Essential Teachings of Islam: Oneness of God and Peace

Earth and is being put to the test. The post-death period is when man will be rewarded or punished, depending on how he conducted himself in the pre-death phase. The former period is temporary, while the latter period will last for all eternity. The test of man in the pre-death phase of life is essentially freedom-based. A person who has misused his freedom will be deprived of God’s blessings, while someone who has used his freedom properly will be rewarded with eternal Paradise. The Quran gives all the details necessary to understand this Divine scheme. The Quran presents the universe as a model characterized by harmony and peace (36:40). When God created the heavens and the earth, He ordered things so that each part might perform its function peacefully, without clashing with any other part. For billions of years, the entire physical universe has fulfilled its function in total harmony with the Creator’s Divine plan. In contrast to the rest of the universe, God has given man freedom. What He wants from a man is that despite having freedom, man should live a disciplined and God-oriented life, just as is being done by the rest of the creation. This is the essence of the Divine plan.