Rethinking Islam with Sultan Shahin: Islam Is the Answer to Humanity’s Search for Meaning; The Purpose of Life

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Islam Is the Answer to Humanity’s Search for Meaning; The Purpose of Life

By Arman Neyazi, New Age Islam

1 April 2021

“Indeed, We have sent a messenger to every nation (saying), ‘Worship God and avoid false gods…” (Qur’an, 16:36)

Allah says, “I have not created men except that they should serve Me” (Quran, 51:56).

Indeed there are many verses in the Holy Quran which conclude that the humanity is created for nothing but the worship of Allah, the Almighty. So, there is nothing left to ponder upon the purpose of life on this earth except that to understand what is worship and what is it that pleases the creator of the seven skies and the earth and everything in it.

Indeed, there is no dearth of angels who always worship Allah, by praising Him, so the mankind is sent on this earth to worship Allah not only by reciting the Holy Quran and performing Namaz and observing Roza but in a way which should be called worshipping Allah with the human ingredients, such as:

a. Giving Charity (Khairat)

b. Visiting The Ill (Eyadat)

c. Helping Others (Madad)

d. Dressing Up Modestly

e. Eating Halal Food

All the above mentioned human ingredients are the one we find in the persona of Prophet Muhammad (SAW). History is witness to our Prophet’s life as to how he distributed charity, visited the ill, helped the needy, dressed modestly and ate the simplest of the foods, possible.

Muslims worship Allah to obtain His kindness and pleasure. And Allah is pleased if one follows the life and deeds of His beloved prophet, Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Therefore if the purpose of life is to worship Allah to obtain His love and resultantly His forgiveness, what may be better than following the footsteps of our beloved Prophet and fulfil the purpose of our lives?

First verse mentioned above describes the purpose of life as the worship of the creator of the universe, and it also clearly mentions that there is no nation to which a Prophet has not been sent, meaning thereby that every nook and corner of this world has received Allah’s kindness in the form of a Prophet to guide human being, to make humankind understand the purpose of their lives, all of us therefore will be answerable on the Day of Judgment to Allah and will not be able to say that we were not guided.

Righteous or Non-Righteous Actions of an Individual

Righteous or non-righteous actions of an individual will decide Allah’s love for him and ultimately His forgiveness and rewards. Righteous people will be granted rewards and the non-righteous people will be punished as per Allah’s will. They will not find any excuse to hide behind. Such is the management of the God.

Everything the righteous individual does for the sake and submission to Allah should go in favour of His creation, the human beings, the animals, the environment and the nature, at large. Righteous people are those who take the path of Sunnah and contribute to the welfare of the fellow human beings as guided by Prophet Muhammad (SAW) who always asked for forgiveness for all his fellow human beings of the past, present and the future.

The Prophets and the Revealed Books

Allah has made us aware of the purpose of our lives through His messengers, from Adam to Prophet Muhammad (Pbuh) and all His Books revealed from time to time on the prophets of the time.

Every prophet sent by Allah to guide His creation has guided to the best of his ability and Allah’s willingness and every Book revealed by Allah on His prophets had the guidance through which men of those times could have understood and fulfilled the purpose of their lives.

Fulfilment of the Purpose of Life

Fulfilling the purpose of our life is not difficult if our heart weeps for humanity and nature. Both Good and the Evil senses are there in our intellect, it is just that we have to be true to ourselves and listen to our religious and spiritual guides and act accordingly. For the fulfilment of the purpose of life, human being has to be aware of his anger, feeling of hatred and the ill feelings for fellow human beings and get rid of them. He has to worship the God, ask His forgiveness and remain true to his sense of humility.

Quranic Verses as a Guide

The holy Quran is Allah’s words. And there are many Quranic verses related to the purpose of life of the human being, to guide us. I mention some of them for our benefit and guidance:

Surah Ali Imran Verse 191 (Translation Abul Ala Maududi)

Those who remember Allah while standing, sitting or (reclining) on their backs, and reflect in the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): 'Our Lord! You have not created this in vain. Glory to You! Save us, then, from the chastisement of the Fire.

Surah Al-Hadid Verse 20 (Translation Abdul Majid Daryabadi)

Know that the life of the world is but a play and a pastime, and an adornment and a self-glorification among you and vying in respect of riches and children; as the likeness of vegetation after rains whereof the growth pleaseth the husbandmen, then it withereth and thou seest it becoming yellow, then it becometh chaff. And in the Hereafter there is both a grievous torment and forgiveness from Allah and His pleasure, and the life of the world is but a vain bauble.

Surah Al-Mu'minoon Verse 115 (Translation Abul Ala Maududi)

Did you imagine that We created you without any purpose, and that you will not be brought back to Us?"

Tafheem-ul-Quran - Abul Ala Maududi (Quran, 5:91)

By intoxicants and games of chance Satan only desires to create enmity and hatred between you, and to turn you away from the remembrance of Allah and from Prayer. Will you, then, desist?

The last two verses clearly mention, as the other verses of the Holy Quran that our creation is not purposeless, in addition to this these two verses also mention that Satan misguides us in fulfilling our aim of life and achieving the love of Allah by creating enmity and hatred among us. We, thus need to recognise the Satan in and among ourselves and get rid of the feelings of enmity and hatred.