{"id":29877,"date":"2026-07-06T15:02:28","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T15:02:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/?p=29877"},"modified":"2026-06-06T15:04:10","modified_gmt":"2026-06-06T15:04:10","slug":"the-stages-of-human-life-in-the-quran-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/the-stages-of-human-life-in-the-quran-2\/","title":{"rendered":"# The Stages of Human Life in the Qur\u2019an 2"},"content":{"rendered":"

# The Stages of Human Life in the Qur\u2019an <\/strong>
\n## The Second Stage: Testimony (Shah\u0101dah)<\/strong><\/p>\n

It first points to the unity of humanity by nature upon the path of worshipping and affirming the oneness of God:<\/strong><\/p>\n

**\u201cMankind was one community.\u201d**<\/strong><\/p>\n

At this stage\u2014the first stage\u2014people worshipped God Almighty, obeyed Him, and affirmed His oneness according to their natural disposition (fi\u1e6drah).<\/strong><\/p>\n

> **\u201cMankind was one community; then Allah sent the prophets as bearers of good tidings and warners, and sent down with them the Book in truth to judge between people concerning that in which they differed. And none differed concerning it except those who were given it after clear proofs had come to them, out of mutual transgression.\u201d** <\/strong>
\n> (Al\u2011Baqarah 2:213)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Four realities are manifested in this noble verse:<\/strong><\/p>\n

### 1. The Original Unity of Humanity<\/strong>
\nThe verse first refers to the unity of humanity by nature on the path of worshipping and affirming the oneness of God:<\/strong><\/p>\n

**\u201cMankind was one community.\u201d**<\/strong><\/p>\n

At that stage\u2014the initial stage\u2014people worshipped God, obeyed Him, and affirmed His oneness according to their innate nature.<\/strong><\/p>\n

### 2. Humanity\u2019s Deviation from the Natural Disposition<\/strong>
\nThe verse then indicates that people later deviated from the requirements of their natural disposition (fi\u1e6drah), and \u0627\u062e\u062a\u0644\u0627\u0641 (disagreement and division) emerged among them. Their fi\u1e6drah weakened and became corrupted. This marked the end of the period in which fi\u1e6drah alone governed and directed human life.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thus, a new guiding factor had to enter human life alongside fi\u1e6drah to guide people to God.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The cause of the weakening and corruption of fi\u1e6drah and humanity\u2019s deviation from it was **disagreement**, as expressed in the verse:<\/strong><\/p>\n

**\u201cto judge between people concerning that in which they differed.\u201d**<\/strong><\/p>\n

This disagreement arose because people had previously lived simple and primitive lives. When their lives became more complex, their relationships expanded, and new elements appeared in their social life, **injustice (\u1e93ulm)** emerged among them, and some began to transgress against others.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Injustice is a social phenomenon with causes, effects, and consequences.<\/strong><\/p>\n

– Its **cause** is **desire (haw\u0101)**. Without unchecked desire, injustice would not appear in human life.<\/strong>
\n– Its **effect** is **arrogance and domination (istikb\u0101r)**, because injustice inevitably leads to the emergence of an arrogant class in society that violates the rights of others and transgresses the limits set by God.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The outcome of **injustice, desire, and arrogance** is **corruption (fas\u0101d)** in both the individual and society.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This deviation from the path of fi\u1e6drah appeared in two main forms:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. Replacing the sovereignty of God with the sovereignty of **\u1e6d\u0101gh\u016bt** (false authorities or tyrannical powers), resulting from the influence of tyrannical forces in society.<\/strong>
\n2. Deviating from the path of justice and truth toward injustice and transgression, due to the influence of human desires.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thus, disagreement arose concerning the **innate covenant** that existed between God and humanity. After corruption weakened the natural disposition, fi\u1e6drah alone was no longer sufficient to guide human beings and bind them to the worship of God. This, in our view, explains the disagreement mentioned in the noble verse.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Regarding this stage\u2014when fi\u1e6drah dominated human life\u2014and what followed afterward in terms of disagreement, God says:<\/strong><\/p>\n

> **\u201cAnd mankind was not but one community; then they differed. And if not for a word that had preceded from your Lord, the matter would have been judged between them concerning that over which they differ.\u201d** <\/strong>
\n> (Y\u016bnus 10:19)<\/strong><\/p>\n

The \u201cword that had preceded\u201d refers to God\u2019s statement:<\/strong><\/p>\n

> **\u201cAnd for you on the earth is a place of settlement and provision for a time.\u201d** <\/strong>
\n> (Al\u2011Baqarah 2:36)<\/strong><\/p>\n

### 3. The Sending of the Prophets<\/strong>
\nWhen disagreement\u2014with all its causes and consequences\u2014entered human life and corrupted the purity of fi\u1e6drah, God sent the prophets as bearers of glad tidings and warners.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The mission of these prophets was to support, revive, and awaken the natural disposition after disagreement had weakened and corrupted it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

These prophets are the **\u201cwitnesses\u201d (shuhad\u0101\u02be)**, and this stage of human life marks the beginning of the stage of **testimony (shah\u0101dah)**.<\/strong><\/p>\n

God says:<\/strong><\/p>\n

> **\u201cSo how will it be when We bring from every nation a witness and bring you [O Muhammad] as a witness over these?\u201d** <\/strong>
\n> (An\u2011Nis\u0101\u02be 4:41)<\/strong><\/p>\n

> **\u201cI did not say to them except what You commanded me\u2014that they worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord\u2014and I was a witness over them while I was among them; but when You took me, You were the Observer over them, and You are Witness over all things.\u201d** <\/strong>
\n> (Al\u2011M\u0101\u02beidah 5:117)<\/strong><\/p>\n

> **\u201cAnd the Day We raise from every nation a witness against them from among themselves, and We bring you as a witness over these. And We have sent down to you the Book as clarification of all things, guidance, mercy, and glad tidings for the Muslims.\u201d** <\/strong>
\n> (An\u2011Na\u1e25l 16:89)<\/strong><\/p>\n

> **\u201cIndeed, We sent down the Torah, in which was guidance and light. The prophets who submitted judged by it for the Jews, as did the rabbis and scholars by that with which they were entrusted of the Book of Allah, and they were witnesses over it.\u201d** <\/strong>
\n> (Al\u2011M\u0101\u02beidah 5:44)<\/strong><\/p>\n

> **\u201cAnd the earth will shine with the light of its Lord, and the record will be set, and the prophets and the witnesses will be brought, and judgment will be passed between them in truth, and they will not be wronged.\u201d** <\/strong>
\n> (Az\u2011Zumar 39:69)<\/strong><\/p>\n

We will, God willing, later discuss **testimony (shah\u0101dah)**, its meaning, the mission of the witnesses, and their responsibilities in this world and the Hereafter. For now, it is enough to note that the mission of these witnesses in worldly life aims at three objectives:<\/strong><\/p>\n

– **Reminding (tadhk\u012br)** <\/strong>
\n– **Teaching (ta\u02bfl\u012bm)** <\/strong>
\n– **Supervising human conduct**<\/strong><\/p>\n

The role of **reminding** is to awaken and revive the natural disposition when it becomes dormant. This is different from the task of **teaching**. The Qur\u2019an assigns both responsibilities to the prophets.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The prophets are therefore both **teachers and reminders**.<\/strong><\/p>\n

God says regarding reminding:<\/strong><\/p>\n

> **\u201cSo remind; you are only a reminder.\u201d** <\/strong>
\n> (Al\u2011Gh\u0101shiyah 88:21)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Regarding teaching, He says:<\/strong><\/p>\n

> **\u201cAnd He teaches you the Book and wisdom and teaches you what you did not know.\u201d** <\/strong>
\n> (Al\u2011Baqarah 2:151)<\/strong><\/p>\n

> **\u201cTeaching them the Book and wisdom, although they were previously in clear misguidance.\u201d** <\/strong>
\n> (Al\u2011Jumu\u02bfah 62:2)<\/strong><\/p>\n

Reminding relates to calling people to God, while teaching concerns what God teaches humanity from the wisdom and laws of His religion.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The third mission is **monitoring people\u2019s conduct**, which is manifested in **enjoining good and forbidding evil**.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thus, the mission of the prophets can be summarized in three words:<\/strong><\/p>\n

– Calling to God <\/strong>
\n– Enjoining good <\/strong>
\n– Forbidding evil<\/strong><\/p>\n

All of which are accompanied by the knowledge that the prophets bring from God.<\/strong><\/p>\n

## The Covenant and Testimony<\/strong><\/p>\n

The **covenant (m\u012bth\u0101q)** and **testimony (shah\u0101dah)** complement one another.<\/strong><\/p>\n

– The **covenant** represents humanity\u2019s connection with God through the natural disposition (fi\u1e6drah).<\/strong>
\n– **Testimony** strengthens and supports this connection through the sending of prophets and witnesses.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The mission of these witnesses is to awaken the natural disposition and restore its connection with God.<\/strong><\/p>\n

### 4. Disagreement After the Sending of the Prophets<\/strong>
\nGod says:<\/strong><\/p>\n

> **\u201cAnd none differed concerning it except those who were given it after clear proofs had come to them, out of mutual transgression.\u201d** <\/strong>
\n> (Al\u2011Baqarah 2:213)<\/strong><\/p>\n

This disagreement is different from the first disagreement mentioned earlier in the verse:<\/strong><\/p>\n

> **\u201cto judge between people concerning that in which they differed.\u201d**<\/strong><\/p>\n

Thus, the verse refers to **two kinds of disagreement**:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1. **The first:** deviation from the natural disposition (fi\u1e6drah). <\/strong>
\n2. **The second:** disagreement concerning the call of the prophets and deviation from their message.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The first occurred **before** the mission of the messengers, while the second occurred **after** the sending of the messengers, particularly among the scholars of the People of the Book.<\/strong><\/p>\n

God says:<\/strong><\/p>\n

> **\u201cAnd they did not divide until after knowledge had come to them, out of mutual transgression.\u201d** <\/strong>
\n> (Ash\u2011Sh\u016br\u0101 42:14)<\/strong><\/p>\n

> **\u201cAnd those who were given the Scripture did not differ except after knowledge had come to them, out of mutual transgression. And whoever disbelieves in the signs of Allah\u2014then indeed Allah is swift in account.\u201d** <\/strong>
\n> (\u0100l \u02bfImr\u0101n 3:19)<\/strong><\/p>\n

This second type of disagreement\u2014mentioned in the noble verse\u2014is one of the complex problems in the civilizational history of humanity, and discussing it in detail lies beyond the scope of the present discussion.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

# The Stages of Human Life in the Qur\u2019an ## The Second Stage: Testimony (Shah\u0101dah) It first points to the unity of humanity by nature upon the path of worshipping and affirming the oneness of God: **\u201cMankind was one community.\u201d** At this stage\u2014the first stage\u2014people worshipped God Almighty, obeyed Him, and affirmed His oneness according …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":29875,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"iawp_total_views":1,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1498],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29877","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-koran-"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29877","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29877"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29877\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29878,"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29877\/revisions\/29878"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/29875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29877"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29877"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wilayah.info\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29877"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}