Beauty in Allah’s creation
When you read the Quran, we find that in the core of the Quran, Allah talks about beauty. First, He said He perfected everything He created:
ٱلَّذِیۤ أَحۡسَنَ كُلَّ شَیۡءٍ خَلَقَهُۥۖ وَبَدَأَ خَلۡقَ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنِ مِن طِینࣲ
who gave everything its perfect form. He first created man from clay (Surah Sajdah, Ayah 7)
Therefore, in the beauty which we see around us and enjoy, we see perfection in everything Allah created. Indeed, it is inexhaustible, as we are still exploring this beauty. Every day we make new discoveries, whether it is from telescopes or satellites, or in laboratories and under microscopes. It never ends. We think that we know everything about the universe, but every time we have new equipment, we realise that what we know is less than what we don’t know. We need to read the universe again, with new eyes. In fact, beauty and perfection are inseparable twins. Looking from the top to the bottom – from the universe to the human, we see the reflection of divine perfection.
Moral duty to look after beauty
In the Quran, Allah says,
لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ فِیۤ أَحۡسَنِ تَقۡوِیمࣲ
We created man in the best state. (Surah Tin, 4)
And in some narrations, He has given special attention to humans because they are the carriers of the message.
With beauty comes responsibility. We have to preserve and protect it, not merely enjoy it. Allah said in the Quran,
وَلَا تُفۡسِدُوا۟ فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ بَعۡدَ إِصۡلَـٰحِهَا وَٱدۡعُوهُ خَوۡفࣰا وَطَمَعًاۚ إِنَّ رَحۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِیبࣱ مِّنَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِینَ
Do not corrupt the earth after we have perfected it for you. (Surah Araf, 56)
Allah created the system perfect. It is us who are ruining the system. (Although there those who reject that the fact that our planet and its systems are bearing the grave consequences of our greed and materialism that has polluted, corrupted and is destroying the system). The reality is, we have to look after the system, this is our responsibility.
Our three responsibilities
In addition, we have a responsibility that is threefold:
Responsibility towards the Creator
As a minimum we should be grateful, and show gratitude. Scholars commented that the best form of showing gratitude is to use what you have been given from God in what pleases God. Everything you have been given whether it’s wealth, health, knowledge, etc. Use it in what pleases God. What pleases God? Taqwa. Allah says:
that you may practice piety.
The definition of taqwa is fulfilling our obligations, avoiding prohibitions and doubtful matters. And doing what has been recommend, which is the message of all prophets and messengers, as they came to perfect human conduct.
Responsibility towards each other
Throughout the Quran, we find 97 verses that mention the importance of belief supported by good actions.
إِلَّا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ فَلَهُمۡ أَجۡرٌ غَیۡرُ مَمۡنُونࣲ
except those who attained faith and did righteous deeds, for them is an unfailing reward. (Surah Tin, 6)
Faith has to come with positive actions. There’s no faith without action, otherwise it is hollow. Faith is demonstrated by good action. This is our mission.
We have a responsibility towards each other. How to deliver justice. How to be fair to each other. How to perfect our conduct. The moral responsibility. It goes without saying, especially with the elephant in the room, the Epstein files with their extreme moral depravation, how low level someone can go. We all have a moral responsibility towards our children, our families, our communities, and protect morality, our families, and our children. It is a communal obligation. We share this obligation to safeguard our communities and our religion and our faith. In the Quran, Allah stated:
لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ فِیۤ أَحۡسَنِ تَقۡوِیمࣲ
ثُمَّ رَدَدۡنَـٰهُ أَسۡفَلَ سَـٰفِلِینَ
We have perfected man, and we have returned him to the lowest of the low. (Surah Tin, 4-5)
This is a unique verse, which is not found anywhere else in the Quran. Allah is saying that when man is not following His guidance, he can be lower than the low. And the evidence is very clear in the Epstein file. No one could have imagined that extent of his vile atrocities and crimes and the number of people he brought into his evil lair. Allah says in Surat Alaq, the man is capable of depravity when he becomes arrogant and thinks he is self-sufficient and not accountable for his actions:
كَلَّاۤ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ لَیَطۡغَىٰۤ
أَن رَّءَاهُ ٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰۤ
But no! Indeed, man surely exceeds all limits,
when he thinks he is self-sufficient. (Surah Alaq, 6-7)
All leaders, faith leaders, and members of faith, and communities must join forces against this corruption, which is creeping into everything.
Shaytan does not have a hold on anyone, unless they allow it. As Allah states in the Surat Saba:
وَلَقَدۡ صَدَّقَ عَلَیۡهِمۡ إِبۡلِیسُ ظَنَّهُۥ فَٱتَّبَعُوهُ إِلَّا فَرِیقࣰا مِّنَ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنِینَ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُۥ عَلَیۡهِم مِّن سُلۡطَـٰنٍ إِلَّا لِنَعۡلَمَ مَن یُؤۡمِنُ بِٱلۡـَٔاخِرَةِ مِمَّنۡ هُوَ مِنۡهَا فِی شَكࣲّۗ وَرَبُّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَیۡءٍ حَفِیظࣱ
And surely, Iblis confirmed his assumption about them. So they followed him, except for a group of believers. And never did he have any authority over them, except that We may know the one who believes in the Hereafter from the one who is doubtful about it. And your Lord is a Constant Preserver over everything. (Surah Saba, 21)
Iblis’ assumption about human beings proved true. When he refused to bow to Adam, he declared that he would mislead most of humanity except Allah’s sincere servants. His assumption was that many people would be ungrateful, follow their desires, and prefer the temporary life of this world over the Hereafter. Sadly, many people did exactly that, thereby confirming what he had expected. However, Allah makes clear that not everyone followed him, there remained a group from among the believers who resisted his whispers.
The ayah then clarifies that Iblis never had any real authority over people. He could not force anyone to disbelieve or sin. His influence was limited to whispering, beautifying wrongdoing, and planting doubt. People still chose to follow him. Allah allowed this as part of the divine test, so that those who truly believe in the Hereafter would be distinguished from those who are doubtful about it. This does not mean Allah gains new knowledge; rather, it means that what He already knows becomes manifest through human actions. Allah is the Preserver over everything, fully aware, fully in control, and safeguarding the outcome of His creation. Even while Shaytan whispers and people fall into error, nothing escapes Allah’s knowledge or authority.
Responsibility to the planet
Thirdly we have a responsibility towards the system which Allah created in this universe and our planet. We must protect nature, the land and seas, the entire ecosystem. We have to look after it because Allah perfected it. And we need to keep the system in place by supporting and helping each other as much as possible and do whatever is required to preserve a healthy environment, not just for us, but for generations to come.
With beauty, there is responsibility. Whist we enjoy it, we need to as well do what is required and fulfil our purpose. Purpose is to be people of goodness and do our best to prevent evil, minimise evil and spread goodness.
Based on the talk by Shaykh Haytham Tamim Interfaith Forum Muslim World League February 2026. Transcribed by Zayna Sheikh.