Why does Allah subject people to tests?

Question

Allah says in the Holy Quran:

الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ

Who created death and life that He may try you — which of you is best in deeds

[Surah Mulk 67:2]**

Now the question is that testing is required by one who is not aware of something and one who is not aware of the result. While for Allah apparent and hidden is all same and whatever it is in the heavens and the earth; nothing is hidden from Him. Then why is it necessary for Him to test His servants?

Answer 1

As you have mentioned since Allah is omniscient, divine tests are not designed to unveil something that is unknown for Him. The following points are some reasons why Allah subject us to His tests:

1.In the book Osul Al-Kafi there is a tradition from Imam Ali bin Musa al-Rida (a.s) saying:

"یفتنون کما یفتن الذهب ثم قال یخلصون کما یخلص الذهب"

people are tested as gold is tested and people are purified as gold is purified.

"Fitnah" means melting gold roe for the purpose of removing its impurities. Sins opportunities, tragedies and disasters are playing the role of fire that helps human being to get rid of his impurities in order to reach perfection.

2.Bodybuilders have to go through strenuous exercises to develop big and strong muscles. Scientists go through years and years of hard studying to reach a high level of knowledge. Likewise, in order for human being to reach his perfection, he has to go through difficult divine tests so that he can develop strong divine muscles and reach a high level of perfection.

3.In Surah Towbah verse 126 we read:

أَوَ لا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّهُمْ يُفْتَنُونَ في‏ كُلِّ عامٍ مَرَّةً أَوْ مَرَّتَيْنِ ثُمَّ لا يَتُوبُونَ وَ لا هُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ

Do they not see that they are tried once or twice every year? Yet they neither repent, nor do they take admonition.

Unless there were no illness we would remain blissfully ignorant of the blessing of our "health". Unless we encountered a danger, we would not comprehend the real meaning of safety. Human being is heedless of his final destination where he will be held accountable to all his deeds. Allah subject him to different tests to awaken him from the sleep of heedlessness especially when he is staggering drunkenly due to the abundance of blessings like power, health and wealth.

4.According to Quranic point of view both depriving and granting blessings are considered TEST.

In Surah Fajr verses 15 and 16 we read:

فَأَمَّا الْإِنْسانُ إِذا مَا ابْتَلاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَ نَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ

As for man, whenever his Lord tests him and grants him honour and blesses him, he says," My Lord has honoured me."

وَ أَمَّا إِذا مَا ابْتَلاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهانَنِ

But when He tests him and tightens for him his provision, he says," My Lord has humiliated me."

We are being tested whether we are poor or wealthy, sick or healthy. So the bottom line is that we should always stay alert so that we can get successfully through all these tests.

Answer 2

Therefore when judgment day comes you would be treated on fair basis, god gave humans free will therefore we chose to take certain paths, if you where just born and found yourself skipped to judgment day you will say o allah you are the all knowing but yet i have not committed what i am being judged upon that's why we take life as one big test and when judgment day comes you and your body is a witness of your actions, god is all knowing he knows the past, future and present (an example of a test would be big business financial loss some people will drink it over and some people will face the issue and find a solution, Drinking it over will lead you no where as it alters and messes with your brain, on the other hand accepting reality and facing the issue will lead to solving it or bypassing it) one solution is better than the other and that is in your hand because you have free will. another answer would be (imagine this one day you wake up, police are knocking on your door they take you to court and place you in prison for several years because they knew that you are going to commit so many crimes in the future but you didn't yet and your not even thinking about it just yet) would it be fair (NO) thats why tests are there you take your own option and you get judged for it and you stand witness for it as well, please let me know if this answer helps

Answer 3

The lying is one of the bad instincts of human. He won't even blink while lying in front of anybody. If you are asking that if anything which is happening right now and Allah knows everything that which one will be companion of heaven and which one will be for hell than what is the reason of creating this world.

A person won't even think while lying in front of Allah. Allah knows everything and if Allah tell him that you are lying, he won't accept and say that I am true. If Allah shows him that you are going to do this on world than he still won't accept it.
This life is recorded and on the judgment day, we won't forget a little moment so we won't be able to lie in front of Allah but still there would be some people who will lie.

Narrated Abu Huraira (r.a.): I heard Allah's Messenger (s.a.w.s.) saying:

The first of the people whose case will be decided on the Day of Judgment will be a man who died as a martyr. He will be brought forth. Allah will make him know about His blessings (Which He had bestowed on him in the world). The man will acknowledge them. Then Allah will ask him: What did you do with them? He will say: I fought in Your way until I died as a martyr. Allah will remark: You are lying. You fought so that you may be called a brave warrior. Then orders will be passed against him. So he will be dragged along on his face and cast into Hell.

Second will be a man who studied (religious) knowledge. Then he taught it to others and recited the Qur'an. He will be brought (for judgment). Allah will remind him of His favours (showered on him in the world). He will admit them (having enjoyed them in his life). Then Allah will ask him: What did you do with them? He will reply: I acquired knowledge and imparted it and also recited the Qur'an for Your sake. Allah will observe: You have told a lie, for you got knowledge to be renowned as a scholar; and you recited the Qur'an to be marked as Qari (one who recites the Qur'an according to the rules). Then orders will be passed against him. So he will be dragged along on his face and thrown into Hell.

Third will be a man to whom Allah had made abundantly rich and granted him every kind of wealth. He will be brought for Judgment. Allah will let him know about His gifts conferred upon him in the world. He will recognize them. Then Allah will inquire: What did you with them? He will say: I left no way in which You like money to be spent without spending in it for Your sake. Allah will say: You are lying, You did so to be described as generous (in the society); (It means you got your reward in the world according to your intention). Now you deserve nothing in the Hereafter except Hell). So orders will be passed against him and he will be dragged along on his face until he will be hurled into Hell.

(This Hadith is sound and reported by Muslim and Nasa'i) source

This clearly says what kind of humans we are. This is why we are being tested so we couldn't avoid what we did today.

I don't have arabic reference of these Hadith so I will be sharing it latter