purpose of life in islam essay

• Evidence Islam is Truth
• The Benefits of Islam
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• Worship and Practice
• The Hereafter
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Evidence Islam is Truth 159 articles

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The Benefits of Islam 62 articles

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Beliefs of Islam 211 articles

• What is Islam 21 articles
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Islam at a Glance

• Intro E-books

The Purpose of Life (part 1 of 3): Reason and Revelation

Description: is “reason” a sufficient source in the search for the purpose of life.

• By Imam Mufti
• Published on 20 Mar 2006
• Last modified on 25 Jun 2019
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Introduction

Is Reason a Sufficient Guide?

‘Why do we eat?’  ‘Why do we sleep?’  ‘Why do we work?’  The answers we would get to these questions would be similar.  ‘I eat to live.’  ‘I sleep to rest.’  ‘I work to support myself and my family.’  But when it comes to what the purpose of life is, people are confused.  We see their confusion by the type of answers we receive.  Youths may say, "I live for booze and bikinis."  The middle aged professional might say, "I live to save enough for a comfortable retirement."  The old man would probably say, "I’ve been asking why I’m here most of my life.  If there’s a purpose, I don’t care anymore."  And perhaps the most common answer will be, "I really don’t know!"

How, then, do you discover the purpose of life?  We basically have two options.  The first is to let ‘human reason’ - the celebrated achievement of the Enlightenment - guide us.  After all, the Enlightenment gave us modern science based on careful observation of the natural world.  But have post-Enlightenment philosophers figured it out?  Camus described life as "absurd"; Sartre spoke of "anguish, abandonment and despair."  To these Existentialists, life has no meaning.  Darwinians thought the meaning of life was to reproduce.  Will Durant, capturing the predicament of postmodern man, wrote, "Faith and hope disappear; doubt and despair are the order of the day… it is not our homes and our treasuries that are empty, it is our ‘hearts’."  When it comes to meaning of life, even the wisest philosophers are just guessing.  Will Durant, the most noted philosopher of the last century, and Dr. Hugh Moorhead, a philosophy professor at Northeastern Illinois University, both wrote separate books titled ‘The Meaning of Life.’ [1]  They wrote to the best-known philosophers, scientists, writers, politicians, and intellectuals of their time in the world, asking them, "What is the meaning of life?"  Then they published their responses.  Some offered their best guesses, some admitted that they just made up a purpose for life, and others were honest enough to say they were clueless.  In fact, a number of famous intellectuals asked the authors to write back and tell them if the purpose of life was discovered!

Let the Heavens "Speak"

If the philosopher has no definitive answer, perhaps the answer can be found within the heart and mind that we ourselves possess.  Have you ever looked at the open sky on a clear night?  You will see an incalculable number of stars.  Look through a telescope and you will see gigantic spiral galaxies, beautiful nebula where new stars are being formed, the remnants of ancient supernova explosion created in a star’s final death throes, the magnificent rings of Saturn and the moons of Jupiter.  Is it possible not to be moved by the sight of these countless stars in the night sky shining like diamond dust on a bed of black velvet?  Multitudes of stars beyond stars, stretching back; becoming so dense that they appear to merge into delicate wisps of sparkling mist.  The grandeur humbles us, thrills us, inspires a craving for investigation, and calls for our contemplation.  How did it come into being?  How are we related to it, and what is our place in it?  Can we hear the heavens "speak" to us?

"In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day, there are surely signs for all who are endowed with insight, who remember God when they stand, and when they sit, and when they lie down to sleep, and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: "O our Lord, You have not created this without meaning and purpose.  Limitless art You in Your glory…" (Quran 3:190-191)

When we read a book, we accept that an author exists.  When we see a house, we accept that a builder exists.  Both of these things were made with a purpose by those who made them.  The design, order, and complexity of the universe as well as the world around us are evidence of the existence of a supreme intelligence, a perfect designer.  All the heavenly bodies are controlled by precise laws of physics.  Can there be laws without a lawmaker?  Rocket scientist Dr. von Braun said: "The natural laws of the universe are so precise that we have no difficulty building a spaceship to fly to the moon and can time the flight with the precision of a fraction of a second.  These laws must have been set by somebody."  Paul Davies, a professor of physics, concludes that man’s existence is not a mere quirk of fate.  He states: "We are truly meant to be here."  And he says regarding the universe: "Through my scientific work, I have come to believe more and more strongly that the physical universe is put together with an ingenuity so astonishing that I cannot accept it merely as a brute fact.  There must, it seems to me, be a deeper level of explanation."  The universe, the earth, and living things on the earth all give silent testimony to an intelligent, powerful Creator.

Figure 2 Central region of the Trifid Nebula taken by the Gemini Telescope on Mauna Kea on the Big Island of Hawaii, June 5, 2002.  Located in the constellation of Sagittarius, the beautiful nebula is a much-photographed, dynamic cloud of gas and dust where stars are being born.  One of the massive stars at the nebula’s center was born approximately 100,000 years ago.  The nebula’s distance from the Solar System is generally agreed to be somewhere between 2,200 to 9,000 light years away.

Image courtesy of Gemini Observatory Image/GMOS Commissioning Team.

If we were made by a Creator, then surely that Creator must have had a reason, a purpose, in creating us.  Thus, it is important that we seek to know God’s purpose for our existence.  After coming to the realization of this purpose, we can choose whether we want to live in harmony with it.  But is it possible to know what is expected from us left to our own devices without any communication from the Creator?  It is natural that God Himself would inform us of this purpose, especially if we are expected to fulfill it.

Alternative to Speculation: Ask God

This brings us to the second option: the alternative to speculation about the meaning and purpose of life is revelation.  The easiest way to discover the purpose of an invention is to ask the inventor.  To discover the purpose of your life, ask God.

[1]  "On the Meaning of Life"  by Will Durant . Pub: Ray Long & Richard R. Smith, Inc. New York 1932 and "The Meaning of Life"  by Hugh S. Moorhead (ed.). Pub: Chicago Review Press, 1988.

The Purpose of Life (part 2 of 3): The Islamic Viewpoint

Description: the explanation islam gives to the meaning of life, and a short discussion on the meaning of worship..

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Can Christianity Answer the Question?

In Christianity, the meaning of life is rooted in faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ, in finding Jesus as Savior.  " For God so loved the world that he gave his only son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life ."  However, the proposition is not without serious problems.  First, if this is the purpose of creation and the precondition for eternal life, why was it not taught by the prophets to all the nations of the world?  Second, had God turned into man close to the time of Adam all mankind would have had an equal chance to eternal life, unless those before the time of Jesus had another purpose for their existence!  Third, how can people today who have not heard of Jesus fulfill the Christian purpose of creation?  Naturally, such a purpose is too narrow and goes against divine justice.

Islam is the response to humanity’s search for meaning.  The purpose of creation for all men and women for all times has been one: to know and worship God.

The Quran teaches us that every human being is born conscious of God,

"(Remember) when your Lord extracted from the loins of Adam’s children their descendants and made them testify [saying]: ‘Am I not your Lord?’  They said: ‘Yes, we testify to it.’  (This was) in case you say on the Day of Judgment: ‘We were unaware of this.’  Or you say: ‘It was our ancestors who worshipped others besides God and we are only their descendants.  Will you then destroy us for what those liars did?’"(Quran 7:172-173)

The Prophet of Islam teaches us that God created this primordial need in human nature at the time Adam was made.  God took a covenant from Adam when He created him.  God extracted all of Adam’s descendants who were yet to be born, generation after generation, spread them out, and took a covenant from them.  He addressed their souls directly, making them bear witness that He was their Lord.  Since God made all human beings swear to His Lordship when He created Adam, this oath is imprinted on the human soul even before it enters the fetus, and so a child is born with a natural belief in the Oneness of God.  This natural belief is called fitra in Arabic.  Consequently, every person carries the seed of belief in the Oneness of God that lies deeply buried under layers of negligence and dampened by social conditioning.  If the child were left alone, it would grow up conscious of God - a single Creator - but all children are affected by their environment.  The Prophet of God said,

"Each child is born in a state of ‘fitra’, but his parents make him a Jew or a Christian.  It is like the way an animal gives birth to a normal offspring.  Have you noticed any young born mutilated before you mutilate them?" [1]

Figure 1 The marvel of life.  An unborn fetus sucking its thumb.

So, just as the child’s body submits to physical laws, set by God in nature, its soul submits naturally to the fact that God is its Lord and Creator.  However, its parents condition it to follow their own way, and the child is not mentally capable of resisting it.  The religion which the child follows at this stage is one of custom and upbringing, and God does not hold it to account for this religion.  When a child matures into an adult, he or she must now follow the religion of knowledge and reason.  As adults, people must now struggle between their natural disposition towards God and their desires in order to find the correct path.  The call of Islam is directed to this primordial nature, the natural disposition, the imprint of God on the soul, the fitra , which caused the souls of every living being to agree that He Who made them was their Lord, even before the heavens and earth were created,

"I did not create the jinn and mankind except for My worship." (Quran 51:56)

According to Islam, there has been a basic message which God has revealed through all prophets, from the time of Adam to the last of the prophets, Muhammad, peace be upon them.  All the prophets sent by God came with the same essential message:

"Indeed, We have sent a messenger to every nation (saying), ‘Worship God and avoid false gods...’" (Quran 16:36)

The prophets brought the same answer to mankind’s most troubling question, an answer that addresses the yearning of the soul for God.

What is Worship?

‘Islam’ means ‘submission’, and worship, in Islam, means ‘obedient submission to the will of God.’

Every created being ‘submits’ to the Creator by following the physical laws created by God,

"To Him belongs whosoever is in the heavens and the earth; all obey His will." (Quran 30:26)

They, however, are neither rewarded nor punished for their ‘submission’, for it involves no will.  Reward and punishment are for those who worship God, who submit to the moral and religious Law of God of their own free will.  This worship is the essence of the message of all the prophets sent by God to mankind.  For example, this understanding of worship was emphatically expressed by Jesus Christ,

"None of those who call me ‘Lord’ will enter the kingdom of God, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven."

‘Will’ means ‘what God wants human beings to do.’  This ‘Will of God’ is contained in the divinely revealed laws which the prophets taught their followers.  Consequently, obedience to divine law is the foundation of worship.  Only when human beings worship their God by submitting to His religious law can they have peace and harmony in their lives and the hope for heaven, just like the universe runs in harmony by submitting to the physical laws set by its Lord.  When you remove the hope of heaven, you remove the ultimate value and purpose of life.  Otherwise, what difference would it really make whether we live a life of virtue or vice?  Everyone’s fate would be the same anyway.

[1] Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim. The Arabs would cut the ears of camels and the likes as a service to their gods in pre-Islamic times.

The Purpose of Life (part 3 of 3): The False Gods of Modernity

Description: modern society has created false gods which it serves, throwing the world into chaos..

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Who Needs Worship?

God is in no need of our worship, it is mankind that needs to worship God.  If no-one were to worship God, it would not take away from His glory in any way, and if all of mankind were to worship Him, it would not add to His glory.  It is we, who are in need of God:

"I need no provision from them, neither do I need that they should feed Me for, surely, God Himself is the Provider of all sustenance, the Possessor of mighty power." (Quran 51:57-58)

"…But God is Rich, and it is you that are poor..." (Quran 47:38)

How to Worship God: And Why.

God is worshipped by obeying the laws He revealed through the prophets.  For example, in the Bible, Prophet Jesus made obedience to the divine laws the key to paradise:

"If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments." (Matthew 19:17). 

Also Prophet Jesus is reported in the Bible to have insisted on strict obedience to the commandments, saying:

"Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:19)

Why do human beings need to worship God by obeying the divinely revealed laws?  The answer is simple.  Obedience to divine law brings peace to this life and salvation in the next.

Divine laws provide human beings a clear code to guide every sphere of human life and interaction.  Since the Creator alone knows best what is best for His creation, His laws protect the human soul, body, and society from harm.  In order for human beings to fulfill their purpose of creation, they must worship God by obeying His commandments.

The False Gods of Modernity

God is Who gives meaning and orientation to life.  On the other hand, modern life lacks a single center, a single orientation, a single goal, a single purpose.  It has no common principle or guideline.

Since Islam considers a god to be an entity that is served out of love, deep respect, and anticipation of reward, one can say that the modern world serves many gods.  The gods of modernity give meaning and context to the life of modern man.

We live in a house of language, and our words and expressions are the windows through which we look out at the world.  Evolution, nationalism, feminism, socialism, Marxism, and, depending on how they are employed, democracy, freedom, and equality can be listed among the indefinable ideologies of modern times.  "Plastic words," to borrow the words of Uwe Poerksen, a German linguist, have been used to usurp God’s power and authority to shape and define the goal of society, or even of humanity itself.  These words have connotations with a ‘feel good’ aura.  Indefinable words become a limitless ideal.  By making the ideal limitless, unlimited needs are awakened, and once these needs are awakened, they appear to be ‘self-evident.’

As it is easy to fall into the habit of worshipping false gods, people then have no protection against the multiplicity of gods that modern ways of thinking demand that they serve.  The "plastic words" give great power to those ‘prophets’ who speak on their behalf, because they speak in the name of ‘self-evident’ truths, so other people keep silent.  We must follow their authority; the axiomatic pundits who lay down the Law for our health, welfare, well-being, and education. 

The window of modernity through which we perceive reality today is marked by cracks, smudges, blind spots, and filters.  It covers the reality.  And the reality is that people have no real need except toward God.  But nowadays, these empty ‘idols’ have become the objects of people’s devotion and worship, as the Quran states:

"Have you not seen the one who takes his desires as his god?..."(Quran 45:23)

Each of these "plastic words" makes other words appear primitive and out-of-date.  ‘Believers’ in idols of modernity are proud of worshipping these gods; friends and colleagues consider them enlightened for doing so.  Those who still insist on holding onto the "old" God can cover up the embarrassment of doing so by worshipping the new ‘modern’ gods along with Him.  Obviously, many people who claim to worship the "old-fashioned" God will twist His teachings in this event, so that He also seems to be telling us to serve these "plastic words."

The worship of false gods entails the corruption not only of individuals and society, but also of the natural world.  When people refuse to serve and worship God as He has asked them to serve Him, they cannot fulfill the functions for which He has created them.  The result is that our world becomes ever more chaotic, just as the Quran tells us:

"Corruption has appeared in the land and the sea because of what the hands of people have earned." (Quran 30:41)

Islam’s answer to the meaning and purpose of life fulfills the fundamental human need: a return to God.  However, everyone is going back to God willy-nilly, so the question is not merely going back, but how one goes back.  Will it be in shameful agonizing chains awaiting punishment, or joyful and grateful humility for that which God has promised?  If you await the latter, then through the Quran and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad, God guides people back to Him in a manner that will ensure their eternal happiness.

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• Ask About Islam

What Is the Real Purpose of Life?

Short Answer: 

As Muslims, we understand that Allah is far above His creation insofar as He is not dependent on any part of it. Quite simply, it is out of His mercy that He has created us.

………….

Assalamo Alaikom Dear Kamal,

Thank you for your questions and for contacting Ask About Islam.

Why did Allah command us to worship Him

5 things will make you content with your life.

You are correct when you say that Allah is all-powerful and not in need of our worship. So why did He command us to worship Him? The answer is really very simple if we understand Allah’s nature properly.

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Islam has the best insight into Allah’s nature and attributes to Him what is most appropriate and respectful. As you mentioned, the Quran definitely answers the question, “Why are we here?”

{I have only created jinns and humans that they may serve Me.} (Quran  51:56 )

You are also correct when you say that Allah is self-sustaining and has Angels that worship Him non-stop. So again, why the command to humans and Jinn to worship him? If we say that Allah is in no need of anything from us yet He commands us to worship him, it is not necessarily a contradiction.

Command and Forbid

Why did He command certain things and forbid others? It is not Allah that benefits from the commands He gives us, we are the ones who benefit.

For example, if Allah commands us to abstain from eating pork, blood, and animals found dead, or if He forbids the drinking of alcohol, it is not Allah who benefits from this if we obey nor is He harmed if we disobey. We are the ones who suffer from disobeying Him and we are the ones who benefit from obeying.

This applies to anything that Allah commands us to do and anything He commands us to avoid.

Hadith Qudsi

In a hadith qudsi (revelation from Allah expressed in Prophet Muhammad’s words), we read the following:

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) once said that Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, said,

“O My servants, I have made oppression unlawful for Me and unlawful for you, so do not commit oppression against one another. O My servants, all of you are liable to err except whom I guide on the right path, so seek right guidance from Me so that I should direct you to the right path. O My servants, all of you are hungry and needy except whom I feed, so ask food from Me, so that I may feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except whom I provide garments, so ask clothes from Me, so that I should clothe you. O My servants, you commit error night and day and I am there to pardon your sins, so ask pardon from Me so that I should grant you pardon. O My servants, you can neither do Me any harm nor any good.

Everlasting Power

O My servants, even if the first in creation among you and the last in creation among you and even the whole of human race of yours and that of Jinns even, become God-conscious like the heart of the most God-conscious person among you, that would add nothing to My power. O My servants, even if the first in creation among you and the last in creation among you and the whole human race of yours and that of the Jinns too in unison become the most wicked like the heart of a single person, that would take nothing of My power. O My servants, even if the first in creation among you and the last in creation among you and the whole human race of yours and that of Jinns also all stand in one plain ground and you ask Me and I confer upon every person what he asks for, it would not in any way cause any loss to Me any more than that which is lost to the ocean by dipping a needle in it. O My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense you for, so let him who finds good praise Allah; and let him who finds other than that blame no one but himself. (Muslim)

Allah forbids what is harmful and enjoins on us what is beneficial

The only source of peace.

If we study prohibitions closely and use available science, it is easy to see that actions and things Islam prohibit are clearly harmful. Allah forbids what is harmful and enjoins on us what is beneficial. This is true mercy.

Were Allah not merciful and only intended to serve Himself, we would find some commands that were beneficial to Him only and harmful to us. We find no such commands in any part of the Quran or in anything that Prophet Muhammad has commanded us.

{Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, whom they find mentioned in their own scriptures, in the Torah and the Gospel; for he commands them what is just and forbids them what is evil; he allows them as lawful what is good and pure and prohibits them from what is bad and impure; he releases them from their heavy burdens and from the yokes that are upon them. So it is those who believe in him, honor him, help him, and follow the light that is sent down with him, who will prosper.} (Quran 7:157 )

Allah Most Exalted

When you say that Allah becomes infuriated by blasphemous speech or thoughts, you run the risk of attributing to Allah what is not true. He likes and dislikes different things, and He may even get angry, but to say He becomes infuriated, which is not a description found anywhere in the Quran, is to say that He loses control to some degree or does not conduct Himself in a manner becoming of the Creator of all things.

Allah is far above this type of character. He is Oft-Forgiving and Most Merciful. To become infuriated, as you put it, would be to say that someone could affect Him negatively, and that is impossible.

It goes without saying, that we as Muslims do not believe that Allah is a mere thought that is invented by our imagination. Minds have limited capacities. If that idea of Allah being a thought were true, we would find many contradictions and shortcomings in what we attribute to Him, since it would merely be an invention of our own minds. I would go as far as saying that if Allah were merely a concept of the mind, we would be denying our own existence.

Did Universe come about on its Own?

10 tips for finding inner peace in a turbulent world.

If we assume for a moment that everything in the universe came about on its own, and that all plant and animal life, bacteria, fungus, etc. evolved from a single-celled organism, what is it that caused that first cell to take shape, come to life and later reproduce? How would that organism know that it needs to divide itself into two separate parts and multiply?

That would imply a level of intelligence and will to survive and carry on its species. Is it reasonable to expect an amoeba to possess that level of intelligence on its own without outside help? What are the chances of that happening? I would say zero.

What is that “life force” that got everything going in the first place?

Allah created us out of His mercy

Allah created us out of His mercy. He created good and evil and gave us the ability to choose between right and wrong, knowing full well that some of us would choose what is harmful to us and some would follow His guidance. He will reward us for choosing good and following His guidance and punish us for harming ourselves by choosing evil.

Part of this guidance involves recognizing all of the incredible blessings, which He has created along with us, enabling us to lead a beneficial life.

{All that are in the heavens and the earth entreat Him. Every day He exercises universal power.} (Ar-Rahman 55:29)

Eternity in Paradise

The beauty of islam changed my life.

He has given us everything we need to sustain this life, but more importantly, He has shown us the way to achieve something even more incredible, the chance to live in eternity in Paradise in His glorious presence.

To achieve this, it is absolutely necessary to remain in close contact with Him on a regular basis as much as we can, and if possible, at all times of the day and night. Hence, comes the necessity of prayer and piety. We do ourselves a great disservice if we miss this opportunity.

I hope this has been helpful. I ask Allah Almighty to lead us to what is beneficial and to protect us from what is harmful.

And Allah knows best.

I hope this helps.

Walaikum Assalam Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh.

Please keep in touch.

(From Ask About Islam archives)

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Islam: A Comprehensive Way of Life for Peace and Purpose

Islam is a faith and comprehensive way of life that literally means ‘peace through submission to God.’ It provides a clear understanding of a person’s relationship with God, purpose in life, and ultimate destiny. A Muslim is someone who adopts the Islamic way of life by believing in the Oneness of God and the prophethood of Muhammad (peace be upon him). Today, Islam is one of the fastest growing religions and is practiced by more than 1.2 billion Muslims across the world.

Islam: Monotheistic Belief in God

The most essential principle in Islam is the purely monotheistic belief in one God. God is the Creator of everything in the universe and is unique from His creation. Muslims are encouraged to develop a direct and personal relationship with God without any intermediaries. Muslims often refer to God as Allah , which simply means “God” in the Arabic language. Arabic-speaking Jews and Christians also refer to God as Allah . (Read more: Who is Allah? )

God describes Himself in the holy book of Muslims, the Quran (also spelled ‘Koran’), by stating: “Say, ‘He is God the One, God the eternal. He begot no one nor was He begotten. No one is comparable to Him.’” (112:1-4).

A Universal Faith

Islam is the culmination of the universal message of God taught by all of His prophets. Muslims believe that a prophet was chosen for every nation at some point in their history, enjoining them to worship God alone and delivering guidance on how to live peacefully with others. Some of the prophets of God include Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad, peace be upon them all. The prophets all conveyed the consistent divine message of worshiping one God, along with specific societal laws for each nation’s circumstances.

Islam: The Final Prophet Restored the Original Message of God

However, after the prophets delivered the divine guidance to their people, their message was lost, abandoned, or changed over time, with only parts of the original message intact. God then sent another prophet to rectify their beliefs.

In order to restore the original call of all prophets, God sent Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the final prophet to all of humanity in the 7 th century C.E.

In 610 C.E., Angel Gabriel visited Muhammad (peace be upon him) with the first divine message. For the next 23 years, he continued to receive revelations until the message was completed. Muhammad (peace be upon him) called people towards the belief in one God and encouraged them to be just and merciful to one another. He was a living example of God’s guidance for the benefit of the entire humankind. (Learn more about Muhammad (peace be upon him) .)

“Then We revealed to you [Muhammad], ‘Follow the creed of Abraham, a man of pure faith who was not an idolater.’” (Quran, 16:123)

The Quran: A Message of Peace and Guidance from God

Muslims also believe that God sent revealed books as guidance to humanity through His prophets. These include the Torah given to Moses, the Gospel conferred upon Jesus, and the Quran received by Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Quran is the last revelation from God, consisting of God’s literal speech. It confirms truths from the previous scriptures and maintains the same core message of worshiping God and living righteously. God has ensured that the Quran is protected from corruption, safeguarding it for all of humanity to benefit from until the end of time. It is the only holy book that has been meticulously preserved in its original text. (Click here to find out more about the Quran .)

Purpose of Life

Islam clearly addresses one of the most central and challenging questions in human history: “What is the purpose of life?” God declares in the Quran, “And I did not create … mankind except to worship Me.” (51:56) For Muslims, the purpose of life is to worship God, the Creator of all things. Worship in Islam is a comprehensive concept that urges people to be conscious of God throughout their daily lives and provides a framework to help people live a balanced and virtuous life.

Islam: A Way of Life That Promotes Strong Moral Character and Just Societies

This way of life promotes strong moral character, good relations with people, and just and harmonious societies. Devoting one’s self to a life of submission to God is the key to attaining a true sense of peace because it produces a balance of spiritual needs with worldly affairs. It also lends special meaning to the concept of living one’s life responsibly, aware of the accountability to come in the hereafter.

Belief in the Day of Judgment is extremely important in Islam. This event will signal the transition between the temporary life of this world to the eternal life in the hereafter. On that day, people will be resurrected and held accountable for their deeds in life, which will determine their eternal destination in Heaven or Hell. Many verses in the Quran describe the events on the Day of Judgment in great detail and give a description of Heaven and Hell.

Worship in Islam

Worship in Islam is woven into the daily life of a Muslim and is not confined to a holy place. The fundamental aspects of worship in Islam are encompassed within five pillars, which enable Muslims to cultivate their relationship with God.

1. Testimony of Faith ( Shahadah ) : The first of the five basic foundations is knowingly and voluntarily asserting that, “There is nothing worthy of worship except God, and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.” This statement is the basis of faith in Islam, affirming that no partners can be associated with God and Muhammad is His final prophet. As a result of this belief, Muslims seek guidance in life through God’s revelation (the Quran) and the teachings of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

2. Prayer   ( Salah ) : Muslims are required to pray five times a day to maintain a spiritual connection with God and remind themselves of their ultimate purpose in life. Through sincerity, repentance, and direct prayer to God, Muslims strive to establish a personal spiritual relationship with their Creator all throughout the day. This prayer includes physical motions of bowing and prostrating, which were also performed by Jesus, Moses, and the prophets before them.

3. Charity ( Zakah ) : This  is an annual charity given to the poor. Muslims must give 2.5% of their yearly savings to help the poor, the needy, and the oppressed. Charity is one of the vital sources of social welfare in Islam, encouraging a just society where everyone’s basic needs are provided for.

4. Fasting ( Sawm ) :  Muslims fast during the month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim lunar calendar, by refraining from eating, drinking, and sexual interaction from dawn to sunset. It is an act of self-restraint and spiritual cleansing that increases one’s empathy for the less fortunate and enables one to consciously control bad habits such as foul language, idle talk, and anger. Fasting also helps people develop strong willpower as they overcome the essential desires of their body and the damaging acts of their tongue.

5. Pilgrimage ( Hajj ) :  The pilgrimage (journey) to Mecca is an act that every Muslim must perform once in their life if they are physically and financially able. It symbolizes the unity of humankind as Muslims from every race and nationality assemble together in equality to worship God, following the traditions of Prophet Abraham.

(To learn more, read Worship in Islam .)

A Holistic Approach

These primary acts of worship urge individuals to fulfill their purpose in life by becoming more conscious of God and serving the practical needs of society. However, worship is not limited to simply completing these acts.

Islam promotes a holistic approach to worship that encompasses spreading justice and compassion in the world through one’s daily interactions with people. Smiling at someone, visiting the sick, and defending an innocent person who is being oppressed are all considered acts of worship as well. These forms of worship exemplify the importance of good manners in Islam. Muhammad (peace be upon him) once said, “The best among you are those who have the best character.”

Islam: A Modest and Humble Way of Life

Islam has a practical approach to living that positively transforms people’s individual connection to God and fellow humans. Islam offers guidance on all matters of life, including one’s diet, manners, and social relationships. God tells Muslims to eat everything “good and pure” while adhering to simple dietary restrictions such as avoidance of pork, alcohol and anything slaughtered in the name of other than God.

When it comes to dressing and behavior, modesty and humility are ordained for both men and women. Muhammad (peace be upon him) has stated, “Every religion has an essential character and the essential character of Islam is modesty.”

Islam: A Way of Life That Promotes Spirituality and Humanity

Parental obedience and dutifulness is integral to Islam. Men and women are to sanctify their relations in a marital contract, taking their spousal roles and family units seriously. Raising children who are morally upright and responsible participants in their communities is also a significant obligation. The preservation of family ties is a fundamental principle of Islam, along with kind treatment of orphans, widows, travelers, and neighbors. Professional and philanthropic contributions to one’s society are encouraged in order to nurture individual and collective success.

God calls on people to remember Him in all of their actions and purify their hearts so that they can live a truly balanced life. Spirituality in Islam is about nurturing tolerance, kindness, control, righteousness, and forgiveness while shunning arrogance, pride, ego, anger and selfishness. This spirituality and God-consciousness should be reflected in a person’s interactions with other people. Therefore, Islam stresses the importance of treating people with respect, mercy, and dignity.

Islam: A Way of Life That Promotes Spirituality, Humanity, and Community

In conclusion, Islam is not a new way of life; rather, it maintains the same message God sent to humanity through all of His messengers. Islam teaches people how to have a meaningful relationship with God, without any intermediaries, and how to reform their souls, beautify their character, and be part of a vibrant, healthy community. Through this message, God encourages individuals to draw closer to Him and fulfill their purpose in life.

“ Is it not time for believers to humble their hearts to the remembrance of God and the Truth that has been revealed? ” (Quran, 57:16)

Note: The “peace be upon him” next to Prophet Muhammad represents the invocation Muslims say with his name as a form of respect.

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What Does Islam Say About Life's Purpose?

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself these questions?.. What is the purpose of everything?, How did we get here?, What does it all mean?, What is the meaning of Life?

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself these questions? - "What is the purpose of everything?" "How did we get here?" "What does it all mean?" "What is the meaning of Life?" People everywhere are asking these questions; "What is the purpose of life?" and "Why are we here?" You might be amazed to learn, that Islam is providing clear and concise answers for these questions. Most of those who reflect or think about life in any detail will consider and ponder these questions. There are as many different answers to these questions as there are people asking the questions. Some would hold that the purpose of life was to acquire wealth. Yet suppose they were to acquire millions of dollars, what then would they claim is their purpose after doing so? If the purpose of life is to become wealthy, there would be no purpose after becoming wealthy. The fact is that when people approach their purpose here in this life from the aspect of only gaining wealth, after collecting the money they have dreamed of, their lives loose purpose and then they live in restless tension suffering from a feeling of worthlessness. How could wealth then be considered as the aim of life? Could the acquisition of wealth guarantee happiness? Of course not! When we hear of millionaires or members of their families committing suicide, how could we consider the purpose of life would be to gain great wealth? A child of 5 years would obviously prefer a new toy to a deposit slip for a million dollars. A teenager does not consider millions of dollars in the bank a substitute for movies, videos, pizza and hanging out with his friends. A person in their 80s or 90s would never consider holding on to their wealth in place of spending it to hold on to or regain their health. This proves that money is not the main purpose at all the stages of one's life. Wealth can do little or nothing to bring happiness to one who is a disbeliever in Almighty God, because regardless of what he or she would gain in this life they would always live in fear of what will happen to them in the end. They would wonder what would become of them and how they would end up. Wealth and its accumulation as a purpose would be doomed to a temporary success at best, and in the end it would only spell out self-destruction. So, what is the use of wealth to a person without belief? He would always fear his end and would always be skeptical of everything. He may gain a great material wealth but he would only lose himself in the end. * Worship of the One True Almighty God of the Universe [Allah in Arabic] as a primary goal or aim in life provides a believer with everything he needs to succeed in both this life and the Next Life. The word for total surrender, submission, obedience, purity of heart and peace in the Arabic language is "Islam". Those who try to perform these actions are called "MU-slims" [Islam-ERs]. To a Muslim the whole purpose of life is "ibadah" or worship to the One True Almighty God on His Terms and under His Conditions. The term "worship" to a Muslim includes any and all acts of obedience to Almighty Allah. So his purpose of life is a standing purpose; Worshipping Allah by accepting Allah's Will over his own. This act of ibadah [worshipping, thanking and extolling the Greatness Almighty Allah on His Terms and Conditions] is for the Muslim, throughout his whole life regardless of the stage. Whether he is a child, adolescent, adult or aged person, he is seeking after the Will of the Almighty in all these stages. His life here on earth although short, is full of purpose and is totally meaningful within the complete framework of total submission [Islam]. Similarly, in the Next Life as well, his faith, intentions, attitudes and good deeds will all be weighed into his account as favorable putting him in high esteem with his Creator and Sustainer. Because Islam teaches that this life is only a test or trial for the individual to show him his true nature, it is only natural that he would accept death as not so much an ending to everything but more as a beginning of the final and lasting life in the Hereafter. Before entering into either of the final lodging places i.e.; Heaven or Hell, there must needs be a Day of Judgment or showing of one's true self to make them aware of their own nature and thereby understand what they have sent on ahead during their life here on this earth. Every person will be rewarded [or punished] according to their attitude, appreciation and efforts during this stay on earth. None will be asked about the actions and beliefs of others, nor will anyone be asked regarding that which he was unaware of or incapable of doing. As the life here is considered as an examination for the individual, the death stage is considered as a resting period after the test. It could be easy for those who were faithful and dedicated or it could be grueling and horrible for the wicked. Reward and punishment will be in direct proportion to each person and it is only Allah, alone who will be the Final Judge over us all. So in the teachings of the True Surrender, Submission, Obedience, In Sincerity and Peace to the Almighty One God [Islam], the line of life and its purpose is logical, clear and simple: • The first life is a test • The life in the grave is a resting or waiting place before the Day of Judgment • The Day of Judgment brings about the clear understanding of what will now happen to the individual based on his own desires and actions • The Permanent or Afterlife will either be spend in luxurious splendor or miserable punishment Following this clear understanding of life, the Muslim's purpose is clear First of all, he has no doubt in his mind that: Ø He is only created by Allah Ø He is going to spend a period of time in this material world [called "Ad Dunyah" in Arabic] Ø He knows he will die Ø He knows he will spend time in the grave, either pleasant or difficult depending on his own choice of attitude and actions Ø He knows he will be resurrected for the Day of Judgment Ø He knows he will be judged according to the most fair of standards by Allah the All Mighty, the All Knowing Ø He realizes his attitude and actions are going to come under very close scrutiny Ø He knows that this short life compared to the Eternal Life was in fact, only for a test * This life is very meaningful and purposeful to the Believing Muslim, as he realizes that it will determine his outcome and permanent position in the Next Life. The Muslim's permanent purpose is to Surrender, Submit, Obey, in Purity and Peace to Allah the Almighty, carrying out His Orders and staying in some form of worship to Him as much as possible every day. This includes the orders of Allah in His Book, the Holy Quran and His final Messenger -Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessing be upon him- as follows: 1. Believing and declaring that "There is no god throughout all the creation of Allah that is worthy of worship, all worship is due only to Allah, alone and He has no partners or helpers nor does He share His Lordship with any of His creations. And Muhammad, the son of Abdullah Ibn Abdul Mutallib (about 1450 years ago) is the last and final messenger and servant of Almighty Allah, and is the culmination in a long line of prophets sent to mankind throughout man's history, including Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Dawud (David), Soliman (Solomon), Al Maseeh Isa Abnu Maryam (Jesus Christ), may Almighty Allah's Peace and Blessings be upon them all." 2. Establishing the regular five times ritualistic prayer ( salat ) in the stated times 3. Paying the charity tax ( Zakat = about 2.5% of one's holdings - not his income, annually) 4. Fasting the month of Ramadan [lunar calendar] 5. Pilgrimage to the House of Allah in Mecca at least once in the life of the person, provided he has the ability and the way is safe * For a disbeliever the purpose of this life is to collect and amass great wealth, money, power and position. Over indulging in eating, drinking, drugs, sex and gambling are a high priority to them. But all of this will not avail them anything good in the grave, on the Day of Judgment or in the Next Life. Eventually he will be faced with the question: Now what? What's Next? Where am I going? What will happen to me? * He will come to know. For sure he will come to know. But then what will the knowledge avail him? Look how Islam solves the mystery of the puzzle of life. It provides the answers to the questions and concerns of the human beings on all levels and in every aspect. It is really quite simple. The purpose of life as understood by the Believing Muslim can be simply stated in only two words: Obey God! Final Conclusion based on the above considerations: Our only purpose and salvation lie in those two words. We must come to know our Creator, Sustainer and Ultimate Judge. We must learn to believe in Him, thank Him, praise Him, honor Him and worship Him, alone without any partners from His Creation. We must learn about His Messengers and Prophets, peace be upon them, and the message with which they were all sent. We must learn the Word of God as was directly revealed, preserved and memorized and passed down by memory throughout all the generations of Muslims to the present day. Those who are in search of truth, having open minds and hearts will recognize this as a message in truth and sincerity. Open your heart and your mind now and ask the Almighty God of the Universe [Allah] to guide you now to His True Way. And then be ready to accept your true purpose in life.

Yusuf Estes

Islamtomorrow website

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Islam and Spiritualism ( 27 Sept 2016 , NewAgeIslam.Com)

The purpose of life from an islamic perspective.

By Sheima Sumer

27 September 2016

What is the purpose of life? The Holy Quran, believed by Muslims to be the direct word of God to humanity, encourages us to ask this question:

“Did you then think that We created you in vain, and that you would not be returned to Us?” (Holy Quran 23:115).

God associates the value of justice with the belief in a purpose to life:

“And We have not created the heaven and earth and what is between them in vain. That is the opinion of those who disbelieve. And woe to such disbelievers, because of the Fire. Shall we treat those who believe and do good deeds as those who spread corruption on the earth? Or shall we treat the pious as sinners?”(Holy Quran 38:27-8)

The Purpose of Life: Belief and Good Deeds

  The Holy Quran teaches that the purpose of life is to worship our Creator by believing in Him and by doing good deeds:

  “And I created not the jinn and mankind except that they should worship Me (alone).” (Holy Quran 51:56)

  “…Who has created life and death so that He may try you which of you are best in deeds…” (Holy Quran 67:2)

  Seeking the pleasure of God is the aim of every sincere believer:

  “And among the people there is he who sells himself for the pleasure of Allah, and Allah is kind to His worshippers.” (The Holy Quran 2:207)

  Believing in God and doing good deeds benefits our souls. The Quran teaches that the truly successful people are those who purify their souls:

  “By the soul, and the proportion and the order given to it; and its enlightenment as to its wrong or right; truly he succeeds who purifies it, and he fails who corrupts it.” (Holy Quran 91:7-10)

  How to Please and Worship God

  Muslims believe that God sent the Holy Quran and the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to teach us how to please and worship the One Creator:

  “...There has come to you from God a light and a luminous Book, through which God, by His grace, guides all who seek His good pleasure on the path of peace, and brings them out of the depths of darkness into light and guides them unto a Straight Path.” (Holy Quran 5:15-16)

  Allah (Glory be to Him) says that if you truly love Him, then follow His Messenger:

  “Say (O Muhammad), if you (really) love Allah, then follow me, and Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Forgiving and Merciful”. (Holy Quran 3:31)

  Good Deeds

  Good, righteous deeds include giving charity, freeing slaves, praying, keeping promises, and being patient during hardships:

  “It is not righteousness that you turn your faces east or west. But it is righteousness to believe in God, and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer, and practice regular charity, to fulfill the contracts which ye have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain (or suffering) and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the God-fearing.”(Holy Quran 2:177)

  Working for peace among people is a great deed that is better than charity, fasting and prayer. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

  “Do you know what is better than charity and fasting and prayer? It is keeping peace and good relations between people, as quarrels and bad feelings destroy mankind.” (Recorded in Muslim & Bukhari)

  Good deeds feel good, whereas bad deeds do not. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated:

  “Righteousness is in good character, and wrongdoing is that which wavers in your soul and which you dislike people finding out about.” (recorded in Muslim)

  Warnings to Humanity

  The Quran and Hadiths warn humanity that they will be accountable for their actions in this life:

  “Say, ‘It is God who gives you life, then makes you die; and in the end He shall gather you on the Day of Resurrection (the coming of) which is beyond all doubt, but most people do not understand. To God belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. And on that Day when the Last Hour is come---on that Day all those who refused to believe (shall be) the real losers. And you shall see all people hobbling on their knees, for all people will be called upon to (face) their record: ‘Today you shall be recompensed for all that you ever did. This is Our record, it speaks about you in all truth; for We had been recording all that you were doing.’” (Holy Quran 45:26-29)

  “So he who does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and he who does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.”(Holy Quran 99:7-8)

  The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) echoes this message of accountability:

  “A man shall be asked concerning five (things) on the Day of Resurrection: concerning his life and how he spent it, concerning his youth and how he grew old, concerning his wealth: where he acquired it and in what way he spent it, and what was it that he did with the knowledge that he had.” (Recorded in Tirmidhi)

  “Three things follow a deceased: his family members, his wealth and his actions. Two of them return and one remains with him. His family members and wealth return, and his actions remain with him.” (recorded in Bukhari & Muslim)

  Our looks and wealth are not the criteria for success in the sight of God. The Prophet (peace be upon him) stated:

  “The Almighty Allah judges you neither by your countenance nor your wealth, but by the purity of your hearts and your deeds.” (Recorded in Muslim)

  Even our Difficulties Have a Purpose!

  Our hardships in life have a purpose too: they are a test of our faith, and they also purify our souls:

  “Do the people think that they will be left to say, “We believe,” and they will not be tested?”

(Holy Quran 29:2)

  The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

  “Whoever Allah wants good for him, he puts them to test. He puts them through difficulties, like a diamond or some metal that has to be burnt and then that which is bad from it is removed so that you have that which is the pure diamond or the pure gold…”(Recorded in Bukhari and Muslim)

  In the end, we should remain patient and trust in God’s promise:

  “So patiently persevere: for verily the promise of Allah is true. Nor let those shake your firmness, who have (themselves) no certainty of faith.” (Holy Quran 30:60)

  Trust in God’s Mercy

  In order to fulfill our purpose, we must trust in the kindness, goodness and mercy of Allah (swt):

  “But those who do evil deeds then repent and believe, they will find your Lord Forgiving and Merciful.” (The Holy Quran 7:153)

  The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) reported that the devil said to God: "I shall continue to lead Thy servants astray as long as their spirits are in their bodies." And God replied: "(Then) I shall continue to pardon them as long as they ask My forgiveness."(Recorded in Tirmidhi)

  The Next World:

  Belief in a life purpose for the Muslim is closely tied to belief in the afterlife. Our worldly possessions will not last, but our good deeds done for God’s sake will:

  “Whatever you have will end, but whatever is with Allah is everlasting. And We will surely give those who were patient their reward according to the best of what they used to do.” (Holy Quran 16:96)

  “Know that the life of this world is play and a passing show, and adornment and boasting among you, and rivalry between you over piled up goods and children. It is like vegetation after a rain whose growth is pleasing to the farmers, but later it dries up and turns yellow and becomes straw stubble. And in the Final World there is a terrible chastisement and (also) forgiveness from God, and contentment. The present life is but the enjoyment of delusion.” (Holy Quran 57:20)

  “Every soul shall have a taste of death: And only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden will have attained the object (of Life): For the life of this world is but goods and chattels of deception.” (Holy Quran 3:185)

  The next life is when we will see the fruits of our labours in this life:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said that God the Exalted and Glorious has said: “I have prepared for My pious servants which no eye has ever seen, and no ear has ever heard, and no human heart has ever perceived, but it is testified by the Book of God.” He then recited (the Quranic verse), "No soul knows what comfort has been concealed from it, as a reward for what it did." (Recorded in Muslim)

  Sheima Sumer is the author of ‘How to be a Happy Muslim’.

URL:  https://newageislam.com/islam-spiritualism/islamic-perspective/d/108684

Islam Today Journal

A scholarly journal focusing on the critical study of Islamic thought, institutions, and events.

The Purpose of Life in the Quran – A Systems Thinking Perspective

by Mehrdad Yasrebi, Akbar Farahani

The purpose of this research is to present, based on the verses from the Holy Quran, a systems thinking perspective for the purpose of life. Roadmap is out-lined for the cycle of creation, life and death. It is argued that life is a training opportunity to prepare for the next eternal life. This training has two main sub-jects based on which, souls are evaluated. A system is proposed on how souls are evaluated, compared, and rewarded in the Hereafter.

Download: The Purpose of Life in the Quran

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