God created man, and in His Infinite Munificence and Mercy, made just arrangements for his guidance as well as sustenance. He never left man to wander in the web of darkness. As He filled the earth with His bounties enough for the physical survival of man, He also outlined the way of life, practising which man can quench his spiritual thirst by treading the path of ultimate success. How to deal with socio-economic affairs, how to behave with the members of family, neighbours and friends and the masses at large, how to remain steadfast at times of trials and tribulations, what is lawful and what is unlawful, how to earn the pleasure of God, and how to succeed in the life on earth and in the life hereafter. All this has been made clear to man via the medium of His Prophets and revelations that was perfected with Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and the Qur’ān revealed to him.
The faith He has chosen for man inspires him to try to reach the sublime, but it wants him to do so within the limitations of his human nature and his own potentials, as well as his real needs. Hence, it gives them a code of life which is easy to follow. The Qur’ān (4:26) says: “God wants to make all this clear to you and to guide you in the (righteous) ways of life of those who have preceded you, and to turn to you in His mercy. God is All-Knowing, Wise.”
In Surah Al-Nisā’ the Qur’ān teaches us how to organise the family life and how to cleanse and purify the society. It provides teachings which make it difficult for injustice to take place in society and which make it almost impossible for punishment to be inflicted on the basis of suspicion or mistaken identity. Thus it lays the foundation of a stable, peaceful and healthy society.
It is through such teachings that the society is elevated psychologically, morally and socially to a very great height. God treats His servants with grace and reveals to them what lies behind His wisdom, explaining to them the benefits they will reap as a result of implementing these teachings in their practical life.
God knows people’s hearts and souls, and knows what is suitable for them. He has exercised His Mercy and Wisdom in defining the way of life for them and shown them how to implement it. The Qur’ān (4:27) says: “And God wants to turn to you in His mercy, while those who follow their lusts want you to go very far astray.”
When we contemplate God’s Mercy and Wisdom presented in these verses, we say praise be to Him.