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Chapter 4

Man and the Test

Preface: Verily! The fact that human descendants have from the beginning of their creation an upright bodily structure, so they have been created in the best form and that Almighty God has made him His Representative (Khalifah) on the face of the earth, so that he may substantially be ready for the test. Where, Almighty God, offered the burden of the trust (obedience) to mountains, earth etc., all of them offered excuse for its burden. It was only Adam who stepped forward and got ready to accept and carry it.

"Surely! We offered the Trust to the Heavens and the Earth and the Mountains; but they refused to undertake it and were afraid of it. And Man assumed it. He was in darkness and uninformed (in regards to the heaviness of the burden of obedience and the associated performances in various testing scenes)".¹

Now that you have understood somewhat little by little the wisdom behind Man being in the testing situation, it would be appropriate to find out the fact as well, as wherewith are human beings tested? What are the concerning, opposing and supporting forces within the box of the body? Also as how we succeed either to eliminate the opposite forces or, to adorn them with cleansing, with the help of Almighty God, the guidance of these sacred Epistles and their righteous and knowledgeable Instructors? On the opposite side, as how to strengthen the more and the quicker the belief and spiritual power, which is the only means for relationship of the servant to Almighty God?

Undoubtedly, regarding these truths, there seems less chance of success, unless the person has well familiarized himself with the foundation of corruption concerning the core nuisance, and the active role of the person himself. Accordingly, in the following we will draw your attention to the topic under the title of-Man and the Test.

1. Have you noticed? People's bodies are like machines collecting good and evil, containing the active forces of soul and ego. Each of these forces is active in gathering its needs meriting to human dignity, in the world. They are engaged in gathering the good and evil deeds through their motivators (Angel and Devils).

2. Have you noticed? Why Man contrary to all other creatures, is created in upright shape, and all other creatures whether in ocean or on land, are created in flat shape? Yes! In order for Man by the power of complete faith and full Insight into Almighty God proportional to his inner purity, far away from the weapon of egoistic and satanic attacks and disguises, to go up directly to the Highest of High (A'lae-Eliin). Contrarily, should he be influenced by the sparks of Satanic seductions and establishment of material powers, and makes efforts in achieving them through unlawful ways, and continues doing so till the end, then he will go down to the Lowest of Low Asfala-Safilin. We seek refuge in God.

3. Have you noticed? In situations as such, there are magnets in the Highest-of-High (A'lae-Eliin) and the Lowest-of-Low (Asfala-Safilin) for attracting mankind. In other words, there are callers appointed for attracting Man to both Truth and falsehood. The Guidance for calling people to Almighty God and to the acquisition of Insight into Almighty Supreme Being, are the Prophets (peace be upon them), the honorable Saints (Awliya), mercy of God be upon them, and the righteous and pious ones among human beings. They are calling human beings to the Truth. Undoubtedly, they are the selected ones among human beings by Great Almighty God.

4. Have you noticed? Likewise, there is the power opposite to Insight into and acquaintance with God, and for the denial of Greatness of Almighty Lord, in spite of observing this Exhibition (World) full of billions of secrets. They are also invisible and visible callers who are actually the friends of devils and of Man's specie. In this category, atheists and unbelievers are respectively placed. We seek refuge in Glorious God from their doctrines and harms.

5. Have you noticed? These two contradictory invitations have always existed, and occasionally have made collisions with each other. A part of history's pages is the witness for this claim. Namely, the life cannot actually be settled without these two processes. It would not be exaggeration, if we were to say that the settlement of the world is on oppositions. Blessed are the holy-spirited people who are doing efforts in inviting humanity towards God and for the prosperity of humanity under the shade of theism.

"Then they prosper both worlds, who are doing efforts in spreading Monotheism and pursuit of justice, while in the poverty of Islam."²

6. Have you noticed? Man is in need of Soul and Ego. Since his lodging and the securing of his living are all totally made out of soil, his provisions required by ego and meeting with his other necessities are related to the earth's products and also, the self-centered relatives, especially in our time, have intensified ever more, therefore, the need for spiritual masteries and the attention paid for them is less or even rarely felt. Hence, the ignorance is increasing ever more.

May God, Guide them at our hands at all times and all instants, by Your honor the Most Merciful of the Merciful ones.

7. Have you noticed? The things, which were able to fortify the spiritual power in the quickest way and to fulfill Man's real needs, were the science and the scientific discoveries. In light of which, it was to perceive the Perfection of Almighty Artificer, Almighty Provider, and Glorious Creator, and the more to get Insight into His Greatness and Oneness. Unfortunately, on the contrary, by taking advantage of the occasion, the ego and Satan have overcome Mankind. Man did not, at least, get knowledgeably to satisfy and restraint the ego and the satanic deceits, by getting them know as the Quran has guided.

8. Have you noticed? Two forces, one positive called Soul, the other negative called Ego, in the box of the body, are in quarrel. The spiritual powers want with the assistance of the religious jurisprudence and the cooperation of Angel, to make out of him a sound person and to pull him to the Upper-World. On the contrary, the ego takes him, with the cooperation of Devils, towards the pleasures of the perishing world, through the cannibalism, egotism and other transgressions, dragging him down to the Lowest of Lows (Asfala-Safilin).

9. Have you noticed? Both these forces of Soul and Ego are receiving fortifications at every time and instant by the good propagation called Angelic Inspirations and the evil propagation called Satanic Temptations. Therefore, the people overcome by Satan and Ego are rarely ready to do efforts in giving a hand for his other fellow human beings.

10. Have you noticed? Man, due to his exploring intellect, while overcome by Satan, uses the tricks and hypocrisy that his instructor (Satan) teaches him. Thereby, he by using various deceits, colors his wolfish and wild clothing into righteousness and goodness.

11. Have you noticed? In order to prove this fact: If a human being pursues the force of Angelic Powers, and the fortification of spiritual powers, then he will ascend to the Highest of High (A'lae-Eliin). If however, he becomes the follower of wicked ego and the suggestions of damned Satan, then he will be placed in the Lowest of Lows (Asfala-Safilin). Therefore, Man contrary to all creatures, is created in upright shape.

12. Have you noticed? Man's heart is actually the control panel monitoring screen of the human body's factory. It serves as the microphone and the person's mouth is like the loudspeaker. In case, the Angel and the Angelic Inspirations are seated behind the heart's microphone or control panel, then what will be heard of person's tongue, and what will be seen of his limbs, will be good cooperation and improvement of society. However, if Satan becomes prevalent there behind, then all evil deeds and cannibalisms will be produced of him in oral and practice.

13. Have you noticed? Why the abandonment of habits causes a disease? Because, any good habit becomes apparent and gets developed in a person due to the prevalence of the spiritual powers and the angelic inculcations. Likewise, becoming addicted to evil deeds is due to the prevalence of Ego and Satanic Temptations. Since, the transformation of one opposition to other opposition is difficult, and sometimes it is even impossible for unprincipled people, therefore, the abandonment of the habit is called "the cause of disease."

14. Have you noticed? What is the reason for all domestic and wild animals, including the terrestrial and marine birds being created in flat shape, on the contrary, Man being created in upright shape? For, the more and quicker their heads would be down towards the crib and their food, which is ultimate purpose of their creation for utilizing those nutritional sources.

15. Have you noticed? Man has to lower downwards his head in two occasions:

First: For the physical fortification while eating.
Second: For the fortification of the Soul, while taking the spiritual or intellectual nourishment.

Hence, Man, contrary to his way of creation, gets to incline towards the low. But, the salvation is to people who lower their heads more for the purpose of acquiring knowledge and practice, and for the examination of secrets of things.

16. Have you noticed? Human being is as a movie star, who has an outstanding role in making the movie of his life. The Angel-Guardians³(Honorable-Recorders) are photographing him, his actions, deeds and even his good intentions, at each instant, recording the corresponding voices and behaviors, where they do not forget the slightest good or bad situation and word.

"There are no small or great wrongdoings, but they are all counted and accounted for."⁴

17. Have you noticed? The collection of the results of these good or evil processes, as the Record-of-Deeds, will become the cause of excellent ranks for the person in Paradise, or the cause of person's destruction in the Hell, in the Everlasting World.

"Read your Book or Record-of-Deeds, which is sufficient for you today as you will be called to account."⁵

Footnotes:
1 The Holy Quran: Cchapter 33 - Al-Ahzab (The Clans) verse 72
2 Hadith
3 Angel-Guardians: Kiraman-Katibin
4 The Holy Quran: Chapter 18 - Al-Kahf (The Cave) verse 49
5 The Holy Quran: Cchapter 17 - Al-Isra (The Children of Israel) verse 14