Islamic Perspective: Life Purpose According to Religion
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 Allah.
In this post, I will discuss the religious perspective about the purpose of life. There are different religions and they have different perspectives on it. İn my last story I have discussed what is the purpose of life. Some think that a fool lives to eat and a wise man eats to live. But then the question remains: for what purpose does the wise man live? Living is not an end by itself. There has to be a purpose for man to live for. So, People everywhere are asking the questions;
what is this purpose & Why are we here?
How is the purpose of life defined in different religions?
This is a philosophical question. There should be no offense taken for the questions. Only people who have no worries about livelihood and free time spend time on philosophical questions. Religion is for everyone so focuses not on the core issues that concern the rich and poor alike. The purpose of religion is not to debate philosophy but to guide humanity as to how they should live their personal and social life. In order to live their personal and social life. The answers to these philosophical questions should be searched in any religious book, including Quran.
The answers such as the meaning of life should be left to philosophers as the question related to anatomy will be left to the scientists. Often, philosophers, in the garb of religious preachers can rob people of their faith by preaching them ‘meaning of life and sometimes people give up their material possessions because the preacher thinks it is the right thing to do. The cult of ‘secret knowledge’ also grows when people spend time searching answers for to such questions. Such cults give rise to clergy that leads to corruption, as anywhere concentration of power would.
In Islam, you have an open book for you to study. There is no secret knowledge. Islam preaches that life is a blessing. Whatever you get in this life is a blessing from God. You should be thankful for it. You should be conscious of God in every decision you make so that you don’t turn away from God. That’s it. As a Muslim you have the five-time prayers and fasting in Ramadan, to come together as a community and remember God so that your soul stays in tune with what the religion preaches and it doesn’t get covered with the dust of indulgent pursuits of life. You don’t have to give up any of your possessions. You can very much enjoy life as it comes to you while thanking God and helping your relatives and poor with the charities if you have spare income.
Some religions peach you that material possessions or worldly pleasures are bad for life and religion. It is wrong. God won’t give us five senses, as well as the desire for pleasure, and not want to use them. God wants us to enjoy this worldly life, which is a gift to us. However, because in the pursuit of enjoyment we can try to disturb the balance of social life, God reminds us of the rights of other people such as family, relatives, neighbors, a society so that everyone can have fun in a balanced way.
According to Islam, what is the purpose of life?
You might be amazed to learn, that Islam is providing clear and concise answers to these questions.
The purpose of Islam is the peaceful coexistence of human beings in a way that they collectively develop systems to make the earth a better place, as the man was created by Allah as vice-regent, someone who inherits authority from Allah, on earth:
And O Muhammad, when your Lord said to the angels, “Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority.” They said, “Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we declare Your praise and sanctify You?” Allah said, “Indeed, I know that which you do not know.” ( Quran 2:30)
Islam is the most perfect and the last message of Allah for guiding mankind. Islam presents the best way of life for mankind, the best relationship between mankind and Allah, mankind among themselves, and mankind with nature. the best way of life guarantees prosperity, tranquillity, and happiness for mankind in this world, and salvation, eternal blissful life, and divine pleasure and infinite mercy in the afterlife.
According to Islam, Paradise is the goal of every Muslim. And the purpose of life is to make yourself a deserving candidate for Paradise. There are two different phases of life according to Islam;
The first phase of life is temporary and its purpose is to provide an opportunity to every Muslim to demonstrate how good he can be in the pursuit of personal excellence and how much he contributes to justice, excellence, and the well-being of his society, in submission to his Creator. The second phase of life will be permanent and everlasting where those who performed well will enjoy pleasures and bounties forever, while others will be imprisoned in hell for misusing their freedom and rebelling against their Creator.
Muslims believe that Almighty Allah is the only creator of this world and all other things which are present in this world. and we acknowledged Him, we all know that He created us (humankind) to serve Him. Now the question comes to mind that How we can serve Him? There is a reason behind the creation of this world and humankind.
“And to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and Allah is over all things competent. Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or [lying] on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], “Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; then protect us from the punishment of the Fire..”(Quran 3: 189–191)
So, from the above verse of the Holy Quran, we came to know that Allah has created this world and humankind for His worship and we should always remember Allah Almighty because He is the one Who created day and night, heavens and earth and all other things that we see in this world.
Islam addresses the reason of what and why of human existence. The point of view that Islam gives refers to human existence is quite different from other religions wherein some there is no purpose for human existence, or if there is any, it is beyond human intelligence. Allah Almighty created man to serve Him, meaning that men should believe in the One Lord and do well. This is the main objective of human life.
“I have not created men except that they should serve Me” (Quran, 51:56)
This life is a preparation for the Hereafter the ‘Eternal Home’ that will not be going to an end to which all human beings ultimately go. So, Muslims are required to observe righteousness in their daily life, based on Quranic teachings, like eating halal food, wearing modest clothing, performing prayers, giving alms, etc, because of the fact that they live for Allah alone. And to those who aim to attain nearness to Him, Almighty Allah sees to it.
The reason for knowing and understanding the creation of this world and human existence by Muslims is due to the fact that Allah Almighty has given us the book Quran which contains all the guidance related to the life of this world and the Hereafter too. If we want to know about the existence of this world and humankind then we have to understand it through Holy Quran because all the answers are present in Holy Quran. Below we will discuss the view of Islam related to human existence in the light of the Quran.
Purpose of Life According to Quranic Verses:
In Quran; it is clear that when Allah Almighty made the souls of all the humans, the first thing He did was to take an oath from the entire human race in which they testified to His Lordship. This oath shows the fact that all the humans were made aware of the fact that Allah is their Lord and they need to remember it. What this ayah and the acts of people in during the oath and when they come to this earth gives the prime purpose of human existence in Islam i.e. knowing the Lord or identifying Him is the primary objective of human existence.
“[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 falsifiers did?” (Quran, 7:172–173)
we can conclude, we were indeed created for a purpose beyond that of simply play and enjoyment in this life. We have the purpose of life that we should know and have to live life according to that purpose.
“Did you think that We had created you in play (without any purpose) and that you would not be brought back to Us?” (Quran 23:115)
Allah states that the reality of this life is one of deception and we should not fall for its temporary enjoyments.
“Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children — like the example of a rain whose [resulting] plant growth pleases the tillers; then it dries and you see it turned yellow; then it becomes [scattered] debris. And in the Hereafter is severe punishment and forgiveness from Allah and approval. And what is the worldly life except the enjoyment of delusion.” (Quran 57:20)
In short, Almighty Allah has guided people to the purpose of life that is worshipping Him and seeking His pleasure. The Holy Quran in this regard is one of the best ways of knowing the ways in which a person can fulfill this purpose of pleasing Almighty Allah and give meaning to his or her life. The main reason for our creation is worship. We should fulfill this purpose of our life by following Allah’s commands given in Quran.
Why is this life a test according to Islam?
In Islam, this life is a test. The purpose of life is to pass the test. We believe in Allah. Allah did not create this great creation for anything.
It is difficult to answer a complex topic such as this comprehensively in a short article, but three verses from the Qur’an quickly give a sketch of the Islamic understanding of the purpose of life:
People from different schools of thought always ask themselves about the purpose of life. Islam has also provided an answer to the philosophy of creation. Some people believe that the purpose of life was to acquire wealth, but if the purpose of life is to become wealthy, there would be no purpose after becoming wealthy.
According to the perspective of Islam, the main purpose of the creation of death and life is to test who is the best indeed as Allah says in the Quran.
He who created death and life to test you which of you is best in conduct. He is the Almighty, the Forgiving. ( Quran 67:2)
Islam rejects wealth and welfare as the main purpose for the life and creation of humans and believes that worshiping Allah is the main purpose of life as Allah has emphasized in the Quran:
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. ( Quran 51:56)
I seek no provision from them, nor do I need them to feed Me. ( Quran 51:57)
“We did not created the heavens and the earth and all that is between them for a (mere) play” (Quran 21:16)
He explained to us in the Quran and through His messenger (s) what the purpose of this life is. The purpose of this life is to worship Allah. This is a very simple test. If we follow this order, we will be rewarded.
“And We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, for mere play. We created them not except with truth, but most of them know not” (Quran 44:38)
That reward will be the time when we can just relax and enjoy. As for the time in this world, we are simply travelers passing through on our way to our destination.
“Truly, the life of this world is nothing but a (quick passing) enjoyment, and verily, the Hereafter is the home that will remain forever.” (Quran 40:39)
Allah is the One Who has created mankind and He knows best the wisdom behind His creation.
How we can pass this test?
Synthesizing the meaning of above these verses: life is a test to see what our actions are. If we choose to follow the way that Allah has taught us to live (this is what worship means in Islam), then we have fulfilled the purpose of life. If instead, we spend our time entirely on idle entertainments, or worse, on actions of destruction, then we have not grasped the purpose of life.
So, You pass the test by being the best person you can be, more specifically the best Muslim you can be. That means doing as many good deeds as you can while doing a few bad deeds as you can and obeying Allah’s (SWT) command.
Islam surely is a way of life. It guides us on what is most right. For example, Islam forbids believers from eating pork. The believers refrained from it but the nonbelievers (Non-Muslims) eat it. According to scientific studies inside the brain of eaters of pork, insects are born.
It is the beauty of Islam that it guided Muslims to a better path…
Islamic way of life is the same as any religious way of life spending your life enslaved to imaginary beings, following ancient, arbitrary, poorly understood, and pointless rules. Believing things without evidence that they are true. Judging people based on your rules. Worrying more about the afterlife than your actual life.
There is no truth in life in Islam, belief in Islam is contrary to God, Islam is a death sentence, your salvation will be gone. Islam teaches everything opposite to the word of God, but they will say theirs is God’s word, as you would expect. No proof can be given, you have to read and decide, but be careful which way you go.
The purpose of life is to make Allah think he has a purpose. He created us to fulfill his needs and not for ours. If we follow these simple directions as best we can, we will get something much better than relaxing in this temporary life.
What happens after we die?
Just like Christianity and Judaism, Islam teaches us that after we die, every man, woman, and child who has ever lived will be brought back to life. Then we will all be judged by God, one by one, on how well we worshipped and obeyed Him and how well we followed the guidance He gave to the last Messenger, Muhammad.
God will judge us all with complete fairness and justice. He will not rule in favor of or against anyone who does not deserve it. All evidence for His rulings will be clearly explained to us and we will have an opportunity to state our case.
For those who receive a positive verdict, they will live in eternal happiness and bliss in Paradise.
For those that do not, they will live in unhappiness and sorrow in Hell.
Why is belief in life after death important?
Knowing that there is a life after death gives perspective on a life that will soon come to an end when we die. Whilst it is natural and understandable for us to strive for a better standard of living, live a comfortable life, and earn more money, belief in life after death takes our focus beyond that: our focus in this life is striving to please God so that we achieve the best possible afterlife.
And since Muslims know that God is pleased with those who follow His guidance and display good morals and manners to those around them, we try to become the most humble, kind, fair, and honest people we can be. We endeavor to treat our family, friends, and neighbors whether Muslim on non-Muslim in the best way possible. And we strive to build good relations amongst communities so that our cities and towns become the best and happiest place to live that they can possibly be.
Final Thoughts:
The main purpose as a Muslim is “ Life as a Muslim is great. You have good manners, do not judge, behave well and live your life in honesty because following any of the five pillars of Islam as a horrible person is senseless, and A lot of good things to do and to share. You worship one Allah. You read the Quran and that becomes your understanding rather than what is brayed by someone else which nowadays is mostly fabrications. You pray five times a day. You pay zakat to the poor if you have the means; 2.25% of liquid money can stay up to a year untouched (so if you can afford it). You do Fast the month of Ramadan if your health allows you and Performing Hajj or Umrah if you’re able.
Emphasize learning the vast knowledge. It gives you peace of mind. And Islam is like a car where it brings you to a straight road. Islam gives a great and vast knowledge that how to live in every single field of life and tells the right path. For example, if there is one who helps and guides you right then life simply becomes much easier so does the Quran.”
The purpose of life and creation is the thriving of humans. Thriving as in growth, as in having human become the best it can fulfill all its potential. For that, several intermediary steps are needed. Like justice. Quran says that God sent prophets so that they can establish justice in the land. Obviously, the establishment of justice is not the supreme goal, it is a means to allow people to flourish and become perfect humans.
It is in accord with this goal that education, is a goal in itself. It is not a means to an end, it is the end. Gathering knowledge is also the same. Taqwa, i.e., piety in doing right and forbidding wrong, is also the end. It thrives on human beings, it doesn’t prepare them for something else. It is the goal. Enduring hardship is the goal. Worshipping God is the goal. These are not steps to reach the goal, they are the goal.
These are the things that thrive on a human being to reach his/her ultimate potential. And that’s the innermost desire of any human being, everything that we do and want is based on that desire to thrive.
Each Muslim was created to worship Allah by being thankful. The purpose of living should be to better yourself and better things and people around you and ultimately prepare yourself for everlasting joy (life after death) by submitting to the will of God in this world without denying the lawful pleasures of this world, But Our main purpose in life is to live according to his rules so we attain paradise.
Now, this does not mean that we do ‘nothing but worship’, but like any aim in life, it’s about making it a priority. Making what a priority you may ask? well apart from the rituals, it's about being honest, making yourself a better person, helping people around you, bringing up a good family, etc.
I was born in a Muslim family but I did not practice Islam completely because most things I did not know and sometimes some things made me confused. Thanks to Allah for guiding me and changing my heart. I then began with the new journey of putting my faith into perspective. First things first, I got liberated from conservative thinking and started to love people whom I never liked. My life changed. Now I pray to God, help others, stay in peace, refrain from giving hate speech, and respect other religions. I am so glad that Allah choose for me to get born into a Muslim family.
I believe, The ultimate purpose in life is to find who made us and see what He wants from us, and fulfilling that. Which includes serving humanity. It depends on how you see it. Islam claims to free your mind from the worries and troubles of this world, if only you follow it correctly. And even still, you are faced with problems, never forget that Allah tests you by giving you something or taking from you something. And God never burdens a soul more than what it can bear.
And after all, this life is a test. Never live it like it will stay permanent.
Nothing is like Allah and Allah is attributed with Hearing and Sight.
verily good deeds do away with evil deeds.
And that is a reminder for those who remember.
Be patient with yourself. And Keep learning!!
I will be calmer, I will spread love as long as I can, I will live a spiritual life, I would do what I please no matter what and I would prove my theories.
Always start your day by renewing your intention that everything you do for yourself and your community, whether it be your acts of worship or daily chores. It all has to be merely for the sake of Allah (SWT) and Also, I ask Allah (SWT) to make my work dedicated only to him and forgiveness from Allah (
SWT), if I have got anything wrong. It is He who is the Hearing, the knowing.
Finally, İ pray Allah to benefit those who read this article and others, grant me truthfulness in what I say and do, preserve my thoughts and my pen from deviation and guide me in all my affairs.
And all praise and thanks are due to Allah, without Whose help and guidance nothing can be accomplished. May Allah bless and protect you and your faith Ameen.
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