Dr. Nasim Rehmatullah - Naib Amir USA & Chairman Markazi Al Islam Team
October 1, 2025
The Holy Quran describes several innate weaknesses in human beings. Understanding these, as highlighted by the Quran, the Hadith, and the writings of the Promised Messiah (as), offers insight into the human condition and the path to spiritual progress.
The Holy Quran explicitly declares the inherent weakness of man: "Allah desires to lighten your burden, for man has been created weak." (4:29)
Here, man's physical, emotional, and intellectual frailty is acknowledged. Human beings face limitations in their endurance, resistance to temptation, and ability to remain steadfast in adversity. This frailty is not considered wholly negative; rather, it keeps humankind dependent on divine guidance and support, instilling humility and the need for prayer.
The Promised Messiah (as), explains this intrinsic vulnerability by stating that human nature is designed to have deficiencies so that man remains dependent on God and continuously seeks His help and forgiveness.
The Quran points out man's proclivity for impatience and acting in haste: "Man is created of haste. I will show you My Signs, so do not ask Me to hasten them." (21:38) "Verily, man is born impatient and miserly." (70:20)
This tendency to rush into matters, to want immediate results, and to lack patience leads individuals into mistakes and regret. Technology today—especially the prevalence of emails and social media platforms—has fostered a culture of instant gratification and significantly eroded individual and societal patience levels. The PM says that the word Rabb entails doing things in stages. Human beings are warned against pressing for quick solutions or divine signs, as God's wisdom unfolds in its own time. The Prophet Muhammad (sa) also warned that haste is from Satan, emphasizing the virtue of patience in all affairs.
The Quran frequently refers to man's stubbornness or obstinacy in adhering to errors, despite clear evidence or guidance: "Even if We were to bestow upon them some extraordinary means of perception and they were to begin to perceive the truth through it" (15:15). The verse means that if God were to open the gates of His mercy and avert punishment, then instead of turning to Him, the disbelievers because of their stubbornness would become would persist being engaged in the acquisition of material prosperity and comforts.
Many verses portray humans as unyielding and resistant to accepting truth when it conflicts with personal desire or pride. This stubbornness leads to misguidance and loss.
The Promised Messiah (as) reflected on this, warning that arrogance and refusal to self-correct are among man's greatest weaknesses. He wrote, "A great number of weaknesses lie dormant in man, but the basest weakness is arrogance. No one would have been a non-believer if there had been no arrogance. Therefore, make yourself humble of heart... انسان کے نفس امارہ میں کئی قسم کی پلیدیاں ہوتی ہیں مگر سب سے زیادہ تکبر کی پلیدی ہے. اگر تکبر نہ ہوتا تو کوئی شخص کافر نہ رہتا سو تم دل کے مسکین بن جاؤ"
The Holy Prophet Muhammad (sa) stated:
"All children of Adam are sinners, but the best of sinners are those who repent." (Tirmidhi)
This Hadith highlights the universality of human weakness and emphasizes repentance as the path to spiritual repair. What this means is that we must strive to graduate from being recurrent sinners to becoming recovering sinners. Allah says in the Holy Quran: "And that you seek forgiveness of your Lord, and then turn to Him in repentance" (11:4) (11:91)
The Promised Messiah (as) frequently wrote about human weakness: He said that recognizing one's limitations is the first step toward attaining divine assistance and true spiritual progress. Humility, patience, and self-reform are essential virtues to overcome inherent flaws.
These teachings of The Holy Quran, The Prophet (sa) and the Promised Messiah (as) give us a blueprint for recognizing and overcoming innate human weaknesses: Inherent weakness keeps us humble and reliant on God. Haste cautions us to seek patience and foresight. Stubbornness urges self-correction and humility.
Through seeking forgiveness and striving for self-improvement, believers are given hope to transform these weaknesses into strengths on the path to God.
