Islam As It Is
The Trial of Man
~ 117 ~
first and foremost, before his Master. But in
everyday situations, it often happens that in his
immediate environment there are individuals who
have some claim upon him, or some right to assert
over him. These are the ‘Adams’ before whom he
must bow at the behest of the Almighty. This is a
test which God sets for man in life. It is an exacting
test: because although human beings are quite
prepared to bow before God—His superiority being
unassailable—they find difficult to acknowledge the
rights of other ordinary individuals, who, they feel
are in no way superior to themselves. This is when
the ‘Satan’ in them comes alive and drives them to
the perversity of ignoring, or denying the rights of
others. They refuse to bow before Adam, despite
this being a commandment of that very deity before
whom they regularly prostrate themselves. Like
Satan before them, they refuse to bow to those
whom they consider inferior to themselves. It is the
same superiority complex, the same hubris, that
held Satan aloof when the Angels were prostrating
themselves before Adam—whether they are
conscious of it or not—which prevents them from
carrying out the will of God.
