of life on earth that was created to purify your soul.
One must think, if you could snap a finger and solve someone’s problems, what help would that do for them? If Allah swt wanted to he could create peace, riches, spouses, children, for anyone. But the purpose of earth is to take comfort away so humans can learn to worship God alone.
What is the purpose of life then? What is a God worthy goal for this life? Is it giving to others so they can have their needs met? Or are the needs of others not met because they worship partners with God (knowingly or unknowingly)?
At what level does someone become good? What actions are good? What does Allah want from us?
The Qur’an says:
“Indeed, I have not created jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56)
What is the best way to worship Allah? Allah advises us to do good deeds:
“So race to [all that is] good. Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you all together. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.”
(فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ) Surah Al-Baqarah (2:148)
“It is those who hasten to good deeds, and they outstrip [others] therein.”
(أُولَـٰئِكَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ) Surah Al-Mu’minūn (23:61)
We don’t know why doing good deeds will help us, but Allah requests that from us. Who has done the most good deeds on earth? Perhaps an inventor of a tool that eliminates global poverty or hunger would be on the list. What are your thoughts?
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