Surah Al-Mulk, Ayah 2

Reflection

This profound verse reveals the purpose behind the creation of life and death: to test humanity as to who excels in good deeds. It's noteworthy that the verse mentions death before life, perhaps indicating that death was created first as part of the divine plan. The test is not about quantity of deeds but their quality—who is 'best in deed' rather than who does the most. The verse concludes by pairing Allah's might with His forgiveness, balancing the accountability implied by the test with the hope of divine mercy. This teaching gives purpose and meaning to human existence as a temporary opportunity to excel in goodness.