Meaning of Life in Islam



Meaning of Life in Islam

Introduction

    The meaning of life is something that man has always pondered upon throughout all of history. Today, this question means nothing to an average person, as this question has been used up in every possible way and answered by human kind's own desires. To completely answer the question, we must first wonder and ask ourselves where we have come from and more importantly, through the big picture, how this universe came into existence. If we look at the Quran, Allah asks human kind the question of our existence,” Or were they created out of naught? Or are they the creators? (Witness Lee, 1977) Or did they create the heavens and the earth? Nay, but they are sure of nothing! (Thiemann, Ronald F, 1996). It asks us if we were created from nothing or if we created ourselves and since both these statements do not make logical sense, it would lead us to believe that we were created by a creator. It goes further to ask about the universe and if we could not create ourselves who could have created the universe so vast. This answers the question of who created us and where we come from.

Analysis

If we accept of the fact that there is a God and that he did create us, we begin to ask the question of why. Again in the Quran Allah questions mankind, making us think and find the logical answer, “Deemed ye then that We had created you for naught, and that ye would not be returned unto Us? “(23:115) and also he says, “And We created not the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, in play.”(44:38). These two aiyah are stating that we can't honestly believe we were created without a purpose, to just live life and die, as God did not make the universe for entertainment or for play reasons. Now you may ask yourself, why did he create man, why not something else, why specifically mankind (Thaddeus Metz 2003).

Allah says in the Quran, “And when thy Lord said unto the angels: Lo! I am about to place a viceroy in the earth, they said: Wilt thou place therein one who will do harm therein and will shed blood, while we, we hymn Thy praise and sanctify Thee? He said: Surely I know that which ye know not.” (2:30). If we look further into this question of why create, Allah states in the Quran, “He is Allah, than Whom there is no other God, the Knower of the Invisible and the Visible. He is the Beneficent, Merciful. (22) He is Allah, than Whom there is no other God, the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One, Peace, the Keeper of Faith, the Guardian, the Majestic, the Compeller, the Superb. Glorified be Allah from all that they ascribe as partner (unto Him). (23) He is Allah, the Creator, the Shaper out of naught, the Fashioner. His are the most beautiful ...