As the first chapter of this study - typology of balā narratives in the Qur’an - demonstrated, the notion of Divine trial occupies a significant position in the Qur’an because it is regarded as a fundamental component of the structure of the universe, and plays a purposeful function in the Divine plan. Nevertheless, according to the exegetical literature presented in the previous chapter, the mainstream exegetes, for the most part, do not engage with the notion of balā in a comprehensive manner and fail to effectively illustrate its impact and the allembracing aspect which the Qur’an seems to emphasize. Being set forth as the “reason for the creation” (Q. 11:7), affirming that “everything” on this earth is designed to put man to the test (Q. 18:7), and that you will be tested in “good and bad” (Q. 21:35), are but a few examples whereby the centrality of the concept of balā in the Qur’anic teaching is signposted; nonetheless, by and large, the exegetical literature seem to lack an in-depth analysis of this concept – an inquiry which might otherwise be expected of the Qur’anic commentaries.

Contrary to the exegetical literature, however, in the opinion of the writer, the mystical and Sufi literature encompasses an all-inclusive investigation of the notion of Divine Trial which accords with the significance and import that appears to have been emphasized in the Qur’an. The objective of the current chapter, therefore, is to examine the perspectives of the Muslim mystics and explore the meaning of balā in a more didactic manner. To achieve this objective, the universal definition of the term “mysticism” and its various connotations will be discussed first, followed by an overview of the mystical tradition of Islam with special attention to the distinctions between the terms “Sufi” and “Muslim mystic”. Subsequently, by employing a critical analysis approach – as a tool in the form of deconstructionist method – the all-inclusive meaning of balā portrayed in the Qur’an and its implications with respect to trial in the context of Adam and his “fall”, trial as means of self-knowledge, self-purification and God-awareness, and trial in suffering, will be discussed in light of the teachings of a Muslim mystic representative.