Answer

Dina Mohamed Basiony

08 January, 2025

Short Answer:

• Allah Almighty told us that He entrusted us with being vicegerents on earth; the best of mankind are those who fulfill their purpose of creation and spread holistic goodness on earth, and the worst are those who reject and deter from their purpose and spread holistic corruption on earth. 
• With that in mind, let’s look at some thought-provoking verses about the creation of the earth in the Quran, and how the Creator Allah Almighty uses it to teach us major lessons about our purpose in life. 

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Assalamo Alaikom,

Prophet Muhammad - A Pioneer of the Environment

Thank you for your question.

Purpose of Creation

The Quran is the Direct Speech of the Creator to all mankind. Since, He is The One who created the heavens and the earth and everything therein, He gives a holistic understanding of the purpose of what He created. 

“How could He not know His Own creation? For He ˹alone˺ is the Most Subtle, All-Aware.” (Quran 67: 14)

Allah Almighty told us that He entrusted us with being vicegerents on earth; the best of mankind are those who fulfill their purpose of creation and spread holistic goodness on earth, and the worst are those who reject and deter from their purpose and spread holistic corruption on earth. 

˹Remember˺ when your Lord said to the angels, “I am going to place a successive ˹human˺ authority on earth.” They asked ˹Allah˺, “Will You place in it someone who will spread corruption there and shed blood while we glorify Your praises and proclaim Your holiness?” Allah responded, “I know what you do not know…” (Quran 2:30)

Prophetic instructions to preserve the earth 

The Prophet [saw] forbade transgressing in the use of water even for ritual ablution. 

It was narrated from ‘Amr bin Shu’aib from his father, from his grandfather, that:

A Bedouin came to the Prophet and asked him about ablution. He showed him how to perform it washing each part of the body three times. Then he said: ‘This is the ablution, and whoever does more than this, has done evil, transgressed the limits and wronged himself.‘” [Sunan Ibn Majah]

Also, the Prophet [saw] encouraged the planting of trees and that it serves as an ongoing charity for the one who does it with the right intention. 

Narrated Anas: that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “No Muslim plants a plant or sows a crop, then a person, or a bird, or an animal eats from it, except that it will be a charity for him.” [Jami` at-Tirmidhi]

And Anas ibn Malik reported that the Prophet [saw] said, “If the Final Hour comes while you have a palm-cutting in your hands and it is possible to plant it before the Hour comes, you should plant it.” [Al Adab Al Mufrad]

8 Thought-Provoking Verses about the Earth from the Quran

Reflecting on Allah's Beauty in Nature

With that in mind, let’s look at some thought-provoking verses about the creation of the earth in the Quran, and how the Creator Allah Almighty uses it to teach us major lessons about our purpose in life. 

1- The importance of not associating others in worship with the Creator who created and facilitated our life for us

˹He is the One˺ Who has made the earth a place of settlement for you and the sky a canopy; and sends down rain from the sky, causing fruits to grow as a provision for you. So do not knowingly set up equals to Allah ˹in worship˺. (Quran 2:22)

2- Acknowledging that The One who created is The One who has perfect knowledge of all things

He is the One Who created everything in the earth for you. Then He turned towards the heaven, forming it into seven heavens. And He has ˹perfect˺ knowledge of all things (2:29)

3- The importance of being grateful for The One who created this earth and provided for us through it

“And a sign for them is the dead earth. We have brought it to life and brought forth from it grain, and from it they eat. And We placed therein gardens of palm trees and grapevines and caused to burst forth therefrom some springs – That they may eat of His fruit. And their hands have not produced it, so will they not be grateful?” (Quran 36: 33-35)

4- How Allah subjected to humans’ creations from the heavens and the earth for their convenience

“It is Allah who created the heavens and the earth and sent down rain from the sky and produced thereby some fruits as provision for you and subjected for you the ships to sail through the sea by His command and subjected for you the rivers. And He subjected for you the sun and the moon, continuous [in orbit], and subjected for you the night and the day.” (Quran 14: 32- 33)

“It is Allah who subjected to you the sea so that ships may sail upon it by His command and that you may seek of His bounty, and perhaps you will be grateful. And He has subjected to you whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth – all from Him. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought.” (Quran 45: 12-13)

5- Corruption spread on earth when people turned away from their Creator and forgot their purpose of creation

“Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].” (Quran 30: 41)

6- How pondering on the creations on earth and our own creation helps us connect with The Creator

“On earth there are signs for those with sure faith– and in yourselves too, do you not see?–” (51: 20-21)

7- Just like the earth was created for a purpose, it will come to an end for a purpose

“Then when the Horn is blown with one blast. And the earth and the mountains are lifted and leveled with one blow – Then on that Day, the Resurrection will occur,” (69: 13-15)

8- The earth will witness and speak about everything that happened on it by mankind

“When the earth is shaken with its [final] earthquake

 And the earth discharges its burdens

 And man says, “What is [wrong] with it?” –

That Day, it will report its news

 Because your Lord has commanded it.” (Quran 99: 1-5)

We are surrounded by the creation of Allah in the heavens and the earth to reflect on and everything has a purpose.

What Is the Real Purpose of Life?

Just like we are concerned that everything in nature doesn’t get corrupted and that it continues to fulfill its purpose; We must also be concerned that we too, and our souls, don’t get corrupted; and that we fulfill our own purpose of creation.  

And Allah knows best.

I hope this helps.

Salam and please keep in touch.

(From Ask About Islam archive)

Please continue feeding your curiosity, and find more info in the following links:

The Purpose Of Life In Ten Minutes

What Is The Purpose Of Life According To The Quran?

Spiritual Benefits Of Connecting With Nature