The Holy Quran confirms that man's knowledge of Allah often comes from fear and distress. Man prays and asks for Allah's help in miserable states. However, if his distress is relieved, he often forgets what he went through. He even forgets his God. This state reminds us of the materialists' law. Materialists believe that man's fragility and fear are behind his attachment to God. They believe ignorance of life's mysteries creates this need. They argue that once man discovers all secrets, he will not need God. This is wrong. It is God who associated effects with their causes. It is God who laid the law of causality in the universe. Allah assures in His verses that there is a law and a reason for every phenomenon. He has motivated us to discover His secrets. This is so we think about the source of these causes. We must ponder who created such laws. Our inquiries would be endless without realizing God is the essence of everything. Allah is the essence of our existence and the universe's. He is also the interpreter of the meaning of this existence.
Without belief in God, we never understand the meaning of our existence. It is understood through the existence of God. Man is susceptible to forgetfulness when he is no longer distressed. He easily follows deviation when he is relieved.
"And when adversity touches man, he calls upon Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove his adversity from him, he continues [in disobedience] as if he had never called upon Us to remove an adversity that touched him." Surah Yunus (10:12)
God reminds and warns him of a great danger in this verse.
"Thus is made pleasing to the transgressors that which they have been doing." Surah Yunus (10:12)
God warns man against his own deceitful plans. He reminds him of His absolute power.
"And if We give man a taste of mercy from Us and then We withdraw it from him, indeed, he is despairing and ungrateful. But if We give him a taste of favor after hardship has touched him, he will surely say, 'My evils have left me.' Indeed, he is exultant and boastful." Surah Hud (11:9-10)
Most importantly, God reminds man of the Day of Judgment. On that day, man is resurrected to witness his own deeds. He will be either rewarded or punished. Man should not forget that his Creator is Merciful and Just. Imam Zein Al-Abideen (a.s.) assures this: "I have realized that You are just in Your rule and that You are patient in Your punishment, but he is hasty who fears death."
Since death is inevitable, there is no escape.
"And the agony of death will come in truth. That is what you were trying to avoid." Surah Qaf (50:19)
On the Day of Resurrection, the believers are separated from the disbelievers.
"Indeed, those you worship besides Allah do not possess [even] the scale of a seed. If you call upon them, they will not hear your call. And if they heard, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection they will deny your association. And none can inform you like [one] Acquainted [with all matters]." Surah Fatir (35:13-14)
The Quranic verses describe how a blessing can become a trial.
"It is He who enables you to travel on land and sea until, when you are in ships and they sail with them by a good wind and they rejoice therein, there comes a storm wind and the waves come upon them from every side and they assume that they are surrounded, supplicating Allah, sincere to Him in religion..." Surah Yunus (10:22)
They describe how man yields and asks for God's rescue. They also describe how man behaves when his demands are met. Some immediately follow deviation, believing it is the right path. Others feel proud, thinking it is due to their own power.
"And whatever you have of favor - it is from Allah. Then when adversity touches you, to Him you cry for help." Surah An-Nahl (16:53)
Man ought to be grateful to his Creator. Some people have evil qualities. They are ungrateful to God in all their deeds.
"Then when He has removed it from them, at once they commit injustice upon the earth without right. O mankind, your injustice is only against yourselves, [being merely] the enjoyment of worldly life. Then to Us is your return, and We will inform you of what you used to do." Surah Yunus (10:23)
The Holy Quran confirms that man is instinctually a believer in God. He asks His followers about their feelings if they face a shipwreck. When death seems inevitable, all thoughts and hopes are directed to one savior: God.
"And when adversity touches you at sea, lost are [all] those you invoke except for Him. But when He delivers you to the land, you turn away [from Him]. And ever is man ungrateful." Surah Al-Isra' (17:67)
Here, we raise a question: Why are the worshippers excluded?
"Indeed, mankind was created anxious: When evil touches him, impatient, And when good touches him, withholding [of it], Except the observers of prayer -" Surah Al-Ma'arij (70:19-22)
It is because prayer makes you open up to God with your whole soul. When you say "Allah is the Greatest," you feel everything is small compared to Allah. When you say there is no god but Allah, you feel all other assumed gods fall. When the worshipper says:
"It is You we worship and You we ask for help." Surah Al-Fatihah (1:5)
He is worshipping one God. In all the deeds and gestures of prayer, man confesses his total belief in God. Consequently, he will not yield to any evil deed. He will not prevent any good deed.
"As for man, when his Lord tries him and [thus] is generous to him and favors him, he says, 'My Lord has honored me.'" Surah Al-Fajr (89:15)
Thus, the worshippers are characterized by thankfulness when blessed. They feel humble when tested.
"But when He tries him and restricts his provision, he says, 'My Lord has humiliated me.'" Surah Al-Fajr (89:16)
When God gives him wealth, He is testing him. God tries man to check if he is patient or impatient, grateful or ungrateful.
"And those who emigrated for [the cause of] Allah after they had been wronged - We will surely settle them in this world in a good place; but the reward of the Hereafter is greater, if only they could know." Surah An-Nahl (16:41)
God tests whether man will use his wealth to please God or displease Him.
Dear loved ones, remember that some people are not consistent in their belief. They worship God only when away from suffering. They do not steal because they do not need to. They are not deviated because they had no chance. However, once tested, they immediately fall. They are shaken by the wind of temptations. Such people have shallow belief. There is no depth and stability.
"Do the people think that they will be left to say, 'We believe' and they will not be tried?" Surah Al-Ankabut (29:2)
Dear loved ones, we must ask God to rescue us from the evil of disbelief. We must ask for a strong, unshakeable belief.
"But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars." Surah Al-Ankabut (29:3)
Dear loved ones, true belief is what faces all life's challenges. Be stable in your relation with God. Be firm in your belief in all your deeds.