Creation’s Purpose: Mercy Triumphs Over Illusion

The question regarding the reason for our creation is not new; rather, it is one of the oldest questions of the human mind. However, the error lies in the assumption that Allah, the Almighty, needs us or that our existence adds anything to His perfection, Glory be to Him. This is an illusion refuted by reason and logic, as absolute perfection does not need anything other than itself. Allah Almighty is Self-Sufficient by His very essence, perfect without additions. The Almighty says: {O mankind, you are those in need of Allah, while Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy.} [Fatir 35:15].

Therefore, the question is reformulated as follows: Why do we need to be created?

The answer: Because within the core of our existence lies wisdom and mercy. Life is a test that reveals the essence of man, and the worship of Allah is the purpose that rescues man from the enslavement of whim and nothingness, granting him meaning and dignity.

When the atheist asks: "Why did Allah create us?", he ignores that the question itself is built upon the gift of creation—the intellect with which he asks, the life with which he argues, and the universe that supports him while he denies. All of this is proof that our existence is not in vain but is a mercy. The Almighty says: {Then did you think that We created you uselessly and that to Us you would not be returned?} [Al-Mu'minun 23:115].

The Text of the Fallacy

"- Why did Allah create us?

• To worship Him!
• And does Allah need our worship?
• No, rather we need Him.
• I asked you about the reason for our creation; meaning, about the existence of a reason before we existed at all. So how can we have a need before we exist? You say: He created us because we need Him, while we were nothing but nonexistence. So how can nonexistence be in need?

If Allah created us due to a need, then that means He is in need, and the one in need is imperfect, whereas Allah must be perfect. And if He created us without a need or a reason, then that is absurdity, and absurdity contradicts wisdom; therefore, Allah would not be wise.

And if you say: He created us for a purpose, and the purpose is His worship, while He does not need our worship, then this seems like an attempt to satisfy oneself rather than being a rational answer." End of quote.

The misconception is based on the following assumption:

• If the reason for our creation is that we need Allah Almighty, how can we have a need when we have not been brought into existence yet? For nonexistence cannot be in need.

This leads to the conclusion that the answer "we need Him" is insufficient to explain the reason for creation, because need assumes a prior existence.

The response to the misconception is outlined below:

The Response to the Misconception

To respond to this, we must differentiate between the cause of creation from the perspective of Allah the Almighty (the Creator) and the purpose of creation from the perspective of man (the creature). We must also discuss the concept of need and its relationship to existence and nonexistence.

Does Allah Need Our Worship?

Let us begin by confirming a fundamental point: Allah Almighty does not need our worship. This is a fixed creedal and rational principle in our pristine religion. The Almighty says: {O humanity! It is you who stand in need of Allah, but Allah ˹alone˺ is the Self-Sufficient, Praiseworthy. } [Fatir 35:15]. This verse confirms that Allah Almighty is the Absolutely Free of need; meaning, He does not need anything from His creation, including their worship. Worship does not add anything to the perfection of Allah or His essence.

Absolute perfection means total independence from anything outside the Divine Essence.

If we were to assume that Allah Almighty—far exalted is He above that—needed our worship, that would be a deficiency in His perfection, which contradicts the concept of a perfect Deity.

Therefore, worship is not for a purpose returning to Allah, but rather for a purpose returning to the creature. However, this leads us to the core of the misconception: If worship is for our benefit, how can we have a need before we exist?

How Can Nonexistence Have a Need?

The misconception assumes that a need cannot be attributed to something that does not exist. To respond to this, we say:

A. The need is not within nonexistence, but within the Divine design:

The need is not a need of nonexistence (because nonexistence cannot have attributes or requirements); rather, it is an inherent need in the nature of man after his creation. Allah Almighty, by His eternal knowledge and wisdom, created man with traits and characteristics that make worship necessary for him after his existence.

When an engineer designs a machine, he designs it so that it requires a specific fuel (such as gasoline) to operate efficiently. The machine before its manufacture was not in need of anything because it was nonexistence. However, the engineer, by his knowledge, designed it so that it would have this need after its existence. Similarly, and to Allah belongs the highest example, Allah Almighty created man with spiritual, psychological, and physical traits that make worship the ultimate "fuel" for his existence. The Almighty says: {Does He who created not know, while He is the Subtle, the Acquainted?} [Al-Mulk 67:14]. The eternal knowledge of Allah encompasses knowing the needs of creatures before creating them. Allah did not create us because we were needy in nonexistence; rather, He created us and designed within us a need for worship so that we may elevate ourselves and achieve the purpose of our existence.

B. The purpose of creation returns to the wisdom of Allah:

The misconception assumes that the cause of creation must be linked to a pre-existing need. However, this assumption ignores that creation itself can be an expression of Allah 's attributes, such as wisdom, mercy, and power. The Almighty says: {And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.} [Adh-Dhariyat 51:5]. Worship here is not a need for Allah, but rather the purpose that Allah Almighty set for man to achieve his own perfection. Worship includes every good deed that brings man closer to Allah and achieves his happiness in this world and the Afterlife.

Let us take the example of an artist who paints a piece of art to display his creativity, not because he needs the painting. Similarly, and to Allah belongs the highest example, Allah Almighty created man to manifest His perfection, wisdom, and mercy, and to grant man the opportunity of existence and choice.

C. Need as part of human nature after creation:

Man, after his creation, possesses traits that make him in need of a meaning for his existence. This need is not in nonexistence but appears as soon as man exists. For example:

• The spiritual need: Man by nature searches for answers to existential questions such as "Why am I here?" and "What is the purpose of my life?". Worship provides this meaning by connecting man to his Creator.
• The psychological need: Psychological studies show that individuals who practice religious rituals (such as prayer or meditation) enjoy better mental health. For instance, a study published in the Journal of Religion and Health (2019) found that individuals who practice acts of worship regularly have lower levels of anxiety and depression.
• The social need: Worship (such as Zakat and Hajj) fosters social solidarity and belonging, which are basic needs for man as a social being.

Therefore, the need is not in nonexistence but is part of man's design after his creation. It results from the wisdom of Allah, who knew that worship is the optimal path to achieve man's happiness and perfection.

D. Does that mean creation was in vain?

The misconception may branch out to claim: If Allah does not need us, and we did not need Him before our existence, was creation in vain?

The response: Vanities are actions without a purpose or benefit, but creation has a clear purpose—to grant man the opportunity to live a purposeful life, choose his path freely, and achieve his perfection through worship and good deeds.

Divine wisdom manifests in the fact that Allah Almighty created the universe with a precise system that serves man. The Almighty says: {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.} [Al-Jathiyah 45:13]. This system contradicts the idea of vanity.

The universe displays astonishing precision in its design, a concept known as the "Fine-Tuning Principle." Cosmic constants (such as the gravitational constant or electrical charge) are tuned with ultimate precision to allow for the existence of life. This precision indicates the presence of a wise purpose, not vanity.

For example, if the value of the gravitational constant changed by a very miniscule fraction, stars or planets would not have formed, and consequently, life would not exist. This supports the idea that creation has a deliberate purpose. The Almighty says: {And We did not create the heavens and the earth and that between them except in truth} [Al-Hijr 15:85], and the phrase "in truth" means that creation has a wise purpose and is not in vain.

Why Did Allah Create Us Then?

If Allah does not need us, and we did not need Him before our existence, why did He create us?

Allah Almighty created us out of His wisdom and mercy, to manifest His perfection and give man the opportunity of existence and choice. Creation is an expression of the attributes of Allah Almighty, such as mercy, wisdom, and power.

Worship is the purpose that Allah Almighty set for man, because it is the optimal path to achieve his happiness and perfection. Worship is not merely rituals; rather, it is a system of life that encompasses thinking, good deeds, morals, and connection to the Creator.

Let us look at a father who fathers a child; he does not do so because he "needs" the child, but to give him the opportunity of life and raise him to be a righteous person. Similarly, and to Allah belongs the highest example, Allah Almighty created man to give him the opportunity of existence and guide him to the path of success.

Let us contemplate the human brain, with its immense complexity (100 billion neurons and trillions of synaptic connections); it is designed for thinking, reflection, and the search for meaning. These capabilities align with the idea of worship as contemplation of the Creator Almighty and the performance of good deeds, which demonstrates that man was created for a purpose that matches his traits.

The misconception relies on a confusion between the cause of creation (from the perspective of Allah Almighty) and the purpose of creation (from the perspective of man). Allah did not create us because we were needy in nonexistence; rather, He created us through His wisdom and mercy and designed within us a need for worship after our existence to achieve our perfection and happiness. The need was not in nonexistence, but in the nature of man after his creation, and worship is the optimal path to fulfill this need.

Creation has a wise purpose, which is to grant man the opportunity to live a purposeful life. Worship is not to fill a deficiency in Allah, but to achieve the perfection of man.

The Holy Quran confirms that Allah Almighty created us to worship Him, and this worship is for our benefit, just as the Almighty says through the words of our Master Shu'ayb: {And I do not intend to differ from you in that which I have forbidden you. I only intend reform as much as I am able. And my success is not but through Allah. Upon Him I have relied, and to Him I return.} [Hud 11:88].

Contemplation of the precise cosmic system and unique human capabilities demonstrates that creation has a purpose, and worship aligns with the psychological and social needs of man. Allah Almighty does not need our worship because He is the Absolutely Free of need. The need for Allah Almighty is not a need of nonexistence, but the need of man after his creation, which is part of his Divine design. Worship is the purpose set by Allah Almighty for man to achieve his happiness and perfection, and not to fill a deficiency in Allah; high exalted is Allah  far above what they describe.