---
title: "WHY ALLAH CREATED LIFE AND DEATH"
slug: why-allah-created-life-and-death
kicker: "PART FOUR"
---

Now we come to the foundation of my understanding of the human experience.

Allah says in Surah Al-Mulk:

**تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ**

**الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ**

**“Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things competent—He who created death and life to test you as to which of you is best in deed—and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving.”**

**— Qur'an 67:1–2**

# ALLAH CREATED DEATH AND LIFE TO TEST US.

Not merely to see who becomes the richest.

Not merely to see who accumulates the greatest political authority.

Not merely to see who controls the most powerful technology.

But to test us:

**WHICH OF US WILL BE BEST IN DEEDS?**

For me, this is the great equation of human existence.

We have been given life.

We have been given choices.

We have been given responsibilities.

We have been given opportunities to do good.

And we have been given opportunities to do evil.

We can tell the truth.

We can lie.

We can protect someone.

We can betray someone.

We can serve humanity.

We can exploit humanity.

We can repent.

We can correct ourselves.

We can change.

**WE ARE NOT ANGELS.**

We are human beings.

We make mistakes.

We experience weakness.

We become confused.

We fail.

We commit sins.

We regret our actions.

We seek forgiveness.

And, by the mercy of Allah, we are given opportunities to return to what is right.

**THIS IS THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE.**

The Institute of Truth must understand this.

It cannot be an institution that pretends human beings are perfect.

It cannot be an institution that demands that every person speak with absolute certainty twenty-four hours a day.

It cannot become a machine for humiliating people because they made a mistake.

There are difficult circumstances.

There are incomplete facts.

There are disagreements.

There are matters requiring wisdom.

There are moments when privacy must be protected.

There are moments when silence is more responsible than speculation.

**TRUTHFULNESS DOES NOT MEAN PRETENDING TO KNOW EVERYTHING.**

Sometimes the most truthful statement a human being can make is:

**I DO NOT KNOW.**

Sometimes it is:

**I WAS WRONG.**

Sometimes it is:

**I NEED MORE EVIDENCE.**

And sometimes it is:

**I ASK FOR FORGIVENESS.**

That is not weakness.

That is character.

**THE INSTITUTE OF TRUTH MUST RECOGNIZE THE COURAGE OF CORRECTION, NOT ONLY THE ACCURACY OF THE ORIGINAL CLAIM.**