The Divine Design of Humanity: A Modern Retelling

At first, God created man as a radiant atom, a jewel of unmatched beauty. He gazed upon it with love, and under His sight, the jewel melted into water. From each drop, a spark of divine knowledge was born.

God then poured this sacred water onto the roots of a sapling infused with divine harmony, and from it grew the Tree of Humanity—a being endowed with knowledge and beauty.

He granted this creation the ability to see and feel, making the human being the most intelligent of His creations. He taught it the secrets of existence, gave it dominion over all things, and placed within it the Mind, the faculty of wisdom. Yet, God concealed the true essence of man within His Beautiful Names—The Gentle and The Mighty—ensuring that his origin remained hidden within divine mystery.

Man’s Presentation to Creation

God then revealed man to the rest of creation. As they gazed upon him, they sensed a hidden wisdom, vast and deep, stretching beyond comprehension. Creation bowed in reverence, and man, seeing the power placed within him, felt a sense of pride.

But then, God unveiled His true power upon man.

Overwhelmed, man tried to flee—terrified by God's overwhelming majesty and justice. Yet, God’s grasp was gentle. Without man even realizing it, He immersed him in the ocean of divine mercy, restoring the balance of power within him.

God showed man his place in the universe, yet set him free—not bound by time or place, but sheltered under the veil of eternal protection.

Thus, man was raised above even the angels, and they were commanded to bow before him. In this, God taught man His Names—not just to recite them, but to embody their meanings.

The Divine Appointment: Man as God’s Representative

God appointed man as His deputy in the universe, giving him Intellect as his prime minister, a guide to rule his inner kingdom. He granted him speech, even when faced with trials as searing as fire.

Into his hand, He placed a staff—one that could swallow illusions, break the spells of deception, and shatter falsehoods. He gave man the ability to measure and discern, to recognize greatness and humility, so that he would learn both reverence and fear of God.

Then, God distributed His blessings across humanity, inscribing signs upon each of them. The heart recognizes these signs, though the mind may not comprehend them.

God then sent man into the vast desert of existence, where he was left without water, without certainty. Yet, within him, he carried the hidden knowledge to seek treasures buried beneath the surface—turning barren lands into flourishing gardens.

Man was taught not to rely on his own abilities, for what he thinks he does is in reality done by God. Every gift given to man is only a bridge to cross, not a throne to settle upon. Blessed is the one who crosses safely.

The World as a Trial and a Sign

God, in His wisdom, keeps His creation pure or allows it to be veiled, as He wills. This world is a testing ground, for both the believer and the skeptic.

He placed His kingdom within man, making him a pulpit for divine remembrance in this universe. He embedded divine knowledge within him, yet warned him never to claim it as his own. Instead, He instructed him to look to the heavens, where countless stars float in an infinite ocean—yet all of them already exist within him.

The Two Paths: Fear and Hope

All of creation flows between God’s two feet, moving in currents of fear and hope. Under His right foot, He inscribed:

“Whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it.” (Surah Al-Zilzal, 7)

Under His left foot, He inscribed:

“Whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.” (Surah Al-Zilzal, 8)

Those who possess wisdom bow in obedience, grateful for what they have—whether great or small. They seek the hidden treasures of Truth placed within them. They contemplate life and death, knowing that one dies the way one lives, and is resurrected the way one dies.

Life will be taken without warning, yet it will be returned on the Day of Judgment.

On a moonless night, darkness conceals all things. But when the moon returns, the world is illuminated once more. Just as heedlessness blinds the inner eye, God, if He wills, can reveal truth even in the heart of darkness—as when the earth faces the moon, and the moon faces the sun.

The Staff and the Rock: A Parable for Self-Knowledge

When Moses struck the rock, water gushed forth—a hidden secret breaking free. See how a fragile branch shattered stone, bringing forth life! Who was it that struck the rock, veiled behind the curtain of mystery?

So too, within the human being lies an untapped reservoir of secrets. What keeps him from unlocking them? Heedlessness.

The greatest crime of humanity is to deny its own divine essence—for in doing so, one kills the very spirit within.

The Greatest Deception: False Humility

Woe to the hypocrite, who lowers himself not out of true humility, but for show. There is no virtue in self-deception. Why should one belittle the self that God has honored?

Even the hypocrite, if he were to recognize his own existence, would have a chance at redemption. Self-awareness might balance his ill intentions, saving him from the punishment of the Hereafter.

The Ultimate Truth: Recognizing the Divine Within

The divine secret within man becomes real only when he seeks it, knows it, and embodies it.

Always remember:

You were created for one purpose—to bow before the Truth, in every moment of your existence.