What is the purpose for the creation of man? Shaykh al-Uthaymīn رحمه الله
What is the purpose for the creation of man?
Answer:
In the name of Allah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim. All praise belong to Allah, the Lord of everything that exist. May Salah and salam be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family and all of his companions. As to what follows:
Before I answer this question, I would like to point out a general principle regarding what Allah creates and what He legislates. This principle is derived from the statement of Allah:
وَهُوَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ [التحريم : 2]
"And He is the All Knowing the All Wise"
And also His statement:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا} [الأحزاب : 1]
"Indeed Allah is All Knowing All Wise"
And other than this from the many verses which establish wisdom for Allāh عز وجل regarding what He creates and what He legislates. Meaning in His universal and legislative decisions. Indeed there is not anything that He creates except there is wisdom behind it, similarly if this is in what He brings into creation or does not. And there is not anything that Allah legislated except from wisdom, similarly if this in what He made obligatory, forbidden or permissible.
Although these wisdoms which comprise of His universal and legislative decrees maybe known to us or perhaps unknown. Also perhaps they are known to some people and not others, in accordance to what Allah gives them of knowledge and understanding. If this is established then we say: Indeed Allah created the jinn and man for a great wisdom and praiseworthy purpose. This is to worship Him. As Allah said:
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ} [الذاريات : 56]
“And I did not create the jinn and man except to worship Me”
Also as Allah says:
أَفَحَسِبْتُمْ أَنَّمَا خَلَقْنَاكُمْ عَبَثًا وَأَنَّكُمْ إِلَيْنَا لَا تُرْجَعُونَ} [المؤمنون : 115
“Then did you think that We created you uselessly and that to Us you would not be returned?"
{أَيَحْسَبُ الْإِنسَانُ أَن يُتْرَكَ سُدًى} [القيامة : 36]
“Does man think that he will be left neglected?”
And other than this from the verses which indicates that Allah has profound wisdom in creating jinn and man, and it is for His worship.
Worship is humility for Allah out of love and magnification by obeying His orders and avoiding His prohibitions, in the manner His religion came with. Allah تعالى said:
وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ
“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth...”
Therefore this is the wisdom of creation of jinn and man. Based on this whoever disobeys his Lord and arrogantly turns away from His worship, he indeed is rejecting this wisdom which the servants were created for. His actions (also) testify that Allah created this creation in vain and without purpose, even if he does not state this (with his tongue). However this is necessitated by his disobedience and arrogance in refusing to obey his Lord.
Source: Fiqh al-Ibādah pages 11-12
Translated by Abu Anas Atif Hasan