The Human Personality

But those who have studied the scientific disciplines, and gained knowledge of biology, physiology, physics, chemistry, geology, astronomy, etc., will take what the Quran has to say in a more profound sense. They will say that the whole world, including themselves, is a phenomenon of a highly complex creation. And, by taking into consideration all modern scientific discoveries, they will have the enthralling experience of understanding God’s creation plan.

If the common man’s response to this verse is his unquestioning acknowledgement of God, the educated man’s response will be an even more carefully reasoned and elevated acknowledgement of his Maker.

The chapter Al-Tin (The Fig) of the Quran is a description of the human personality. It is a relatively short chapter of just eight verses, but it has a great lesson. The translation of this chapter is as follows:

According to this chapter, man has two quite opposite futures. On the one hand, he is doomed to utter failure and on the other hand he will be rewarded with the best eternal reward. One section of humanity will have the worst fate, while another section of humanity will have the best possible fate.

In fact, God has created man with great potential and, at the same time, He has given him complete freedom of choice. It is this freedom that divides people into two categories—those who misuse their freedom and the others who use it properly.

The potential that man has, is bestowed directly by the Creator, but it is the duty of man himself to turn this potential into a reality. Herein lies the destiny of man. People, then, are necessarily of two categories: firstly, the failures and secondly, the successful ones.