Maher Umer Ahmad, Canada
Throughout human history, mankind has been engaged in a relentless pursuit of meaning. This quest for meaning has been given great importance by secular and spiritual writers throughout the ages, such as Viktor Frankl, who expressed in his book Man’s Search for Meaning that life is not made unbearable by external circumstances, but by lack of meaning.
Amidst the wide-ranging opinions given regarding the purpose of life, Ahmadi Muslims should count themselves fortunate to have accepted the Reformer of the Age, the Promised Messiah, Hazrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmadas, whose writings and sayings have provided clear guidance on spiritual, religious and secular subjects and are a critical resource regarding the purpose of creation.
Throughout his writings, the Promised Messiahas repeatedly emphasised that the purpose of mankind’s creation is to worship their Creator. Yet, many people vie for different goals and dedicate their lives to different missions, so how can all of mankind have the same purpose? On this topic, the Promised Messiahas writes:
“It is obvious that man is not in a position to appoint the purpose of his own life, for he does not come into the world of his own accord, nor will he depart therefrom of his own will. He is a creature and the One Who created him and invested him with better and higher faculties than those of all other animals, has also appointed a purpose for his life. Whether anyone penetrates to it or not, the purpose of man’s creation without a doubt is the worship and the understanding of God and complete devotion to Him.” (The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam [2017], pp. 158-159)
Here, the Promised Messiahas uses simple reasoning to settle this matter clearly. The fact is that man is a created being, and the creator always decides the purpose of his own creation. Therefore, man cannot define his own purpose; that is God’s right. Moreover, God Almighty’s declaration of the purpose of mankind’s creation reflects Allah the Almighty’s attribute ar-Rahman (the Gracious), since clearly stating the objective makes it easier to achieve. But what does humanity have to gain by achieving this purpose?
The answer is provided by Allah the Almighty in Surah al-Asr of the Holy Quran. Expounding on the last two verses of Surah al-Asr, the Promised Messiahas states:
“[…] There is a group that is in a state of loss, but not the believers and those who do good deeds. From this we learn that those who are disbelievers and those who do not perform good deeds are in a state of loss.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 1 [2018], p. 192) Hence, this group, those who do not fulfil their purpose, are deprived of something by Allah.
While it is true that all human beings are blessed by Allah the Almighty’s graciousness, the Promised Messiahas states that “God Almighty cares for the life of a person who fears Him; He holds their life dear. As for the one who acts against His will, God casts him into hell.” (Ibid.) This shows that a close relationship between Allah the Almighty and those who engage in His true worship results in divine providence in this world and the Hereafter.
Prophet Davidas assented to this pattern, as quoted by the Promised Messiahas: “‘I was a child and now I have grown old. I have never seen a godly man in a demeaned state, nor have I seen the children of such people begging for scraps.’” (Malfuzat, Vol. 1 [2018], p. 190)
Thus, through the words of a prophet of Allah, we can see that not only does Allah the Almighty provide for His worshippers, but out of His graciousness, He provides for their progeny as well! Truly, any individual deprived of this relationship has fallen into a pitiful state.
Any person who examines the life of worldly individuals in modern times cannot deny that while they may progress materially, these individuals can never taste the kind of spiritual serenity enjoyed by a muttaqi (a righteous person). The ravenous hunger and intense salivation for the materialistic goods of this world push the thought of God and the Hereafter to the back of their minds, if it is present at all. As a result, these individuals suffer from a lack of true contentment in their physical lives and a grievous punishment in the Hereafter.
At this point, many introspective readers will conclude that any logical person would desire to fulfil their purpose, as it provides great benefit to them. But before embarking on the journey towards the fulfilment of their purpose, what should this individual bring with them?
One requirement for a person to fulfil their purpose and engage in true worship of Allah Almighty is love. The Promised Messiahas has stated regarding this topic that, “Allah the Exalted has instilled within man’s nature an inclination towards Himself and created man to be devoted to Him through the most hidden means.” (Malfuzat, Vol. 1 [2018], p. 189)
This inclination towards Allah the Almighty in every human being provides the base through which unconditional love for Allah can be developed. Worship based on this unconditional love provides great pleasure to the worshipper, while love fuelled by motives is temporary and becomes a source of grief and pain.
While love for Allah the Almighty is crucial to fulfilling the human purpose, for worship to be accepted, the worshipper must also possess a strong sense of humility, lowering themselves towards the Most High. On the topic of humility, the Promised Messiahas made a compelling analogy:
“This is so that those who reflect deeply on the Holy Quran may understand that the state of humility in Prayer is like a sperm in case of the spiritual being, and like the sperm it contains all the faculties, attributes, and features of the perfect man.” (Barahin-e-Ahmadiyya Part V [English], p. 268)
Thus, for such an individual who desires to fulfil the purpose of their creation, they must lower themselves into a state of humility so that they can transform themselves into a muttaqi through prayer.
The integration of spiritual and worldly engagements
In addition to writing extensively on the necessity of worship and the love of Allah, the Promised Messiahas has also written about worldly engagements. Though the purpose of life has been declared by Allah the Almighty to be His worship, one should not think that matters pertaining to this temporary world should be forsaken.
The Promised Messiahas, in his writings, has categorically stated that Islam does not allow asceticism and the abandonment of worldly business or family in favour of retreat to a remote jungle or mountain. Instead, he clearly instructs that Muslims should engage in their own businesses with toil and labour as Islam commands. (Malfuzat, Vol. 1 [2018], p. 191)
To summarise, the Promised Messiahas advised Muslims to ensure that the pleasure of Allah the Almighty is intended in any business they engage in and to never overlook His will in favour of their own motivations or feelings.
The practical aspects of the fulfilment of mankind’s purpose
The third theme present in the writings of the Promised Messiahas regarding the purpose of life is the practical aspects involved in fulfilling the purpose of life. In Surah al-Fatihah, this topic was touched upon by the verse “Thee alone do we worship and thee alone do we implore for help.” (Ch.1: V.5) While elucidating this verse, the Promised Messiahas stated:
“[…] Man has been taught that first, it is necessary for him to strive and toil to tread the paths of divine pleasure by means of his own strength, resolve and understanding, and by making full use of the faculties given to him by God Almighty; and after all this, then to pray to God Almighty so that He may complete these efforts and cause them to bear fruits. (Malfuzat, Vol. 2 [2019], p. 69)
Therefore, fulfilling the purpose of life requires a person to work diligently, using all their faculties to achieve divine pleasure, after which they must pray to Allah the Almighty so that He may cause their efforts to be successful. Supplication and prayer alone are not enough to fulfil the purpose. Rather, one must work with their faculties and resources through various means to earn divine pleasure, as well as supplicating to God Almighty.
The first means of achieving the purpose of life is to correctly recognise and have faith in the True God. This step must be completed for subsequent acts of worship to be correct, for “if a person believes in a bird or an animal or in the elements or in the issue of a human being, as god, then there can be no hope of his treading across the straight path.” (The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam [2017], p. 161)
Another means to achieve the purpose of life is to develop an awareness of the perfect beauty and benevolence of Allah the Almighty. Beauty creates a feeling of love in the hearts of Mankind, while reflection on benevolence fosters gratitude and love. This love and gratitude are brought forth in prayer, which is also a means of achieving the purpose.
Yet another means to achieve the purpose of life, one which is particularly noteworthy for us in these times, is keeping company with the righteous and following their example. One of the reasons for the advent of prophets, the Promised Messiahas states, is that mankind naturally seeks an example, as it increases one’s eagerness and resolve. (Ibid., p. 168)
Today, one prevalent vice is the inappropriate use of technology and media, where bad examples are all too common. Every individual striving to fulfil their purpose should reflect and ponder over whether their company, whether the people they meet frequently or the ways they use technology and the content they watch, could be considered righteous in the eyes of Allah the Almighty.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the writings of the Promised Messiahas discuss the purpose of life through these themes: the fundamental necessity of worship and the love of God, the integration of spiritual and worldly matters, and the practical aspects of fulfilling the purpose. The sources of the Promised Messiah’sas writings always stem back to the Holy Quran, Sunnah and Hadith. Therefore, the glorious purpose outlined in his writings is actually the purpose of creation according to the final religion revealed by God – Islam.