Genesis and the Purpose of Life

In our daily life dealings, and also in our own minds, we come across a number of questions.

• Who are we?

• Where do we come from?

• Why are we here or what is the purpose of our life here on planet earth? and

• Where do we go from here when we leave? Meaning after we die where do we go?

When we look and ponder at the world around us from subatomic level to cosmos, people, animals, environment, oceans, sun, moon, and stars, it makes us wonder how all of this design came into being and who created and who is running this entire universe in which we exist?

As a rational being, as a minimum, we want these questions to be answered in a comprehensible and rational way for us to have fulfilled lives!

We live in the information era and cannot go with the stories and myths that lead to blind faith. We also understand from our own experience in this life and know for sure that nothing happens, or nothing exists without someone causing it to be or someone creating it. Cause & effect is present all around us. There must be an intelligent Designer, the Creator who created all of this wonderful world around us, otherwise, nothing of this would have existed nor sustained in an orderly fashion.

Let’s start from the beginning, to see how it all began! This will answer the crucial questions as to who are we, why are we here in this world, what is the purpose of our lives and where do we go from here when we leave?

Quran provides detailed account of Genesis. Note that God uses allegories, and parables to illustrate as otherwise we will not be able to comprehend. In the test below, for example, 2:26 means Chapter 2 of Quran and verse #26. Here is the detailed account of the most important event in the history from the Quran:

Detailed account about creation of humans, the role of Satan, the fall of Adam, and the concept of guidance and misguidance:

[2:26] GOD does not shy away from citing any kind of allegory, from the tiny mosquito and greater. As for those who believe, they know that it is the truth from their Lord. As for those who disbelieve, they say, "What did GOD mean by such an allegory?" He misleads many thereby and guides many thereby. But He never misleads thereby except the wicked

[2:27] who violate GOD's covenant after pledging to uphold it, sever what GOD has commanded to be joined, and commit evil. These are the losers.

2:28] How can you disbelieve in GOD when you were dead and He gave you life, then He puts you to death, then He brings you back to life, then to Him you ultimately return?

[2:29] He is the One who created for you everything on earth, then turned to the sky and perfected seven universes therein, and He is fully aware of all things.

[2:30] Recall that your Lord said to the angels, "I am placing a representative (a vicegerent or successive authority) on Earth." They said, "Will You place therein one who will spread evil therein and shed blood, while we sing Your praises, glorify You, and uphold Your absolute authority?" He said, "I know what you do not know."

[2:31] He taught Adam all the names then presented them to the angels, saying, "Give Me the names of these, if you are right."

[2:32] They said, "Be You glorified, we have no knowledge, except that which You have taught us. You are the Omniscient, Most Wise."

[2:33] He said, "O Adam, tell them their names." When he told them their names, He said, "Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of the heavens and the earth? I know what you declare, and what you conceal."

[2:34] When we said to the angels, "Fall prostrate before Adam," they fell prostrate, except Satan; he refused, was too arrogant, and a disbeliever.

[2:35] We said, "O Adam, live with your wife in Paradise, and eat therefrom generously, as you please, but do not approach this tree, lest you sin."

[2:36] But the devil duped them, and caused their eviction therefrom. We said, "Go down as enemies of one another. On Earth shall be your habitation and provision for awhile."

[2:37] Then, Adam received from his Lord words, whereby He redeemed him. He is the Redeemer, Most Merciful.

[2:38] We said, "Go down therefrom, all of you. When guidance comes to you from Me, those who follow My guidance will have no fear, nor will they grieve.

[2:39] "As for those who disbelieve and reject our revelations, they will be dwellers of Hell, wherein they abide forever."

[2:168] O people, eat from the earth's products all that is lawful and good, and do not follow the steps of Satan; he is your most ardent enemy.

[2:208] O you who believe, you shall embrace total submission; do not follow the steps of Satan, for he is your most ardent enemy.

[4:1] O people, observe your Lord; the One who created you from one being, and created from it its mate, then spread from the two many men and women. You shall regard GOD, by whom you swear, and regard the parents. GOD is watching over you.

[7:10] We have established you on earth, and we have provided for you the means of support therein. Rarely are you appreciative.

[7:11] We created you, then we shaped you, then we said to the angels, "Fall prostrate before Adam." They fell prostrate, except Iblees (Satan); he was not with the prostrators.

[7:12] He said, "What prevented you from prostrating when I ordered you?" He said, "I am better than he; You created me from fire, and created him from mud."

[7:13] He said, "Therefore, you must go down, for you are not to be arrogant here. Get out; you are debased."

[7:14] He said, "Grant me a respite, until the Day of Resurrection."

[7:15] He said, "You are granted a respite."

[7:16] He said, "Since You have willed that I go astray, I will skulk for them on Your straight path.

[7:17] "I will come to them from before them, and from behind them, and from their right, and from their left, and You will find that most of them are unappreciative.

[7:18] He said, "Get out therefrom, despised and defeated. Those among them who follow you, I will fill Hell with you all.

[7:19] "As for you, Adam, dwell with your wife in Paradise, and eat therefrom as you please, but do not approach this one tree, lest you fall in sin."

[7:20] The devil whispered to them, in order to reveal their bodies, which were invisible to them. He said, "Your Lord did not forbid you from this tree, except to prevent you from becoming angels, and from attaining eternal existence."

[7:21] He swore to them, "I am giving you good advice."

[7:22] He thus duped them with lies. As soon as they tasted the tree, their bodies became visible to them, and they tried to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise. Their Lord called upon them: "Did I not enjoin you from that tree, and warn you that the devil is your most ardent enemy?"

[7:23] They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged our souls, and unless You forgive us and have mercy on us, we will be losers."

[7:24] He said, "Go down as enemies of one another. On earth shall be your habitation and provision for awhile."

[7:25] He said, "On it you will live, on it you will die, and from it you will be brought out."

[7:26] O children of Adam, we have provided you with garments to cover your bodies, as well as for luxury. But the best garment is the garment of righteousness. These are some of GOD's signs, that they may take heed.

[7:27] O children of Adam, do not let the devil dupe you as he did when he caused the eviction of your parents from Paradise, and the removal of their garments to expose their bodies. He and his tribe see you, while you do not see them. We appoint the devils as companions of those who do not believe.

[7:35] O children of Adam, when messengers come to you from among you, and recite My revelations to you, those who take heed and lead a righteous life, will have nothing to fear, nor will they grieve.

[7:36] As for those who reject our revelations, and are too arrogant to uphold them, they have incurred Hell, wherein they abide forever.

[7:102] We found that most of them disregard their covenant; we found most of them wicked.

[7:172] Recall that your Lord summoned all the descendants of Adam, and had them bear witness for themselves: "Am I not your Lord?" They all said, "Yes. We bear witness." Thus, you cannot say on the Day of Resurrection, "We were not aware of this."

[7:173] Nor can you say, "It was our parents who practiced idolatry, and we simply followed in their footsteps. Will You punish us because of what others have innovated?"

[7:174] We thus explain the revelations, to enable the people to redeem themselves.

[13:20] They are the ones who fulfill their pledge to GOD, and do not violate the covenant.

[13:25] As for those who violate GOD's covenant after pledging to keep it, and sever what GOD has commanded to be joined, and commit evil, they have incurred condemnation; they have incurred the worst destiny.

[15:26] We created the human being from aged mud, like the potter's clay.

[15:27] As for the jinns, we created them, before that, from blazing fire.

[15:28] Your Lord said to the angels, "I am creating a human being from aged mud, like the potter's clay.

[15:29] "Once I perfect him, and blow into him from My spirit, you shall fall prostrate before him."

[15:30] The angels fell prostrate; all of them,

[15:31] except Iblis (Satan). He refused to be with the prostrators.

[15:32] He said, "O Iblis (Satan), why are you not with the prostrators?"

[15:33] He said, "I am not to prostrate before a human being, whom You created from aged mud, like the potter's clay."

[15:34] He said, "Therefore, you must get out; you are banished.

[15:35] "You have incurred My condemnation until the Day of Judgment."

[15:36] He said, "My Lord, respite me until the day they are resurrected."

[15:37] He said, "You are respited.

[15:38] "Until the specified day and time."

[15:39] He said, "My Lord, since You have willed that I go astray, I will surely entice them on earth; I will send them all astray.

[15:40] "Except those among Your worshipers who are devoted absolutely to You alone."

[15:41] He said, "This is a law that is inviolable.

[15:42] "You have no power over My servants. You only have power over the strayers who follow you.

[15:43] "And Hell awaits them all.

[15:44] "It will have seven gates. Each gate will get a specific share of them."

[15:45] As for the righteous, they will enjoy gardens and springs.

[15:46] Enter therein, peaceful and secure.

[15:47] We remove all jealousy from their hearts. Like one family, they will be on adjacent furnishings.

[15:48] Never will they suffer any fatigue therein; never will they be evicted therefrom.

[15:49] Inform My servants that I am the Forgiver, Most Merciful.

[17:61] When we said to the angels, "Fall prostrate before Adam," they fell prostrate, except Satan. He said, "Shall I prostrate to one You created from mud?"

[17:62] He said, "Since You have honored him over me, if You respite me till the Day of Resurrection, I will possess all his descendants, except a few."

[17:63] He said, "Then go; you and those who follow you will end up in Hell as your requital; an equitable requital.

[17:64] "You may entice them with your voice, and mobilize all your forces and all your men against them, and share in their money and children, and promise them. Anything the devil promises is no more than an illusion.

[17:65] "As for My servants, you have no power over them." Your Lord suffices as an advocate.

[17:66] Your Lord is the One who causes the ships to float on the ocean that you may seek His bounties. He is Most Merciful towards

[18:7] We have adorned everything on earth, in order to test them, and thus distinguish those among them who work righteousness.

[18:50] We said to the angels, "Fall prostrate before Adam. They fell prostrate, except Satan. He became a jinn, for he disobeyed the order of His Lord. Will you choose him and his descendants as lords instead of Me, even though they are your enemies? What a miserable substitute!

[18:51] I never permitted them to witness the creation of the heavens and the earth, nor the creation of themselves. Nor do I permit the wicked to work in My kingdom.

[20:115] We tested Adam in the past, but he forgot, and we found him indecisive.

[20:116] Recall that we said to the angels, "Fall prostrate before Adam." They fell prostrate, except Satan; he refused.

[20:117] We then said, "O Adam, this is an enemy of you and your wife. Do not let him evict you from Paradise, lest you become miserable.

[20:118] "You are guaranteed never to hunger therein, nor go unsheltered.

[20:119] "Nor will you thirst therein, nor suffer from any heat."

[20:120] But the devil whispered to him, saying, "O Adam, let me show you the tree of eternity and unending kingship."

[20:121] They ate from it, whereupon their bodies became visible to them, and they tried to cover themselves with the leaves of Paradise. Adam thus disobeyed his Lord, and fell.

[20:122] Subsequently, his Lord chose him, redeemed him, and guided him.

[20:123] He said, "Go down therefrom, all of you. You are enemies of one another. When guidance comes to you from Me, anyone who follows My guidance will not go astray, nor suffer any misery.

[32:9] He shaped him and blew into him from His spirit. And He gave you the hearing, the eyesight, and the brains; rarely are you thankful.

[33:72] We have offered the responsibility (freedom of choice) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it and were afraid of it. But the human being accepted it; he was transgressing, ignorant

[33:73] For GOD will inevitably punish the hypocrite men and the hypocrite women, and the idol worshiping men and the idol worshiping women. GOD redeems the believing men and the believing women. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.

[36:60] Did I not covenant with you, O Children of Adam, that you shall not worship the devil? That he is your most ardent enemy?

[36:61] And that you shall worship Me alone? This is the right path.

[36:62] He has misled multitudes of you. Did you not possess any understanding?

[38:67] Say, "Here is awesome news.

[38:68] "That you are totally oblivious to.

[38:69] I had no knowledge of the exalted assembly [of chiefs or angels] when they were disputing

[38:70] "I am inspired that my sole mission is to deliver the warnings to you."

[38:71] Your Lord said to the angels, "I am creating a human being from clay.

[38:72] "Once I design him, and blow into him from My spirit, you shall fall prostrate before him."

[38:73] The angels fell prostrate, all of them,

[38:74] except Satan; he refused, and was too arrogant, unappreciative.

[38:75] He said, "O Satan, what prevented you from prostrating before what I created with My hands? Are you too arrogant? Have you rebelled?"

[38:76] He said, "I am better than he; You created me from fire, and created him from clay."

[38:77] He said, "Therefore, you must be exiled, you will be banished.

[38:78] "You have incurred My condemnation until the Day of Judgment."

[38:79] He said, "My Lord, respite me till the Day of Resurrection."

[38:80] He said, "You are respited.

[38:81] "Until the appointed day."

[38:82] He said, "I swear by Your majesty, that I will send them all astray.

[38:83] "Except Your worshipers who are devoted absolutely to You alone."

[38:84] He said, "This is the truth, and the truth is all that I utter.

[38:85] "I will fill Hell with you and all those who follow you."

[40:11] They will say, "Our Lord, you have put us to death twice, and You gave us two lives; now we have confessed our sins. Is there any way out?"

[43:62] Let not the devil repel you; he is your most ardent enemy.

[51:56] I did not create the jinns and the humans except to worship Me alone.

[55:14] He created the human from aged clay, like the potter's clay.

[55:15] And created the jinns from blazing fire.

Source: Quran English translation courtesy: https://www.masjidtucson.org/quran/search/

Related Stories