Page 46 - Islam and Karma

ISLAM AND KARMA

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In the Qur’an, we are told that we will have only one life in this
world, and that the purpose of this life is to test us in preparation for
our eternal life. That is to say, once we have experienced death there is
no chance for us to return to this world and make up for the mistakes
we have made. Allah tells us what the purpose of our life in this world
is in this verse:
He Who created death and life to test which of you is best in action.
He is the Almighty, the Ever-Forgiving. (Surat al-Mulk: 2)
For each one of us, this world is a place where we are tested by
the events Allah makes happen to us, in order to see whether we will
respond in a way that is pleasing to Him. In the Qur’an, Allah tells us
that people will not be left to say, "We believe”, and then not tested.
(Surat al-Ankabut: 2)
Nothing that happens to us throughout our lives is a coincidence.
Every event in our lives down to the finest detail of our fate has been
created by Allah as a means of testing us. For instance, the fact that
someone is rich or famous does not mean that they are receiving the
reward for good deeds they have done in their previous life (as the
idea of karma maintains). Rather, Allah is testing them by means of
wealth and fame. The important thing is whether or not they will be-
come spoilt as a result of their good fortune, whether or not they will
be ungrateful and whether or not they will thank Allah. Similarly, it is
erroneous to believe that someone who is poor and has a difficult life
is suffering the consequences of bad things done in their previous life.
Allah is testing them by means of trouble and poverty. One possible
reason for their having a life of this kind is that Allah is seeing whether
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