Who?What?When?How? and WHY?

Assalamalaikum wa Rehmatullahi wa Barakatuh!

Today we're going to spend some time discussing a question that leaves many people at a loss for words. It makes them ponder, makes them reflect and think. Even the most intellectual of people halt at this question and never really have an automatic answer or response to it. So here it is....


WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE?


Do you have a concrete answer? or Is your purpose simply going to school? Chillin with the "in" crew? Partying it up every weekend? Hitting the club? Then back to school? And once you're done with school, getting a job? Become successful in that super awesome career you've always dreamed of?And then what? Get married to the man or woman of your dreams? Have kids? Then what? Just Die? Will you have lived a meaningful life? Was there even any meaning to your life? Many people may come up with some of the things above. I myself have asked some people this, and the reply I got back was "I just wanna be happy" or "find happiness". But, do you really think you'll find absolute happiness in this world? Is that even possible?


Let's zoom out a little bit to more general questions. Why were we born? Why do we require food, sleep, defecation, and other natural things? How are our bodies made so complex? How does our heart pump 4 to 5 LITERS of blood every minute? Thats almost two of those big 3 liter bottles of soda that your hearts muscles are pumping EVERY MINUTE! Who controls that? Why does the sun come up and go down precisely every day? Who controls the rain that comes down from the skies? Who causes plants to germinate? How is everything in such control and mediated and organized so well?


Honestly, think about it. Even Allah asks us to ponder these things because all of these wonders are his signs."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." [3:189-191]


Write there, in that verse, Allah is asking us to ponder over the signs that are present in our every day life. He is asking us to ponder over the creation of the heavens, of the earth, over the galaxies, over the way everything is created in perfection. 


In Surah Mulk, Ayahs 3-5, Allah turns our attention to these matters once again by saying: 
"[And] who created seven heavens in layers. You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. So return [your] vision [to the sky]; do you see any breaks? Then return [your] vision twice again. [Your] vision will return to you humbled while it is fatigued.And We have certainly beautified the nearest heaven with stars and have made [from] them what is thrown at the devils and have prepared for them the punishment of the Blaze."

There is absolutely no flaw in Allah's creation. From the perfect way our bodies are created, our eyes see, our ears hear, to the perfect way that the sun, moon, and planets just swim along their own orbits. From the perfect way the skies are embellished, to the perfect way everything is organized according to his plan. He is the sole creator of the heavens, the earth, and everything in this universe.


"Say, "It is He who has produced you and made for you hearing and vision and hearts; little are you grateful." Say, " It is He who has multiplied you throughout the earth, and to Him you will be gathered." [67: 23-24]"


Our purpose, thus is to worship him alone. This is stated plain and clearly in the Quran. The Quran, the revelation from Allah, provides the answer to the age old question of what the purpose of our lives is.
"And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me." [Surah 51: Ayah 56] < There it is, plain & simple! Allah has provided us with countless blessings, innumerable, and the least we can do is to worship him. The least we can do is praise him and supplicate him for everything he has provided for us. 


Let's look at it from a broader view through the story of Prophet Adam and his wife, Hawa (Eve). Prophet Adam (pbuh) and Hawa resided in Paradise and they were told by Allah to enjoy all the fruits of Paradise, or Jannah except for one tree. Shaitan was the one who lured both of them to eat from this forbidden tree and both of them, including Shaitan, were removed from Jannah to begin their life on Earth. From the lineage of Adam and Eve is where we come from. 


Thus, this life on Earth serves as a test. It's like a biology exam or psych exam but on much bigger proportions and much more awesome. You know how sometimes, you study your hardest on suppose a biology exam and you seriously spend like a whole week going over everything and by the end of the week, you're exhausted, sleep deprived, but you feel like you've memorized every last bit about genes, transcription, and other bio junk and then the test comes around and you still feel like you did semi-okay and then your grades come aroud, dun dun dun, and after all that you find out that you STILL got a C and your GPA instead of going up, went down? Well, Allah is most merciful and most gracious, incomparable to our bio professors or other teachers. Every ounce of good we do is recognized and every ounce of bad we do is also recognized. If  we give this test of life, this time that we have in this world, and worship Allah and do everything as he has ordained, Jannah, or eternal Paradise is guaranteed for the believers. 


Allah says in the Quran in Surah Sajdah: 

"Only those believe in Our verses who, when they are reminded by them, fall down in prostration and exalt [ Allah ] with praise of their Lord, and they are not arrogant. They arise from [their] beds; they supplicate their Lord in fear and aspiration, and from what We have provided them, they spend. And no soul knows what has been hidden for them of comfort for eyes as reward for what they used to do. As for those who believed and did righteous deeds, for them will be the Gardens of Refuge as accommodation for what they used to do. Then is one who was a believer like one who was defiantly disobedient? They are not equal. But as for those who defiantly disobeyed, their refuge is the Fire. Every time they wish to emerge from it, they will be returned to it while it is said to them, "Taste the punishment of the Fire which you used to deny.” [32:15-20]

We came from Jannah, and due to Shaitan's lure and tools, Adam and Hawa were removed. Now, our goal in this world is to attain Jannah, to go back to where we once were. A great quote I found describes this very well.is:  "...we were created in paradise and for paradise. Through our choices we have left, in this life, a field of testing, where we can grow to a state where we deserve paradise. The purpose of this life is the worship of Allah, this life is a test. A test for us, will we worship Allah, or will we forget Him. This is where our focus has to begin."

So, my brothers and sisters, this is our goal, this is our purpose, this is our life's mission. Let's make sure that every action we do is for Allah and has the intention for Allah behind it. Anytime you do something, think of why you're doing it and link it back to Allah. If you are eating, then link this back to Allah by thanking Allah for providing you with the food and relate this back to Allah by thinking that through eating, you will stay healthy and you will be able to pray and worship the creator better! Another example, when you're studying or taking a test, always keep Allah in mind by asking him for success. Whatever you are doing, find some way to link it back to Allah. The shorter time it takes you to link it to Allah or the more direct the link is, the better your action is. Whenever you find yourself getting caught up in the dunya and other worldly matters, remember who you creator is and remember that your goal is Jannah and remember that in order to get there you need to ace this test. 


May Allah grant us the ability to ace this test by worshiping him as he as ordained, joining all that is good, staying away from all that is bad, and following the teachings of Prophet Muhammahd (saws) and inshAllah attaining Jannah! Ameen! 


Jazakallahkhair for reading!


-Razz :)