Islam - Its Meaning for Modern Man — Page 163
163 should receive the impress of God’s attributes and should become a manifestation of them within the limits of his capacities. In other words, he should become God’s image (51:57). The Prophet has explained this by saying: “Equip yourselves with the attributes of God. ” To aid man in the achievement of this purpose, he has been endowed with appropriate faculties and capacities. He has been created “in the best of moulds” (95:5). In addition to man’s inherent capacities, which are best fitted for the achievement of the purpose of his life, God has bestowed upon man dominion over the forces of nature in the sense that the whole of nature is governed by laws; the operation of these laws has as its object the beneficent service of man. These laws are ascertainable, and through their knowledge man can progressively increase his mastery over the forces of nature and extract greater and greater beneficence from them. The Quran describes man as God’s “vicegerent upon earth” (2:31). It affirms that man has been created by stages, and that he began to be guided through revelation when his faculties had been perfected. He then found that the universe was subjected to him for the enrichment and consummation of his life. So much so that the angels