IN the Holy Qur’an, God tells human beings that they were created in order to worship Him alone and that the basis of all true worship is God-consciousness. Since the teachings of Islam encompass all aspects of life and ethics, God-consciousness is encouraged in all human affairs. Islam makes it clear that all human acts are acts of worship if they are done for God alone and in accordance to His Divine Law. As such, worship in Islam is not limited to religious rituals. The teachings of Islam act as a mercy and a healing for the human soul, and such qualities as humility, sincerity, patience, and charity are strongly encouraged. Additionally, Islam condemns pride and self-righteousness, since Almighty Allah is the only judge of human righteousness.

The Islamic view of the nature of man is also realistic and well-balanced. Human beings are not believed to be inherently sinful but are seen as equally capable of both good and evil. Islam also teaches that faith and action go hand-in-hand. God has given people free will, and the measure of one’s faith is one’s deeds and actions. However, human beings have also been created weak and regularly fall into sin. This is the nature of the human being as created by God in His Wisdom, and it is not inherently “corrupt” or in need of repair. This is because the avenue of repentance is always open to all human beings, and Almighty Allah loves the repentant sinner more than one who does not sin at all. The true balance of an Islamic life is established by having a healthy fear of God as well as a sincere belief in His infinite Mercy. A life without fear of God leads to sin and disobedience while believing that we have sinned so much that God will not possibly forgive us only leads to despair.

In light of this, Islam teaches that: only the misguided despair of the Mercy of their Lord. Additionally, the Holy Qur’an, which was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), contains a great number of teachings about life hereafter and the Day of Judgment. Due to this, Muslims believe that all human beings will ultimately be judged by God for their beliefs and actions in their earthly lives. In judging human beings, Almighty Allah will be both Merciful and Just, and people will only be judged for what they were capable of. Suffice it to say, Islam teaches that life is a test and that all human beings will be accountable before God. A sincere belief in life hereafter is key to leading a well-balanced and moral life. Otherwise, life is viewed as an end in itself, which causes human beings to become utterly selfish, materialistic, and immoral.

Islam teaches that true happiness can only be secured by living a life full of God-consciousness and being contented with what God has given us. Additionally, true “freedom” is freedom from being controlled by our base human desires and being ruled by man-made ideologies. This stands in stark contrast to the view of many people in the modern world, who consider “freedom” to be the ability to satisfy all of their desires without inhibition. The clear and comprehensive guidance of Islam gives human beings a well-defined purpose and direction in life.

In addition to being members of the human brotherhood of Islam, its well-balanced and practical teachings are a source of spiritual comfort, guidance, and morality. A direct and clear relationship with Almighty Allah, as well as the sense of purpose and belonging that one feels as a Muslim, frees a person from the many worries of everyday life. In short, the Islamic way of life is pure and wholesome. It builds self-discipline and self-control through regular prayer and fasting and frees human beings from superstition and all sorts of racial, ethnic, and national prejudices. By accepting to live a God-conscious life, and realizing that the only thing that distinguishes people in the sight of God is their consciousness of Him, a person’s true human dignity is realized.