Maulana Wahiduddin Khan | Speaking Tree Website | August 29, 2016
God, in creating man, endowed him with nobility of character. He then set him down in a world fraught with moral dangers. Life then for a person becomes a great moral tussle, a struggle in which right and wrong pull him in opposite directions. Those who consistently do good works, who, in short, do their utmost to preserve the noble image in which God created them, will be amply rewarded by God, while those who become abased and wicked, sinking into sin and corruption will be surely held accountable for their bad deeds.
The present world is a testing ground: it was created solely for that purpose. Here, fear of loss and hope of gain arouse ignoble feelings, in particular, the desire to exploit one's fellowmen. Ego is the great obstacle which bars the way to justice. Here, a clash of interests engenders anger, hatred and niggardliness. A human being is required to rise above such base impulses and prove himself worthy of his noble image. It can be ascertained whether a fruit is good or bad only when it is cut open. Human beings are no different in this respect. Whether he lives in the company of good people, or spends time in bad influence, a person can be known only when he is confronted with dire adversity. His essential nature is revealed in situations which are full of stress and temptations.
Adversity reveals whether or not man truly remembers God. Those who exhibit divine traits of character even in the face of adversity are the sole creatures who will have the honour to live in close proximity of God when they enter the world Hereafter.
