A Journey of Consciousness: From Surface to Depth – Why Were We Created?

The story always begins with the root question: Why did God create us?

The familiar answer often repeated is that we were created "to worship God." But when we understand worship as presented in the texts, we realize it is not merely rituals; it is a "mode of being." It is to be conscious, truthful, moral, capable of error and learning, falling and rising, searching and transforming. In this way, the human being becomes a space where values manifest—values that cannot appear in a silent world that neither chooses nor changes. Human existence gives meaning to mercy, value to forgiveness, a path to wisdom, and a journey to growth. The human is the mirror in which meanings manifest.

Why does a human exist to manifest these meanings?

The answer is that meaning does not exist in isolation, and value is not value until it is perceived by someone. Mercy without someone in need is not mercy; beauty without an eye to behold it remains unknown; and wisdom without experience does not take shape. Without humans, these meanings remain possible... but unperceived, unexperienced, and unactivated. Human existence is what transforms values from "abstract facts" into "living experiences." Thus, the human becomes an inevitable part of the manifestation of meaning itself.

Why does existence need a "consciousness" to perceive meaning?

Because existence without consciousness becomes a fact without a story. Existing? Yes. Understood? No. Consciousness is what turns movement into understanding, events into wisdom, and situations into insight. Not because God needs someone to know Him, but because knowledge cannot exist except in a mind capable of understanding. Consciousness makes existence intelligible rather than merely abstract. Without it, existence becomes silent—even if full of truths. Therefore, consciousness is the prerequisite for the story to unfold.

Why is there "existence" instead of nothingness?

Because perfection does not close in on itself. Light overflows as illumination because it is light, not because it is needy. Beauty appears because it is beautiful, not because it is forced. Divine Perfection is more worthy of this than anything else. Philosophers called this Faydh (Emanation), but a distinction must be made: it is not a "forced" emanation like light from the sun, but an emanation stemming from the perfection of ability and the completeness of Will together. It is a complete choice, issuing from complete fullness, not the result of need or lack. Existence, then, is not a project to compensate for a lack, but a trace of overflowing Perfection.

Why do we link Perfection with Emanation?

Why isn't Perfection static? Because every perfection we perceive—even in its lowest degrees—naturally manifests its effect. Light without illumination is not light; mercy that does not give is not mercy; wisdom that does not enlighten is not wisdom. If this is true in the lowest orders of existence, then the Highest Perfection is even more worthy of manifesting. Furthermore, "Static Perfection" is, in reality, a deficiency; for stillness is not fullness, but neutrality. True Perfection is alive, effective, and revealing—neither rigid nor closed.

Why did this Emanation take the form of a "flawed" human?

One might ask: If the Source is Perfect, why isn't the emanation perfect too? Why didn't God create instant perfect beings? Or only angels?

Divine Perfection is not perceived through a perfect being alone... it requires a mirror that contains imperfection as well. The name "The Forgiver" (Al-Ghaffar) only manifests with the existence of one who errs. "The Merciful" (Ar-Rahim) only manifests with the needy and weak. "The Healer" only manifests with the sick. "The Wise" only manifests with one trying to understand.

Angels manifest the aspect of "Obedience and Perfection," but humans manifest the aspect of "Need, Return, Change, and the Journey." Imperfection is not a glitch in the human... imperfection is the precise design for the opposite to appear: Hunger so that satisfaction appears; darkness so that light appears; weakness so that mercy appears; error so that forgiveness appears; and being lost so that guidance appears. Consciousness perceives nothing except through its opposite; thus, the human was created imperfect to perceive what a perfect being cannot.

Why is existence a "Story" and not a static state?

Now that the role of imperfection is clear, why did Perfection choose to make existence a moving "story" instead of a fixed state? Because meaning does not live in stillness. Values do not appear in stagnation. Wisdom needs experience, strength needs resistance, mercy needs pain, courage needs danger, and growth needs movement. And because meaning is not complete through compulsion, the story required a "free protagonist." A being who carries the "Trust," possessing the power to say "No" so that their "Yes" has value. The obedience of angels is innate, but human obedience is a choice amidst conflict. This free conflict is the fuel of the story. Time itself is not just the passing of moments, but the "laboratory" where choices and meanings interact. The story is the only form that allows meaning to be embodied.

Why is consciousness not self-sufficient?

Why was consciousness designed with an unquenchable thirst for meaning? Why doesn't it suffice itself? Because the nature of consciousness is not merely to exist... but to understand. Consciousness is, at its core, a "search," an "interpretation," a "movement towards meaning." Consciousness without meaning is like an eye without light: the defect is not in the eye... but in the absence of what it sees. And because the human origin is not material ("The Spirit is from the command of my Lord"), humans carry a strange sense of nostalgia—a longing that is not satisfied by possession or achievement, but by meaning, by truth, by nearness. The thirst is the signal that says: There is something greater than this world... and consciousness was created to reach it. If consciousness were self-sufficient, it would not move toward Truth, nor seek knowledge. The thirst is not a flaw... the thirst is the compass.

From "Understanding Existence" to "Living the Experience": The Traveler’s Constitution

Based on this deep understanding formed in the first part, your role shifts radically from a mere "executor of orders" to an "experiencer." It is no longer about mechanical movements, but practical daily steps summarized in four main pillars, translating the philosophy of existence into life:

1. Do not play the role of an Angel (Live your humanity)

Since you now realize you were created imperfect to discover Perfection, what is required of you is not "the absence of error"—which is impossible—but "how to deal with error."

What to do? When you weaken or err, do not beat yourself up to the point of despair, nor boast of the sin. Instead, make your moment of brokenness a gateway to witness the names of God (The Forgiver) and (The Merciful); for the secrets of these names only manifest through your human imperfection.

In practice: Make your repentance a journey of return, not just regret. Always remember: Falling is half the journey; rising is the half that completes the meaning.

2. Be a Mirror for God’s Attributes (Embody His Ethics)

Since you are the "mirror" in which meanings manifest, you must reflect these values on earth to transform them from mental concepts into reality.

What to do? God is Merciful, so be merciful to those around you to understand the meaning of His Mercy. God is Generous, so be giving. God is Just, so establish justice in your surroundings.

In practice: Treat creation as you wish the Creator to treat you. Your existence is an opportunity to apply these values and make them "living experiences," for values remain silent until a human practices them.

3. Turn "Rituals" into "Consciousness" (Living Worship)

Since worship is a "mode of being" and not just physical movements, you are required to practice rituals with a present heart and an alert mind.

What to do? Prayer is not checking off a duty; it is "calibrating the compass" and drawing meaning from the Source when you get lost in the world's noise.

In practice: Do not worship God while heedless (like a machine), but worship Him while feeling the need for Him. Make your prayer and fasting charging stations for your soul to complete the journey, not debts you pay just to get rid of the burden.

4. Keep Walking (Constant Growth)

Since existence is a "story" and not a static state, what is required of you is continuous movement; meaning does not dwell in stagnation.

What to do? Do not stop learning, do not stop questioning, and do not stop improving yourself. Stillness is the death of meaning, and life is in movement.

In practice: Strive to cultivate the earth and improve it. Develop your mind with knowledge, your heart with purification, and your reality with good deeds. Every step forward is part of the purpose for which you were created.

The Practical Summary of this Stage:

You are required to live your journey with full consciousness: you err and seek forgiveness, you are blessed and give thanks, you are tested and endure, and you treat creation with the ethics of the Creator. Through this continuous dynamic, you eventually become that "Human" who deserved to carry the Trust.

When the Road Gets Heavy: The Tax of Consciousness and the Art of Stumbling

Despite the clarity of the goal (as in Part 1) and knowing the steps (as in Part 2), a strange feeling of loneliness or alienation may overcome you. Know that this is very natural; in fact, it is the "tax of consciousness." Beings that do not possess consciousness do not feel emptiness; they only eat, drink, and sleep. This feeling is the greatest proof that you are a "stranger" to this material world, and that you belong to another place and a greater meaning.

Your problem is not the existence of these feelings, but your interpretation of them. You see them as "obstacles" preventing you from walking, while they are actually "steering tools" pushing you towards it. Here is how to deal with these four obstacles to get back in motion:

1. Emptiness and Void: (This is not a hole, it is a "Vessel")

Inner emptiness is painful because it is "infinite," and you try to fill it with "finite" things (achievement, money, relationships). Every time you put something material into this void, it swallows it and remains hungry.

The Solution: Understand that this void was designed with the size of "infinity" so that nothing but God can fill it. This feeling is not to frustrate you, but to tell you: "Don't look here, look up." The void is a space prepared to receive Divine Meaning, so do not stuff it with dust.

2. Loss of Meaning: (The Necessary "Fog" Phase)

When you feel that nothing has meaning, it often means that the old, superficial meanings you lived by (like pleasing people or material accumulation) have shattered, and the new, deep meanings have not yet formed.

The Solution: This is a "transition" period, not an "end." You are shedding old skin. Do not force yourself to invent meaning, but continue walking with the "simple daily duty" until the fog clears. Meaning is not found all at once; it forms slowly as you walk.

3. Absence of Identity: (You are merely stripping away masks)

You feel a loss of identity because you perhaps defined yourself by fleeting things (I am the engineer, the father, the successful one). When these things shake, "you" shake.

The Solution: This disorientation is an opportunity to return to your only true, constant definition: "I am a servant of God seeking Him." This definition is not shaken by illness, poverty, or failure. The loss of sub-identities is a clearing of the path to discover your true identity.

4. Anticipating the Result: (The Trap of Arrival)

Your problem is that you want "complete tranquility" now, and you want to be a "Knower of God" now. This haste makes you despise your small current steps.

The Solution: Remember the rule of the story we mentioned: "Heroism is in the struggle, not in the moment of victory." God does not judge you on "arrival," but on "attempting."

Accepting that you are "on the road" and that anxiety is part of the journey is what gives you serenity, not reaching the end.

The Practical Conclusion: "Walk, Even with a Limp"

When this heaviness attacks you, apply this golden rule: "Walk, even with a limp."

Do not wait for the void to disappear to start worship or work. Do not wait for the meaning to become fully clear to move. Move with your questions, with your empty heart, with your distraction... place all this incapacity on God's threshold and say: "Oh Lord, I do not know, but I am heading towards You."

This limping step... is, to God, truer and faster than the running of the confident.

Closing Message: The Secret of "Reflection" and Closing the Circle

Ultimately, we realize that this journey—from the question of "Why were we created?" to the rule of "Walk, even with a limp"—is not a straight line towards an imaginary perfection, but a living cycle of falling and rising.

To avoid getting lost in the valleys of this long road, remember that the greatest tool in your possession is "Reflection".

This reflection is the "eye of the heart" with which you weigh the journey. Through it, your consciousness and perception expand; you see your size and weakness, so you become humble; and you see God's power, greatness, and wisdom, so you find reassurance. Between seeing your incapacity and seeing His ability, you become more reconciled with your imperfect self, and more tolerant and compassionate towards creation.

Through reflection, you realize that you—with your weakness, your confusion, and your striving—are not a "failed project." You are the "Story" that God wanted to be told, and the "Mirror" He chose to reflect His Mercy.

So do not fear your imperfection; for it is the only window through which you look upon His Perfection. Do not despair of the loneliness of the road; for God does not wait for you only at the "finish line"... He is with you in every step.

Live your journey reflecting, and know that worship is the path... God is the Goal... and your heart will not rest until it returns. But it will return as a "Knower," not merely as an "Existent."