Purpose of life in Islam. Everything that is separate from our soul is to be left behind!
This means that whether it’s a house, a car, a job, or a position, it has to go.
This Position comes through a 4×6 piece of paper in the form of an assignment and the form of dismissal. This Position leaves through a 4×6 piece of paper.
Therefore, this is separate from the realm of our soul.
A job, Position, being a leader, being a president, being a great scholar.
Everything that is outside the soul is separate.
So whether it is a title, a name, a salary, a car, a house, a rank, a job, a position, all of these things are separate from the soul.
It is something that is separate from the soul; its journeying is horizontal, not vertical.
It is something to leave behind, not to be walked over as a foundation.
Ultimately, it is sure to be gone and not stay.
In this regard, there is an illuminating expression of the blessed Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) that is narrated in “Tuhaf-al-Uqul He (s) said
“How nice is the wet nurse, yet how bad is the weaning.”
Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said to avoid leadership, status, and prestige.
If these things come towards you one day, then there is nothing wrong with using them as tools and means for your Akhirah (Afterlife).
However, never should you go after this status.
This transitory world (Dunya) is at most two days from beginning to end.
One day is nursing, and the other is weaning.
For a child, these two days are fixed.
From the day the mother begins nursing the child, it is very pleasant and enjoyable for the child. The day when the mother then withdraws this milk from the child and stops nursing him is called weaning.
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said that the mothering of the world is two days.
One day, a person is nursed with status, leadership, prestige, (the title of) great leader and President of a country, etc., and a person likes to be complimented and praised. Others say, “The leader has come,” and “The warrior of Islam has come.”
These are the games and diversions that you see.
Ultimately, one day, they will be weaned from this Nursing. It is not the case that a person will always have this rank. This is basically how the Duniya is.
There is no one who was nursed who will not eventually be weaned.
“How nice is the wet nurse, yet how bad is the weaning.“
There will always be that bitter day.
كُلُّ نَفۡسٖ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلۡمَوۡتِۗ
Kullu nafsin zaaa’iqatul mawt.
Every soul will taste death.
Source: Surah Ali ‘Imran verse 185
So, what could be better for a person than getting used to something permanent from the very beginning?
Struggle of the soul: Key to dealing with difficulties
Islam means peace, and the remembrance of ALLAH (ﷻ) provides comfort and Tranquility.
أَلَا بِذِكْرِ ٱللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ ٱلْقُلُوبُ ٢٨
Alaa bizikril laahi tatma’innul quloob
Surely in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find comfort.
Source: Surah Ar-Ra’d – 28
Comfort and Tranquility start from within the person. We cannot change the external; the external is full of tribulations. And from His wisdom, the Almighty ALLAH (ﷻ) himself placed these tribulations.
We shouldn’t expect the complete removal of these tribulations from our lives. For there not to be tribulations and difficulties in life, we should not have this expectation. This is not possible.
If a person wants to supplicate to ALLAH (ﷻ) not to give them difficulties in life, this won’t be answered because this is not in ALLAH’s (ﷻ) custom.
He has given tribulations to His Awliya, all the Imam even the 3-month-old son Hazrat Ali-Asghar (ع) of Imam Husain (ع) is the best example of it, and Of course, Bibi Sakina (ع), a 3-year-old beloved daughter of Imam Husain (ع).
ALLAH (ﷻ), the all-merciful, gave tribulations to all his Prophets and Awliya’.
But what is essential is that we do not become afflicted and broken within tribulations. We do not lose our sense of peace and Tranquility with tribulations in life.
We can’t change our external condition, but we can certainly change our internal condition. We have power over our own selves.
We should do something to find peace and tranquility during times of tension and conflict. How a person views external events is more important than the events themselves. How we view external events is more important than the events themselves.
Because events occur outside of us, but it is us who, within ourselves, makes an event big or small, ugly or beautiful, bitter or sweet.
Events are external. It’s possible that rainfall could be bitter for one person and sweet for another. It entirely depends upon the type of outlook you have. It depends on how you analyze these situations and occurrences and with which perspective you are looking at them.
How we view external events is more important than the events themselves.
Sometimes, when a person’s favorite team loses, they may have a heart attack. I’m sure you’ve seen reports in the news about someone who had a heart attack when their favorite team lost.
Those of us who are not directly involved in the situation may feel surprised and wonder how this is possible. That someone would lose their life over the loss of their favorite team in a game where a ball is kicked from here to there makes us question: Was this soccer match truly that important to them?
The answer is Yes. From our perspective, this was small, but from their perspective, it was big.
Our perspective of events is greater and more important than the events themselves.
Sometimes, it’s the opposite. Despite facing a significant and challenging external event, a person who possesses great strength of character and a a correct perspective in life does not yield or weaken in the face of adversity or become weak against that big event.
Similar to a Firm mountain, you may have observed how the mountain remains unmoved even when struck by a powerful storm.
The only thing that happens is that its dirt and impurities are removed, and it becomes cleaner.
Similarly, a believer is like a sturdy mountain. When events strike them, it removes their dirt and impurities. This believer becomes more beautiful, more pure (Taqwa in Islam).
When you encounter a person who is resilient, firm, stable, hopeful, and cheerful, it reflects their outlook. This outlook encompasses their beliefs and thoughts, enabling them to exhibit patience, firmness, cheerfulness, and trust in ALLAH (ﷻ).
While an opposite perspective will make someone fearful, fragile, despondent, collapsed, and lethargic.
It is perspectives that create differences between people.
For those who are mature, having grown at the doorstep of ALLAH (ﷻ)’s abode, possessing greatness, they endure these tribulations and derive benefit from them.
This does not imply that these great personalities, these mature individuals, desire tribulations from ALLAH (ﷻ). No, nowhere does it suggest that we should seek tribulations from ALLAH (ﷻ).
We should seek welfare and wellness from ALLAH (ﷻ). However, if tribulations arise, as is the nature of this worldly life filled with challenges, they will not shy away. They will endure and derive benefit from them. It’s not about retreating; what matters is benefiting from the experience. What’s crucial is to remain patient, if not thankful, during tribulations.
Different perspectives lead some to benefit from and endure tribulations, while causing others to flee.
How old are you?
We have to make some efforts to meet individual and societal needs. We have made dates, times, and the Gregorian or solar and Lunar Hijri calendars the basis for these efforts.
These are not our measures of time. They are the measures of time for other moving entities.
Let’s say, for example, it is a particular day of the month or a specific month, meaning that the earth orbited the sun this amount.
Well, this is the life of the earth.
What does this have to do with the inhabitants of the earth?
The earth toils and orbits around the sun, and Person’s age increases. For Instance, If Zayd is 50 years old, this is only useful for his identity card. That’s it.
This only means that from when Zayd was born, the Earth had orbited the sun 50 times. The earth orbited, so why should Zayd be 50 years old?
Purpose of life in Islam
Zayd will be 50 years old when he has taken 50 steps of knowledge and action on the spiritual journey. Otherwise, he will still be that child from day one. “An old boy.” In reality, he is an old boy.
Sometimes, a person acts like a child even when they’re 50 or 100 years old because they still have the same habits they had many years ago. They haven’t changed at all.
The age of a human being is not that the earth orbits around the sun, so Zayd’s age has increased.
ALLAH hu Akbar, The most merciful The Most Merciful, The Most Compassionate, The Source of Peace, The Sovereign Lord, The Holy One, The Protector, The One, The Unique.
You can also subscribe to our weekly newsletters, which are sent every Friday for such reads.
ALLAH (ﷻ) is the greatest,
