Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | The Sunday Guardian | Dec 1, 2019

Wrath is an attribute of God, and so is mercy. If someone thinks that God created humans in order to make them experience His wrath, this would definitely be an underestimation of God.

It is more correct to say that the reason why God created man was to make him experience His mercy. It is this understanding that is in accordance with God's glory.

This fact is brought out in a saying (hadith) of the Prophet as follows: "God has said that My mercy surpasses My anger." (Sahih al-Bukhari, hadith no. 7422). Another hadith relates: "God has said that My mercy prevails over My anger." (Musnad Ishaq ibn Rahwayh, hadith no. 459).

A father possesses a sense of what is called 'fatherliness' for his son. His fatherliness causes him to take responsibility for his son's mistakes and prevent him from facing its consequences.

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This very attribute is found in the Creator too, and in an infinitely larger way. When a person thinks about this attribute of God, he comes to the conclusion that the Creator's mercy overcomes His wrath. When he thinks of his merciful Creator, his hope in God overwhelms his fear of God. Such a person hopes that his merciful Creator will take care of his mistakes and will save him from having to face their consequences.

This understanding of life leads a person to always fear accountability in the Hereafter, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, to always remain hopeful with regard to his Creator.

While leading his life in this world, such a person is always very cautious about an all-powerful God who knows about all his actions. At the same time, if he unknowingly commits a sin, he hopes that God is all-merciful and will forgive him.