None of the negativeness of his past affects him...

None of the negativeness of his past affects him, and all his experiences, the wisdom of a lifetime, are at his disposal. 15 He it is Who made the earth smooth for you; therefore go about in the spacious sides thereof, and eat of His sustenance, and to Him is the return after death. 16 Are you secure of those in the heaven that He should not make the earth to swallow you up? Then lo! it shall be in a state of com­ motion.

17 Or are you secure of those in the heaven that He should not send down upon you a punishment? Then shall you know how was My warning. 18 And certainly those before them rejected (the truth), then how was My disapproval. In order for man to have the opportunity to express and experi­ence his faith and sincerity, the earth has been made dhalul (smooth, gentle, easy); upon it he seeks wisdom and rizq (provision, sustenance, divine blessing).

"To Him is the return after death." Nushur (Resurrec­tion) comes from nashara, to announce, spread out, make known and to resurrect, return from the death. Nashur is a publisher. Allah is the supreme publisher, making known His creation. The earth, with its massive mountains, has been made low and submis­sive. Allah has made the earth smooth so as to be accessible for man to tread upon, indicating the ease that may come from what appears to be difficulty.

Manakib are the shoulders, flanks or highlands; they are what are difficult to tread upon. But Allah has made man able to travel upon the earth's `shoulders.' It is an encouragement for man to seek the means to glorify Allah, seeking provision wherever it may easily come forth in this spacious and varied land. How can one be secure from He Who is in the heavens and is the King of all? There is no certainty that the earth will remain still and not suffer an earthquake.

Can one be certain of the earth's solidity? The mu'min is in perpetual awareness, knowing that if he allows himself to think that he is secure from change, he is lost. He trusts that Allah will guide him through the approaching changes and afflictions. Allah says elsewhere in the Qur'an: fa-la ya'manu makra-llahi illa-l-qawmu­l-khasirun: "But none of those feels secure from Allah's plan except the people who shall perish." (al- A raf::99).

The earth is Allah's laboratory, in which man's attainment is meas­ured according to his commitment to service. It would be unfair if man were suddenly exposed to knowledges that he was not ready to receive. It would be shattering and unnatural.