PRESENTER: “Allah has created everything in the world with its exact opposite. Beautiful and ugly, hot and cold, clean and dirty, young and old all co-exist. In people’s earthly desires too, there are all kinds of tendency that pollute the soul, such as parsimony, selfishness, jealousy and a tendency to grief, as well as moral virtues such as generosity, self-sacrifice, industry and a tendency toward modesty and humility. Could one of the pieces of wisdom in Allah’s creating these opposites both in our surroundings and in our own natures be to enable us to be more consciously aware of blessings by making comparisons in the life of this world? Could you please expound on the importance of comparison?” Gurkan Kiremitci, from Konya.

ADNAN OKTAR: We can appreciate nothing without comparison. Allah has based just about everything, good people, attractive people, on comparisons. We can appreciate many things through comparisons. Night and day, positive and negative, goodness and beauty all emerge through comparison. Comparison is an art of Allah. It is a marvel a beauty, created by Allah. For example, were there no hypocrites, no doubters and no unbelievers, Muslims would be indistinguishable. We can better realize their existence through that of those others. We can better appreciate their worth. In that regard it is very important. It is a secret of the test. It is a secret created by Almighty Allah. For example, if one man is brave when everyone else is cowardly, that is completely evident. He attracts attention. If one man is generous when everyone else is parsimonious, then that is also immediately evident. If one man speaks, preaches the word, when everyone else is silent, then that is immediately apparent. If one man stands up and calms things down when everyone is shouting and putting everyone else down, this is also very noteworthy. This is superiority, beauty. In that regard, it is a secret of the test, insha’Allah.