the Quran says our existence here is a trial from God to test us. Will we choose to worship God, act for justice even if it is against our own selves, care for the poor and weak?
I call myself an agnostic since I have no great desire to attack those whose beliefs differ from my own , but sometimes I comment on the views of others. You have not really laid my query to rest do see the wholeness , order and harmony ?
If you look again the observations in the post refer to cosmological principles, ie the physical universe – more from a scientific focus rather than human experiences about which the Quran has much to say as well:
You may have seen it, lived it and hated it. Or you may have disbelieved in it, ridiculed it and accepted convenient explanations for it.
What I am talking about are non-random patterns in the course of life. Even if there was nothing else to prove it (and there is much else to prove it), I would believe in God because of the patterns of occurrences in my life. The pattern of things going wrong, of circumstances, of people, place and time that just never properly align no matter what I do. The pattern is so clearly non-random, so clearly beyond my control to change, that it speaks of a higher power. What highlights this is the fact that for some, life is the opposite; everything works out with or without merit. Fortunate people think that their skills and attitude explain their success. They tend to want to eliminate the role of powers beyond themselves in how their life has worked out. Unfortunate people very readily understand and clearly see that where they end up and how things work out for them often has little to do with their efforts or skills. What is the truth?
How Are We Tested
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient
(2:155)
Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such (trial) has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until (even their) messenger and those who believed with him said, “When is the help of Allah?” Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.
(2:214)
You will surely be tested in your possessions and in yourselves. And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associate others with Allah much abuse. But if you are patient and fear Allah – indeed, that is of the matters (worthy) of determination.
(3:186)
And it is He who has made you successors upon the earth and has raised some of you above others in degrees (of rank) that He may try you through what He has given you. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful.
(6:165)
Your wealth and your children are but a trial, and Allah has with Him a great reward.
(64:15)
We are told by Allah that life is a test, and the means by which we are tested include: –
Wealth/possessions in terms of gain and loss
Status/success in terms of gain and loss
Other people/children
Falsehood and verbal abuse
General difficulties/hardships
Hunger
Fear
Death of those you care about
Yourself (physically and mentally)
Other specifics and examples of things that tempt us are mentioned in the Qur’an also. And we must bear with them all with patience and determination.
Why the Test?
And We will surely test you until We make evident those who strive among you (for the cause of Allah) and the patient, and We will test your affairs.
(47:31)
Quite simply, it is to make evident through our actions and beliefs those among us that actually believe in the message of Allah and those that do not. There is something quite important here, something which many may miss. The following section expands on what this is.
Is it Always a Test?
Yes! If your life appears to be easy, if you find that in your life, many or all the pieces are falling into place like you want them… Then realise you are failing the test. The very nature of this world is that it must be difficult (as a Muslim) and so if you do not find it difficult, then you have been deceived.
O mankind, fear your Lord and fear a Day when no father will avail his son, nor will a son avail his father at all. Indeed, the promise of Allah is truth, so let not the worldly life delude you and be not deceived about Allah by the Deceiver.
(31:33)
Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children – like the example of rain whose (resulting) plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes (scattered) debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.
(57:20)
Assess your life, your actions and your course. It is nothing but the deception of the deceiver (Satan) that makes life appear pleasant and easy. This is a major trial of the successful. Do not regard with envy the worldly benefits We have given some of them, for with these We seek only to test them. The provision of your Lord is better and more lasting.
(20:131)
O mankind, indeed the promise of Allah is truth, so let not the worldly life delude you and be not deceived about Allah by the Deceiver.
(35:5)
It appears to me that if the theory of the test is accurate some are tested severely while others scarcely at all. Of course you could easily answer this one as many Christians do by saying those severely tested in this life will be much better off in the life to come.
Religious belief needs a life beyond the grave to make any sense of the enormous injustice obvious to most people in our present existence.
Without justice religion makes no sense at all. So what the religious have is an airtight system but you must take the whole tablet .
While I mention this Buddhism has the same universal justice written into its system which it calls karma.
Number four ‘ Wholeness order and harmony ‘ certainly not from a human point of view chaos and danger and lack of harmony is a better description.
the Quran says our existence here is a trial from God to test us. Will we choose to worship God, act for justice even if it is against our own selves, care for the poor and weak?
I assume you are an atheist.
I call myself an agnostic since I have no great desire to attack those whose beliefs differ from my own , but sometimes I comment on the views of others. You have not really laid my query to rest do see the wholeness , order and harmony ?
If you look again the observations in the post refer to cosmological principles, ie the physical universe – more from a scientific focus rather than human experiences about which the Quran has much to say as well:
Struggle, Suffering and Death: The Story of Life
http://www.detailedquran.com
You may have seen it, lived it and hated it. Or you may have disbelieved in it, ridiculed it and accepted convenient explanations for it.
What I am talking about are non-random patterns in the course of life. Even if there was nothing else to prove it (and there is much else to prove it), I would believe in God because of the patterns of occurrences in my life. The pattern of things going wrong, of circumstances, of people, place and time that just never properly align no matter what I do. The pattern is so clearly non-random, so clearly beyond my control to change, that it speaks of a higher power. What highlights this is the fact that for some, life is the opposite; everything works out with or without merit. Fortunate people think that their skills and attitude explain their success. They tend to want to eliminate the role of powers beyond themselves in how their life has worked out. Unfortunate people very readily understand and clearly see that where they end up and how things work out for them often has little to do with their efforts or skills. What is the truth?
How Are We Tested
And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient
(2:155)
Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such (trial) has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until (even their) messenger and those who believed with him said, “When is the help of Allah?” Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.
(2:214)
You will surely be tested in your possessions and in yourselves. And you will surely hear from those who were given the Scripture before you and from those who associate others with Allah much abuse. But if you are patient and fear Allah – indeed, that is of the matters (worthy) of determination.
(3:186)
And it is He who has made you successors upon the earth and has raised some of you above others in degrees (of rank) that He may try you through what He has given you. Indeed, your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful.
(6:165)
Your wealth and your children are but a trial, and Allah has with Him a great reward.
(64:15)
We are told by Allah that life is a test, and the means by which we are tested include: –
Wealth/possessions in terms of gain and loss
Status/success in terms of gain and loss
Other people/children
Falsehood and verbal abuse
General difficulties/hardships
Hunger
Fear
Death of those you care about
Yourself (physically and mentally)
Other specifics and examples of things that tempt us are mentioned in the Qur’an also. And we must bear with them all with patience and determination.
Why the Test?
And We will surely test you until We make evident those who strive among you (for the cause of Allah) and the patient, and We will test your affairs.
(47:31)
Quite simply, it is to make evident through our actions and beliefs those among us that actually believe in the message of Allah and those that do not. There is something quite important here, something which many may miss. The following section expands on what this is.
Is it Always a Test?
Yes! If your life appears to be easy, if you find that in your life, many or all the pieces are falling into place like you want them… Then realise you are failing the test. The very nature of this world is that it must be difficult (as a Muslim) and so if you do not find it difficult, then you have been deceived.
O mankind, fear your Lord and fear a Day when no father will avail his son, nor will a son avail his father at all. Indeed, the promise of Allah is truth, so let not the worldly life delude you and be not deceived about Allah by the Deceiver.
(31:33)
Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children – like the example of rain whose (resulting) plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes (scattered) debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.
(57:20)
Assess your life, your actions and your course. It is nothing but the deception of the deceiver (Satan) that makes life appear pleasant and easy. This is a major trial of the successful. Do not regard with envy the worldly benefits We have given some of them, for with these We seek only to test them. The provision of your Lord is better and more lasting.
(20:131)
O mankind, indeed the promise of Allah is truth, so let not the worldly life delude you and be not deceived about Allah by the Deceiver.
(35:5)
It appears to me that if the theory of the test is accurate some are tested severely while others scarcely at all. Of course you could easily answer this one as many Christians do by saying those severely tested in this life will be much better off in the life to come.
Religious belief needs a life beyond the grave to make any sense of the enormous injustice obvious to most people in our present existence.
Without justice religion makes no sense at all. So what the religious have is an airtight system but you must take the whole tablet .
While I mention this Buddhism has the same universal justice written into its system which it calls karma.
The concept “universe” as understood today can hardly be inferred from the Quran.