Living The Quran
From Issue: 562 [Read full issue]
Virtuous Humans
Al-Baqarah (The Cow) Sura 2: Verse 33
"God said: 'O Adam, inform them of these things and beings with their names.' When he (Adam) informed them with their names, He said (to the angels), 'Did I not tell you that I know the unseen of the heavens and the earth, and I know all that you reveal and all that you have been concealing?'"
Historically, humans have not avoided bloodshed nor ceased to cause disorder, from the beginning of their earthly existence. Furthermore, the majority of people have been those who follow false doctrines or beliefs and associate partners with God. However, this does not mean that the creation of humankind and our being appointed as vicegerents on the earth has proved evil and ugly. The following simple analogy will explain:
For example: 100 seeds of fruit have the value of 100 seeds while they are seeds. But once they are planted, if even 80 out of the 100 rot away while the remaining 20 germinate and grow to bear fruit, the value of those 20 will far exceed that of the 100 seeds.
If the human race had remained existent only in God's knowledge, without developing its potential on the earth, the Tree of Creation would not have yielded more than 100,000 Prophets, millions of saints, pure, exacting scholars, heroes of good morals, and other virtuous members of humankind. The good that these illustrious fruits have added to existence far exceeds the evil of the rest. The angels, at first, could not discern this outcome, but when the potential of the human race was made clear to them, they admitted its supremacy with full contentment of heart.
Compiled From:
"The Quran: Annotated Interpretation in Modern English" - Ali Unal, p. 28