This Ramadan, MuslimMatters is pleased to host the Institute Of Knowledge‘s daily Ramadan series: Keys to the Divine Compass. Through this series, each day we will spend time connecting with the Qur’an on a deeper, more spiritual, uplifting level.

Previous in the series: Juz 1 Juz 2 Juz 3 Juz 4 Juz 5 Juz 6 Juz 7 Juz 8 Juz 9 Juz 10 Juz 11 Juz 12 Juz 13 Juz 14 Juz 15 Juz 16 Juz 17 Juz 18 Juz 19 Juz 20 Juz 21 Juz 22

Juzʾ 23: They Were not Created without a Purpose

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين

Allah ﷻ says. In Sūrah Ṣād:

﴿وَمَا خَلَقْنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ وَٱلْأَرْضَ وَمَا بَيْنَهُمَا بَـٰطِلًۭا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ظَنُّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ ۚ فَوَيْلٌۭ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ ٢٧ أَمْ نَجْعَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ كَٱلْمُفْسِدِينَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَمْ نَجْعَلُ ٱلْمُتَّقِينَ كَٱلْفُجَّارِ ٢٨ كِتَـٰبٌ أَنزَلْنَـٰهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَـٰرَكٌۭ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوٓا۟ ءَايَـٰتِهِۦ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ ٢٩﴾

“It was not without purpose that We created the heavens and the earth and everything in between. That may be what the disbelievers assume- how they will suffer from the Fire!-but would We treat those who believe and do good deeds and those who spread corruption on earth as equal? Would We treat those who are aware of God and those who recklessly break all bounds in the same way?This is a blessed Scripture which We sent down to you [Muhammad], for people to think about its messages, and for those with understanding to take heed.”

Allah ﷻ brings this verse in the context of the story of Dāwūd (AS). He starts off the Surah talking about the Quran, and then he mentions that the disbelievers say, “Our Lord, bring our share of the punishment sooner before the day of the Day of Judgment.”  Allah ﷻ then comforts the Prophet ﷺ saying, “Be patient on what they say, and remember our servant Dāwūd.” Then he goes on and continues mentioning the story of Ādam (AS), but in between the story of Dāwūd. Allah brings this āyah that the heavens and the earth and everything in between is not without a purpose, Why is Allah bringing this āyah in the middle of the story. It is so Allah ﷻ can can help us take a step back and realize that if we hear these stories, they are only going to be beneficial if we understand our purpose in life; if we understand the reality of this world. So he takes this step back and mentions that there is a purpose in the creation of the heavens and the earth. He then goes on and he continues. He says, shall we make those who believe and do righteous deeds equal to those who commit mischief on the Earth? Shall we make the God-fearing equal to the sinners? Allah is saying that everyone will not be the same. If someone is sinful. if someone is evil. If someone is oppressive, they will not be treated the same as someone who is righteous; someone who is God conscious; someone who is obedient to Allah ﷻ. It may well be possible that in this life we don’t notice those differences. Disbelievers are living a life of comfort and ease. The disbelievers and the oppressors, they’re not seeing the results of their actions, but Allah ﷻ is saying that they will be held accountable on the Day of Judgment. So Allah ﷻ after reminding us of our purpose in this world, our goal in this life, then goes on and brings it back to the Quran. Just as in the beginning of the Surah he talked about the Quran, now he brings it back to the Quran. 

Now that we realize that this life is not without a purpose, what is the role of the Quran in our life? He says that it is a blessed book that we revealed, so that they may reflect on its meanings. This is the first goal that Allah mentions, so in this month of Ramadan we read the Quran, we listen to the Quran, everything about Ramadan is focused on the Quran. But if we’re not fulfilling this purpose of reflecting on the Quran then we are missing out on one of these objectives that Allah ﷻ lays out regarding the Quran. The next step is for those with understanding to take heed to the advice in the Quran; the reminders in the Quran; the stories in the Quran. When we hear the story of the Prophet ﷺ in the Quran and the struggles he ﷺ went through, do we take lessons from that? Do we look at how that applies to our daily lives? When Allah ﷺ tells us that Yusuf (AS) went went through these different struggles, so learn from his patience, learn from his forgiveness, and learn these characteristics and qualities. Do we actually reflect on that, take heed to that advice, and apply it to our lives when. Allah ﷺ tells us to follow the Prophet ﷺ and take him as example. Do we take heed to that? when Allah ﷺ tells us in the Quran that we should reflect on the verses of the Quran, do we take heed to that? and so Allah ﷻ highlights a specific quality of the believers who do this; who actually take heed to the reminders in the Quran. Allah ﷻ mentions something similar to this passage in another Surah. Over here, in this passage, we see that Allah ﷻ highlights that the world and the creation of the heavens and the Earth is not without a purpose. In Surah Āl-ʿImrān, He mentions that those of understanding take heed, but Allah highlights it in a different light. Allah ﷻ highlights it in terms of the believers He says:

﴿إِنَّ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَٱخْتِلَـٰفِ ٱلَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ لَـَٔايَـٰتٍۢ لِّأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ  ١٩٠ ٱلَّذِينَ يَذْكُرُونَ ٱللَّهَ قِيَـٰمًۭا وَقُعُودًۭا وَعَلَىٰ جُنُوبِهِمْ وَيَتَفَكَّرُونَ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَـٰذَا بَـٰطِلًۭا سُبْحَـٰنَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ١٩١﴾

“There truly are signs in the creation of the heavens and earth, and in the alternation of night and day, for those with understanding, who remember Allāh standing, sitting, and lying down, who reflect on the creation of the heavens and earth: ‘Our Lord! You have not created all this without purpose- You are far above that!- so protect us from the torment of the Fire.”

He describes these people with the same description, but in this verse He quotes those believers, and He says—first describing them and then quoting them— he says they say,  ‘Our Lord! You have not created all this without purpose You are far above that! So protect us from the torment of the Fire of Hell. Allah describes these people as those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and on their sides laying down; reflecting on the heavens and the earth. Allah is highlighting that if someone is truly intelligent, is truly someone who is smart, then they will have these qualities. If they really have an intellect, they will remember Allah ﷻ constantly. They will reflect on the things around them, the creations around them, and that will lead them to this conclusion. The conclusion that Allah ﷻ has not created the heavens, earth, and everything in it without a purpose. 

To conclude, we as Muslims need to work on reflecting on the Quran and fulfilling its purpose. Allah ﷻ has gifted us with our intellect. He has gifted us with so many blessings. We need to use that to reflect on the Quran and reflect on those things around us. Through that, it will bring us closer to Allah ﷻ. It will get us to a point where we are like those people who remember Allah ﷻ standing, sitting, lying down, and in all times of our life. Everything around us becomes a sign towards Allah ﷻ. It becomes a reminder of the greatness of Allah ﷻ. When we’re driving by, and we see the trees we say Subḥān Allah, how perfect You are Allah. When we eat meals we say Al-ḥamdu lillāh. We praise Allah ﷻ recognizing that he gave that to us. When we see the mountains as we’re driving we say Allah Akbar, how great You are, O Allah; thinking about how Allah ﷻ created such amazing creations. May Allah ﷻ make us from those of intellect and those of understanding.