Title: Some Clarifications and Further Queries Question/Comments: Thank you for your informative response to Mr. Vuletic's objections. I would just like to clarify, so that there are no false ascriptions, that the last two arguments were not Mr. Vuletic's own objections, but rather some which I have personally encountered. Nevertheless, thank you for your replies to these claims. Of course, it is consistent and sound that the standardization of the moral values, which inhere in human beings, reveal the work of a moral Creator, who has instilled such values in us. However, one may ask: why are we the only creatures that adhere to such values? Why do other mammals and primates adhere to completely separate sets of 'moral values?' For instance, we share 98 percent of our DNA with the chimpanzee, yet the chimpanzee can act with extreme violence toward its own kind and eats other monkeys alive. Many animals kill their own offspring, something humans consider sinful, yet this infanticide is shown to be favored by natural selection. Is the theist's response to this that we cannot know, in the first place, whether God has ordained that animals adhere to any moral values? And/or that, despite the great variance of 'moral values' among God's creatures, all exhibit to one degree or another, mercy, justice, wisdom, power, etc. (the divine attributes in microcosmic representation) and that humans, according to the divine plan, represent the apex of creation in terms of possessing the capacity for the highest goodness among creation (i.e. made in the spiritual image of God Himself)? Forgive me for being so inarticulate and verbose. If this question makes no sense, I can try to rephrase it more clearly later. Thank you Omar Sarwar Answer: From the specific perspective of Islam, in particular, and Abrahamic creeds, in general, the answer to your question lies in the concept of 'test' during the life of this world. As given in Al-Baqarah 2: 30 , man's creation was made for the specific purpose of testing him, by giving him authority, as well as the awareness of right and wrong. It is primarily due to this 'test' that man, in addition to his basic instincts, has also been granted knowledge and awareness of 'right' and 'wrong'. Contrary to man, most other living beings are not being tested in the life of this world, but have generally been created to serve man's needs during the life of this world. I hope this helps. Regards, Moiz Amjad March 12, 2002