Title: Why Does God Allow Differences Among People to Exist? Question: Would you please answer these two questions for me: God's master plan allowed these distinctions to arise between the three great monotheistic faiths as a "test." Is this true? What is the prevailing Islamic opinion regarding the nature of this test? Peace Answer: The Qur'an, has referred to the following facts regarding the differences in the beliefs of peoples: Initially there were no differences in the beliefs of the various peoples. This refers to the fact that because all men were given the initial knowledge from the same source (i.e. God), there existed no differences among people. All people, initially, were a single nation especially with reference to their beliefs ( Al-Baqarah 2: 213). When differences started to rise, God sent His prophets and messengers to guide people to His path. Books were revealed to these prophets and messengers so that people were given a criterion to decide between the 'right' and the 'wrong' in matters of difference ( Al-Baqarah 2: 213). People who accepted faith at the hands of these prophets and messengers and opted to live a life of submission to God, deserved to be guided by the Almighty to the 'right' path. The others, who refused to believe and surrender to the truth, were left to wander blindly in darkness of their mutual differences ( Al-Baqarah 2: 213). Had God pleased, He would have removed all differences among the people and would have forced them to adhere to the right path. Nevertheless, this would effectively have meant that man be deprived of all free will. Thus, for the purpose of testing man, in the abilities that God had bestowed upon him, God allowed the differences to exist and, thereby, allowed man to exercise his freedom, even if it resulted in the existence of mutual differences ( Al-Maaidah 5: 48) In matters of these differences, God guides those who are true seekers of His truth and leads those astray who, knowingly, ignore and reject His calls to salvation. On the Day of Judgment, man shall, however, be held accountable for the use of his abilities in searching for God's truth and following the path, which he, according to his individual understanding, had deemed correct ( Al-Nahl 16: 93, Al-Shooraa 42: 8). Keeping the above points in mind, it should be clear that the differences (especially in beliefs) that exist in humankind, are actually a result of the freedom which man has been bestowed with, for the purposes of the test in the life of this world. Living in these differences, man is now also faced with the test of sincerely searching for the truth and then following what he has honestly understood to be the truth. It should be kept in mind that it is not whether a person reached the (actual) absolute truth, that would ultimately matter but whether he honestly and sincerely searched for it or not; and whether he lived his life according to what he understood to be the truth or not. Those who qualify on these bases shall deserve the everlasting bliss of the life hereafter; while those who fail on these bases shall deserve punishment. 19 th May 2000