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Article appeared Friday, August 2nd, 2013 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (289) yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

When parents give toys and provide conveniences, in what ways do children respond? At aminimum, there could be two types of responses. There are children who constantly want moreand more toys and conveniences. These type of children approach and interact with the parentsonlyfor the purpose of asking for more they are ungrateful and care more about themselvesand the enjoyment they get out of their toys and conveniences.

Then there are children who are grateful for whatever they get from their parents. They love andadore their parents and are grateful for the love and care provided by them. Notice that bothtypes of children know that the parent is the provider. However, the first type is ungrateful andconstantly nags for more. The second type is grateful and demonstrates love and affection forthe parents. Now, imagine that a particular set of parents have both types of children. If, forsome reason, the parents were forced to choose between the two types of children, which typeare they likely to choose? Which type of child would you say is righteous, i.e. does what is rightand behaves appropriately towards the parents?

Can the relationship between children and parents be likened to the relationship betweenhuman beings and the Creator? Let us ask some questions to understand the relationship. Forexample, do human beings intuitively know that the source of everything is the Creator? Howmany people approach the Creatoronlywhen they need something? How many are grateful forbeing given life and adore the Creator in return? To deliver justice between the two differenttypes of people, how should the Creator react to each type on the Day of Judgment?

What does the Creator say about those who prefer the things and conveniences that He hasgiven for our enjoyment and are ungrateful? The most recent Revelation, the Quran enlightensus.

Those who desire the life of the present and its glitter to them We shall pay (the price

of) their deeds without diminution. They are those for whom there is nothing in theHereafter but the Fire: vain are the designs they frame therein and of no effect are thedeeds that they do! [11.15 11.16]

So, to those who prefer the present life and its attractions, the Creator will give them whateverthey want in this world, however, since they do not look forward to meeting Him and the afterlifewith Him, there will be nothing for them after the Day of Judgment except the tormenting Fire ofHell. This can be linked with purpose of our individual creation given in the Old Testament (Bookof Moses) part of the Bible.

The LORD your God is testingyou to see if you trulylove Him with all your heart andsoul. [Deuteronomy 13:3, NLT] {1}

Being Merciful, while on earth, the Creator continues to give from His Bounty, however, He asksus to consider whether He would go to the trouble of making everything without a purpose.

Do they not reflect in their own minds? Not but for just ends and for a term appointeddid Allah create the heavens and the earth and all between them: yet are there trulymany among men who deny the meeting with their Lord (on the Day of Judgment)! [30.8]

Also, being Merciful, what approaches could the Creator take if He did not want the end to bethe Fire of Hell for any of His intelligent beings? For example, He could repeatedly warn His

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created beings, while on earth He could teach instructive lessons, He could repeatedly givesmall punishments, repeatedly forgive or even place a curse on people who have repeatedlydisobeyed and denied the right of the Creator to be adored for giving us existence and anopportunity to know Him. With the people of Moses, i.e. the Children of Israel, the Creatorinteracted repeatedly. In response, they unfortunately, repeatedly disobeyed. For their repeated,open and sinful disobedience [7.163] the Creator turned the transgressors of a fishing village to

apes. Verse 7.167 below talks about other curses that the Creator would give till the Day ofJudgment.

7.167 Behold! Your Lord did declare that He would send against them till the Dayof Judgment those who would afflict them with grievous penalty. Your Lord isquick in retribution but He is also Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.

As Allah has not mentioned what would afflict the Children of Israel, it could be multiple types ofcurses, each appropriate to the age and time.

7.168 We broke them up into sections on this earth; there are among them somethat are the righteous and some that are the opposite. We have tried them with

both prosperity and adversity in order that they might turn (to us).Like the Book of Moses, the Quran is an unmistakable Sign from the Creator as it explains theCreators purpose.

Can they be (like) those who accept a Clear Sign from their Lord and whom a witnessfrom Himself does teach, as did the Book of Moses before it (the Quran) a guide and amercy? They believe therein; but those of the Sects that reject it the Fire will be theirpromised meeting place [11.17]

7.169 After them succeeded an (evil) generation: they inherited the Book butinstead they chosethe vanities of this world saying(for excuse): "(everything)will be forgiven us." (Even so) if similar vanities came their way they would(again) seize them. Was not the covenant of the Book taken from them that they

would not ascribe to Allah anything but the truth? And they study what is in theBook. But best for the righteous is the home in the Hereafter: will you notunderstand?Is it the height of human arrogance that presumes automatic forgiveness on behalf of theCreator?

And they say: "The fire shall not touch us but for a few numbered days"; Say: "Haveyou taken a promise from Allah for He never breaks His promise? Or is it that you say of

Allah what you do not know?"[2.80]

7.170 As to those who hold fast by the Book and establish regular prayer; nevershall We suffer the reward of the righteous to perish.

Those to whom We have sent the book study it as it should be studied; they are the

ones that believe in it; those who reject faith in it, the loss is their own. [2.121]

Why? As part of His Mercy,And We have explained to man in this Qur'an every kind of similitude: yet the greaterpart of men refuse (to receive it) except with ingratitude! [17.89]

------{Notes}:{1} http://biblehub.com/deuteronomy/13-3.htm