Test or Challenge?

Worship

الَّذِیۡ  خَلَقَ الۡمَوۡتَ وَ الۡحَیٰوۃَ لِیَبۡلُوَکُمۡ  اَیُّکُمۡ  اَحۡسَنُ عَمَلًا ؕ وَ ہُوَ الۡعَزِیۡزُ  الۡغَفُوۡرُ.(67:2)

 

[He] Who created death and life that He might test you as to which of you is best regarding deeds. And He is also Mighty and Forgiving. (67:2)

I have never been comfortable with the word “test” that is often used for the Arabic word ibtila’. I think the word test can easily create some misunderstandings or questions about God’s wisdom and knowledge and the relationship between God and human beings – misunderstandings and questions that should have not even emerged if a more accurate translation was made for the word ibtila’.

We read in the book Al-Tahqiq fi Kalamat al-Qur’an al-Karim (1:335)

انّ الأصل الواحد فيها هو إيجاد التحوّل، أى التقلب و التحويل لتحصيل نتيجة منظورة

 

“The common principle in it (with all the meanings) is to make a change, that is, altering and changing to reach the intended outcome.”

The author then explains that all the meanings of this word are based on its root/original meaning and as an example interprets the word ibtila’ in verse 18:7 (that is very similar to the verse 67:2 as quoted above) as follows:

لِنَبۡلُوَہُمۡ  اَیُّہُمۡ   اَحۡسَنُ  عَمَلًا.(7:18)

أى نوجد تحوّلات في امور معاشهم، و في نظم امور حياتهم، حتّي يظهر الّذى هو أحسن عملا

“means we make changes in the affairs of their livelihood and in the routine of their life affairs so the one that does the best (reaction to these changes) emerges.”

As it is clear from the above, ibtila’is not just about “testing” and it is not to “realize” who is good. It is really about making human beings face challenges in their lives so that they have an opportunity to develop and show their potential. Of course then as a result the strong emerges and distinguishes him/her self from the weak. In other words, ibtila’is not just to determine whether a person should go to heaven or hell. It is also a means for the person to become better (or to become worse). Look at 2:124 and 3:154 as examples of becoming better through ibtila’,68:44, 45 as an example of becoming worse (the word ibtila’is not used in this particular example but the concept is there) and also look at 7:168 as an example of giving a chance to return to good through ibtila’.

Therefore there are two inter-related aspects in the word ibtila’in the Qur’an:

1. Providing an opportunity to become stronger and better in the path of God

2. Distinguishing those who come out successfully from this from those who don’t, which then contributes to their destiny in the hereafter.

On this basis I prefer to use the translation of “challenge” for the word ibtila#’ rather than “test.” I think the word “challenge” comfortably accommodates both the above aspects. Accordingly I would translate the verse quoted at the beginning of this writing as follows:

الَّذِیۡ  خَلَقَ الۡمَوۡتَ وَ الۡحَیٰوۃَ لِیَبۡلُوَکُمۡ  اَیُّکُمۡ  اَحۡسَنُ عَمَلًا ؕ وَ ہُوَ الۡعَزِیۡزُ  الۡغَفُوۡرُ.(67:2)

 

He is the one who created death and life so that he put you in challenge (so that it emerges that) which of you does the best, and He is the Mighty, the Forgiving. (67:2)

“[He] Who created death and life that He might put you in challengeas to which of you is best regarding deeds. And He is also Mighty and Forgiving.”(67:2)

I think the above translation of the word ibtila’ removes some of the misunderstandings that may occur due to the usage of the word “test” as the translation and also makes the reason why we face challenges in this life clearer.

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