Divine Trial Narratives in the Qur'an: A Typology

The Qur'anic approach to the notion of Divine trial becomes visible mostly in the bala and fitna narratives. These narratives reveal that bala is a fundamental pillar of the creational structure of the Cosmos, functioning as an instrument to actualize the purposes of the Creator. The Qur'an clearly illustrates that humankind, regardless of religious belief, individually and collectively as a community, will be put to the test as part of their human experience: "He created death and life to test you, and reveal which of you does best" (Q. 67:2). The depth and comprehensiveness of the concept of bala in the Qur'an reveals that even the prophets are not exempted from this meaningful encounter: "... And we tried you [Moses] with many tests" (Q.20:40).

In this introduction, the notion of bala will be discussed in various themes as it can be observed from the Qur'an. These include: the link between bala and the creational structure of the universe both as a whole, and in relation to man's creation, means by which bala is actualized in man's life, and bala as punishment.

Trial and Tribulation: Purpose in Divine Plan

The strength and universality of the concept of bala within the Qur'anic context posits bala as one of the components of the formation of the universe: "It is He who created the heavens and the earth in six Days — and His throne was on water — so as to test you, which of you does best. Yet [Prophet] if you say to them, 'You will be resurrected after death', the disbelievers are sure to answer, this is clearly nothing but sorcery!" (Q. 11:7). Furthermore, the notion of bala is intertwined with the Qur'anic concept of purposefulness of the Cosmic Creation. Repeatedly the Qur'an reminds us that the Creation of the universe is purposeful, decisive, and not in vain: "It was not without purpose that we created the heavens and the earth and everything in between!" (Q. 38:27). It can further be noticed from the Qur'an that the creation of man (insdn) is distinguished from the rest of the Creation, for the reason that his inner-nature (fitra) is composed of the Divine Spirit, hence, making him the highest creature in rank: "... I have fashioned him, and breathed my spirit into him ..." (Q. 15:29).

As Rahman points out, "While the purpose of man is to serve God, i.e., to develop his higher potentialities in accordance with the 'command' (amr) of God, through choice, he must be provided with adequate means of sustenance and of finding the right way." To this end, the very first Qur'anic revelations point out that the essential knowledge, which is imperative for man's survival, is ingrained in his nature by the Merciful God: "Your Lord is the Most Bountiful one who taught by the pen, who taught man what he did not know" (Q. 96:3-5). Additionally, the endowment of knowledge is illustrated in the Qur'anic narrative of Adam's creation, whereby the angels are commanded to bow down before him (Q.2:30-34). According to Yusuf Ali, "Allah teaches us new knowledge at every given moment. Individuals learn more and more day by day; nations and humanity at large learn fresh knowledge at every stage. This is even more noticeable and important in the spiritual world". To this fact, in an early Meccan Sura, the Qur'an exposes a colorful portrait of man's soul, illustrating the extent of man's capability in making his spiritual destiny. It is worth mentioning here that it is in accordance with the concept of man's spiritual development emphasized in the Qur'an that the present work will discuss the notion of bala from the Muslim mystical perspective in Chapter Four to shed light on the wholly positive nature of bala as it relates to man's creation and his spiritual journey.

By creation of the soul (nafs), and granting it the power to distinguish between right and wrong, God has positioned man in charge of his own life. His spiritual success is dependent on whether he makes the "choice" to purify his soul or corrupt it: "... And by the soul and how He formed it and inspired it [to know] its own rebellion and piety! The one who purifies his soul succeeds, and the one who corrupts it fails" (Q. 91:7-10). Hence, having the necessary cognition to create knowledge, and the ability to differentiate between wrong and right, man's crucial test, Rahman informs us, is "whether he can control history towards good ends or whether he will succumb to its vagaries." Thus, it may be noted that the Qur'an approaches the notion of bala, as a means to constantly remind man of his mission on earth, and his final return. "Did you think we had created you in vain, and that you would not be brought back to us?" (Q.23:115).

The instrumentality of bala as it relates to serving the purposes of God, whereby the Divine Plan is actualized, therefore, is the context in which the Qur'an approaches the concept of...