In a holy hadith (in which Allah Almighty lets some things known through the mouth of Muhammad (PBUH) by informing him), Allah Almighty announces, “I was a hidden treasure, I wished to be known and created the universe.”

The existence of the universe is considered to date back billions of years; however the existence of human life dates back tens of thousands years. The news in this holy hadith had looked to the realm of angels before human kind was created. These blessed beings, which are free from rebellion, have confirmed the news in this holy hadith with their worship, glorification, obedience, knowledge, and love of Allah. The animal kingdom also recalled angels in terms of their souls and leading a life in conformity with their purpose of creation. The plant species and inanimate beings served their duties with perfect obedience.

The verse, “There is nothing that does not glorify and thank Allah” clearly includes everything in itself be it animate or inanimate. Everything glorifies and praises Him.
Allah Almighty willed to create another creature that is able to carry out more glorification and worship: Now this sublime creature was to be man who would be the viceroy on earth. When Allah Almighty announced angels to create a human being out of soil, a similar question to the one above came from angels and as a response He (SWT) told them; “You may not know what I know.”

These new guests, who were to be put into a testing and were to excel angels if they become successful, as the verse announces, were created only that they might worship Allah.

“I have not created the jinn and humankind but to (know and) worship Me (exclusively).” (Al-Dhariyat Surah, 51:56)

When considered the fact that the word “worship” in the verse is interpreted as “knowing Allah” by a number of religious scholars, it is understood that man is charged with knowing Allah (SWT), acknowledging His unity, believing in the infinity of His attributes, beholding and contemplating over the realm of creatures with the eyes of wisdom and object lesson.

This select creature would not only be the addressee of the manifestations of the names pertaining to His Glory and s/he will be tested through His names pertaining to His Beauty.

Actually, it became and still becoming so. Manifestations such as bounties, endowments, gifts, beauties, health, well-being, welfare are all the manifestations of His Beauty. And man is faced with choosing one of the options as to being thankful or being ingratitude. Unfortunately, with the victory Satan enjoys over men, most of people are inebriated with the manifestations of Beauty and fail the testing.

The other aspect of the testing has to do with the names of Glory such as diseases, calamities, disasters, deaths. Through these, men are put under a testing which calls for patience, reliance on and submission to Allah (SWT). Though intelligence thinks of otherwise, this is a truth that those who pass this testing are far more than the first group.

What wisdom requires here must be as follows: Troubles and diseases remind and teach people that they are weak beings. Bediuzzaman, in his “The Words,” writes as follows which could shed light on our topic:

“For the All-Wise Creator has included in man's nature an infinitely vast impotence and boundlessly huge poverty, so that he can be an extensive mirror containing the innumerable manifestations of an All-Powerful and Compassionate One Whose power is infinite, an All-Generous All-Rich One Whose wealth is boundless.”

Man, who was created for worship and contemplation of Allah (SWT), shall feel his/her impotence and weakness in order to get ahead through this valley, must take refuge in Him, and ask for help from Him. He shall not refrain from praying and strive to catch welfare. And all of these are possible with calamities, disasters, helplessness, and distresses, which lead man into asking for help and taking refuge in Allah (SWT).

Souls, which take refuge in their Lords in despair, take a positive point in respect of passing this worldly testing. However, in the manifestations of welfare, health, and bliss man may be charmed with these and be drowned in negligence instead of understanding his/her vast impotence. The following is one of the most important aspects of the issue: As far as “knowing Allah” is considered, one needs to take into consideration of all attributes, not only those of Beauty.

Just as Allah (SWT) is Merciful, so is He (SWT) Subduer. It is Him Who makes us taste of both honor and wretchedness. Should only the names of Beauty were to manifest themselves in this world, and should men were to be the addressee of only these names, his/her knowing of Allah (SWT) would be incomplete. In this realm of testing, man has to know of Allah (SWT) with both His names of Beauty and those of Glory. As for the Hereafter, roads will be several. Some people will be admitted into Paradise as a reward of their sincerity, good deeds, and good conduct; and will eternally be the receivers of the manifestations of Beauty such as endowment, munificence, bounty at utmost level. As for those who follow the road of ‘disbelief and polytheism’ and engaged in debauchery in this world shall meet with the manifestations of Glory, Power, and grief.

Thus, in the realm of Resurrection, the names of Beauty and Glory shall have manifested themselves in their full senses.