Al-Dhariyat: (56) And I did not create the jinn...

This verse contains many benefits, which we will enumerate exhaustively.

Its connection to what precedes it is due to several reasons:

1. Completion of Admonition: Since Allah mentioned {And remind} (55), meaning the ultimate purpose of admonition—that creation exists only for worship—it follows that the purpose of human existence is worship. Thus, they are reminded of this, and informed that anything besides it is a waste of time.
2. Focus on Worship: We have repeatedly mentioned that the preoccupation of the Prophets is limited to two matters: worshiping Allah and guiding creation. When Allah said, {So turn away from them, for you are not to blame} (54), it clarified that guidance may cease when despair sets in and the recipient refuses to be guided. However, worship is obligatory and absolute for all creation, not just for guidance. Therefore, you are not to blame if you fulfill worship, which is the foundation, even if guidance is abandoned after exerting effort.
3. Condemnation of Disbelief: After describing the state of those who denied the message, this verse is mentioned to clarify the ugliness of their actions in abandoning the worship of Allah, for their creation was only for worship.

Issue 1: Why were the Angels not mentioned alongside Jinn and Humans?

The angels are also among the accountable beings, and their greatest benefit in creation is worship, as stated: {Rather, they are honored servants} (Al-Anbiya: 26) and {nor do they feel too proud to worship Him} (Al-A'raf: 206). What is the wisdom behind omitting them?

Answers:

1. Context of Condemnation: As mentioned earlier, the connection to the preceding verse is to explain the ugliness of the disbelievers' abandonment of what they were created for. This is specific to Jinn and Humans because disbelief is more prevalent among the Jinn, and the disbelieving Jinn outnumber the believing ones. The purpose here is to highlight their ugliness and bad conduct.
2. Prophet's Mission: The Prophet (PBUH) was sent to both Jinn and Humans. When Allah mentions what they are reminded of—that creation is for worship—He specifically mentions his own community (Jinn and Humans).
3. Addressing Polytheistic Claims: Idol worshippers claimed that Allah, being of great status, created the angels and made them near Him. They argued that since they (humans) were of a lower rank, they were unfit to worship Allah directly, so they worshipped the angels who, in turn, worshipped Allah. Allah responded by saying, {And I did not create the jinn and humankind except to worship Me}, omitting the angels because the matter of their worship was already accepted and undisputed among the people; only the worship of Jinn and Humans was contested.
4. Inclusion within "Jinn": Some say that Jinn linguistically implies concealment (from istitar), and since angels are hidden from human sight, they are included under the term Jinn. In this view, Jinn is mentioned first because it encompasses the angels, who are more devoted and purer in their worship.
5. Distinction between Creation and Command: Some scholars state that when Allah mentions creation using the verb form implying measurement in substance and time (e.g., creation of heavens and earth in six days, creation of the earth in two days, creation by My Hand), He refers to the realm of Creation (Khalq). When He speaks of matters established by command without temporal measure (e.g., {His command, when He intends a thing, is only that He says to it, "Be," and it is} (Ya-Sin: 82), or {Say, "The Spirit is of the affair of my Lord"} (Al-Isra: 85)), He refers to the realm of Command (Amr). Angels, being like spirits, belong to the realm of Command, created without the passage of time. Therefore, {And I did not create} refers only to those from the realm of Creation, excluding angels. This view is incorrect because Allah also says, {The Creator of all things} (Ghafir: 62), and angels are part of creation.

Issue 2: Why were the Jinn mentioned before the Humans?

Answers:

1. Overlap with Issue 1: Some reasons overlap with the previous issue.
2. Secrecy vs. Openness in Worship: Worship involves both secret (sirri) and public (jahri) acts. Secret worship is often considered superior because it is less susceptible to great hypocrisy (riya). While human worship can involve worshipping for the sake of fellow humans, or out of fear or seeking favor from Jinn, the worship of Jinn is inherently more secret and thus less prone to such hypocrisy.

Issue 3: Does Allah's action have a purpose (Gharad)? If so, He would be perfected by that purpose, but He is already perfect. How can we understand the purpose/reason ('illah) of Allah's command?

The Mu'tazila strongly asserted that Allah's actions are for purposes and vehemently denied those who disagreed. We offer several perspectives:

1. Verbal vs. Real Causality: Causality can be verbal (linguistic) or real (actual). Verbal causality is what a speaker attributes to an action based on the apparent meaning of the words, even if it is not the true underlying reality. Example: If a king travels to an enemy land intending only to tire out his own army, the real purpose is internal, but linguistically, if he says, "I traveled to conquer the enemy," that statement is true in the context of the language used. Similarly, attributing a benefit as the cause for an action that yields that benefit is linguistically sound (e.g., "Trade for profit"), even if the true reality is different. Since the true realities of divine actions are unknown to us, we rely on the verbal meanings conveyed by the texts.
2. Hypothetical/Anticipatory Framing: The purpose stated might be hypothetical, similar to how hope or expectation is used in divine speech. It is as if Allah is saying: "Worship is such a thing that if it were an action performed by you, you would say it is for that purpose." This is like saying in {Perhaps he will remember} (Taha: 44), meaning, "It is hoped that it becomes a reminder in your view." Or {Perhaps your Lord will destroy your enemy} (Al-A'raf: 129), meaning, "His destruction becomes anticipated by you."
3. Temporal Conjunction (Muqaranah): The particle Lām (for/to) can indicate mere conjunction or association, not necessarily true purpose, as seen in {Establish prayer at the declining of the sun} (Al-Isra: 78) and {Divorce them for their prescribed period} (At-Talaq: 1). Here, it means "concurrent with" or "in relation to." Applying this here, the meaning is: "We correlated creation with the command of worship," meaning, "We created them and imposed worship upon them."

Evidence Against Real Causality: Allah is self-sufficient and needs no benefit. If His action were for a benefit, it would either be for Himself (impossible) or for others. Allah is capable of conferring benefits upon others without the intermediary of an action. Therefore, the action must be for a reason other than a true, necessary cause ('illah).

Furthermore, numerous texts indicate that guidance and misguidance are by Allah's decree (e.g., {He leaves astray whom He wills}), that all things are created by Him (e.g., {The Creator of all things}), and texts explicitly deny accountability for His actions (e.g., {He is not questioned about what He does} (Al-Anbiya: 23), {Allah does what He wills} (Ibrahim: 27)). Exhaustive discussion of this belongs to the Usul scholars, not the exegetes.

Issue 4: Conflict with the verse in Al-Hujurat?

Allah says in Al-Hujurat (13): {O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another} (for mutual acquaintance), while here He says {except to worship Me}. Is there a contradiction?

Answer: No. Allah attributes the division into tribes to the purpose of acquaintance, and He attributes creation itself to the purpose of worship. The statement in Al-Hujurat, {Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you} (13), supports the meaning here. Righteousness implies greater worship and sincerity of action. Thus, the one who fulfills the required purpose most perfectly is the most honored and esteemed. Analogy: If water is created for purification and drinking, the purest water is more beneficial for that purpose and thus more noble than other water. Similarly, the servant in whom the intended purpose (worship) is realized to a higher degree is more honored.

Issue 5: What is the worship for which Jinn and Humans were created?

We say it is reverence for the command of Allah and compassion for the creation of Allah. These two aspects are present in every divine law. Specific acts of worship (rituals, forms, quantity, time, place, conditions, pillars) vary according to the specific legislation (wad') and the messengers sent. Since the proper reverence due to the Majestic and Honored cannot be known by intellect alone, following the divine laws and the teachings of the Messengers (peace be upon them) is necessary. Allah has favored His servants by sending Messengers and clarifying the paths for these two types of worship.

It is also said that the meaning is: "That they may know Me." It is narrated from the Prophet (PBUH) that Allah said concerning Himself: "I was a Hidden Treasure, and I wished to be known."

! 7 < { I do not want from them any provision, nor do I want that they feed Me. } > 7 !