The Holy Qur'an, like a radiant lamp, guides mankind towards truth and perfection. Among its luminous verses, the concepts of Kasb and Ati shine forth as two resplendent jewels, inviting human beings to reflect on their responsibilities and the divine and human authority. Kasb acts as a mirror reflecting the voluntary deeds of man and returning their outcomeswhether good or evilback to the individual. Conversely, Ati, like a rushing river, speaks of power and firmness in the realisation of matters and manifests within a vast scope, from God to creation. This treatise, with a profound examination of the Qur'anic verses, explores these two concepts and, with clear and dignified language, unfolds their semantic, ethical, and epistemological dimensions for erudite audiences.
The concept of Kasb in the Holy Qur'an is akin to a key that unlocks the door to human accountability. This term refers to the voluntary act of man, whose results, whether good or evil, return to himself. Kasb is like a seed sown by man in the soil of his existence, whose fruitbe it sweet or bitteris harvested by himself. This notion emphasises the lawfulness of the system of creation and calls man to consciously choose good deeds and avoid evils.
وَلَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ إِلَّا عَلَيْهَا ۚ وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ (Surah Al-Anm, 6:164)
No soul shall bear (the burden of) another; nor shall any bearer of burden bear the burden of another.
This verse, like a precise scale, portrays divine justice. Every individual is responsible for their own Kasb, and the outcomes of their deeds, whether in this world or the Hereafter, return to themselves. This principle forms the basis of the moral and judicial system of the Holy Qur'an, which emphasises individual responsibility. Man kasbs by his own free will, and this freedom guides him towards choosing good or evil. This concept encompasses allbelievers and disbelievers alikeand demonstrates that no one is held accountable except for their own actions.
Acquiring evils, like a heavy shadow, leads to human ruin when it becomes habitual and intrinsic. The Holy Qur'an, with exquisite subtlety, speaks of the envelopment of evils and invites man to swift repentance and reformation.
وَبَدَا لَهُمْ سَيِّئَاتُ مَا كَسَبُوا وَحَاقَ بِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِئُونَ (Surah Az-Zumar, 39:48)
And the evil of what they earned became apparent to them, and that which they used to mock encompassed them.
This verse serves as a warning concerning the danger of envelopment by evils. Sins, whether minor or major, if repeated and internalised as nature, direct one towards divine punishment. This principle constitutes an important psychological and pedagogical foundation in the Qur'anic culture, calling man to reconsider his actions and return to good. The phrase qa bihim indicates that sins become dangerous only when they turn into habit and divert man from the path of truth.
The Holy Qur'an portrays the system of creation as a precise balance in which every deed is answered with a proportionate outcome. Kasb, whether good or evil, returns to man according to divine lawfulness.
وَمَا أَصَابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ (Surah Ash-Shr, 42:30)
And whatever affliction befalls you, it is because of what your hands have earned.
This verse, like a clear mirror, reveals that calamities and difficulties are direct consequences of human actions. The hands, which represent the limbs and symbolise human volition, are employed in this verse as a metaphor for Kasb. This metaphor underscores the active role of man in shaping his own destiny and invites him to awareness and precision in his deeds.
The concept of Kasb in the Holy Qur'an is like a light illuminating the path of human accountability. This concept invites man to consciously choose good and avoid evil, emphasising the lawfulness of the system of creation and demonstrating that every deed results in a corresponding outcome. Whether manifesting as good or evil, Kasb returns to man and holds him responsible for his actions. This principle forms the foundation of the moral and judicial system of the Holy Qur'an and guides man towards a responsible and conscious life.
The term Ati in the Holy Qur'an, like a rushing river, speaks of authority and firmness in the realisation of affairs. This term, meaning coming with power, appears more than six hundred times in the Qur'an. Ati is a general attribute encompassing all from God to creation, from good to evil, and from the material to the spiritual.
إِلَّا مَنْ أَتَى اللَّهَ بِقَلْبٍ سَلِيمٍ (Surah Ash-Shuar, 26:89)
Except he who comes to Allah with a sound heart.
This verse testifies that Ati is an attribute of power that calls the believer to possess steadfast faith and a pure heart. Coming to God with a sound heart necessitates authority and firmness that only arise from strong faith. Ati, in this sense, is a bridge between man and God, traversed with strength and stability.
The universality of Ati, like a boundless sky, is manifest in the verses of the Qur'an. This attribute covers everything from the coming
