Islam A PATH OF GREAT STRUGGLE

second group, there is eternal punishment. A person who has faith in the Quran and adopts Islam positions himself for the first outcome and strives to avoid the second. But attaining this high position is not easy. It is a great ascent, and only after a long process does a person reach its peak. God’s reward is not obtained by chance, as if it were something lying about; rather, like worldly success, it too is the natural result of an intense struggle, granted to a person according to the commandment of God. Success in the Hereafter is essentially the result of passing a long test. By creating human beings, God has placed them in a world filled with false ideas and corrupt tendencies—things from which they must cleanse their hearts and minds. There are many wrong and unlawful paths that they must avoid, and many forces of falsehood that seek to divert them from the path of truth. By staying clear of all these and remaining firm on the right path, they must continue their journey. In short, it is a path full of challenges that one must travel in order to reach one’s Lord.