Al-Risala (English), January-February 2000

men in the performance of their duties. High mountains and all vertical objects cast their shadows low down upon the earth. Seen symbolically, this should prompt human beings to acquire the habit of modesty. One should neither boast of one’s achievements before others, nor consider oneself superior to others. Islamic conduct is, indeed, synonymous with natural conduct. This conduct is maintained in nature unconsciously while, in human life, it is controlled by the individual’s own conscious efforts and determination. □ The Goal of Life I only created mankind and the jinn that they might worship Me. I demand no livelihood of them, nor do I ask that they should feed Me. God alone is the Munificent Giver, the Mighty One, the Invincible. The lot of the wrongdoers will be like that of their predecessors. Let them not challenge Me to hurry it on. Woe then to the Unbelievers when the threatened day arrives! (Quran, 51:56-60) God has power of His own in all matters. However, He has created angels in order to manage His vast empire. But the situation of human beings is different. They have not been created to fulfill any personal or managerial requirement of God. Their sole purpose is the worship of God. Worship means surrendering before the Almighty in the full sense of the word. According to Ibn Jurayh (Tafsir Ibn Kathir) worship, in essence, is realization (ma’arifat) of God. It is desired of man that he should make his own discovery of God. He should recognise God although He is invisible. The