The Life Worth Living
What is it that makes my life worth living? Some
people have the luxury of approaching this question as a mere
philosophical exercise; for others, this question continues to haunt
them, driving them to the depths of depression.
Is life really just the
pursuit of transient pleasures and accumulating material wealth? What
happens then when life becomes filled with challenges and hardships?
Why bother continuing with such a life? In this article we explore a
unique perspective that logically connects our spiritual journey with
the reality of existence.
What constitutes a meaningful and prosperous life?
Undoubtedly, this is a question that has plagued the minds of
philosophers, scholars, and laymen alike throughout the course of
human history. Some have questioned whether there should be any
purpose at all. After all, if the universe is nothing more than
shifting gooey soup of particles, the existence of worlds, organisms,
and you, is purely incidental and ultimately, meaningless. Your
existence really does not matter at all, and you just have to live
with that, as the nihilists preached.
The Islamic message however, presents something very
different.
The Qur’an is very direct in confronting the question of
meaning:
“Do you really think that We created you without
purpose, and you would not return to Us?”
(Qur’an 23:115)
So what is the purpose of life in Islam?
The
Qur’an articulates a vision of humanity’s purpose that merges
moral, spiritual and intellectual dimensions.
"Human beings were
created to develop their relationship with the One true Allah"
(Qur’an
51:56),
"but this spiritual journey is also tied to the moral duty to
enjoin good and forbid wrong"
(Qur’an 3:104).
It is a very
comprehensive and very persuasive worldview, and it all begins with
Tauhid.
