Mankind's divine mandate from the Quran

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Video clip 1: We are 'of the earth' but also 'of the Spirit'

This video excerpt is from a January 22, 2005 interview with Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, who is an author, teacher, and an important figure in current interfaith understanding.

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In this second video clip from our interview with him, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf focuses on mankind's "mandate" (Arabic: amana), or mission. We learn that humanity 'accepted' the mandate, while all the rest of creation would or could not. Although he does not go into great detail in his explanation of Quranic verse 33:72, Imam Feisal leaves it to us to understand that by having the two natures of 'earth' and 'Spirit,' mankind is burdened in a way unlike any other part of creation. The angels, who hymn God's praises endlessly, cannot comprehend why such a flawed being as man is given this unique mandate. We understand that our free will and the gift of God's Spirit make us elevated above all creation, but also responsible to all creation.