The purpose of life is a life of purpose, well that's what many say anyways. Others say our purpose is to love others, to become the best version of ourselves, or to follow God's will. Still, others say there is no purpose to life at all. ... to put it simply, your purpose in life is to live the life YOU want. But that's exactly what we can't do because it contradicts our core beliefs as Muslims.
Is happiness or contentment what we look for in life? to reach the pinnacle of serenity? NOPE, it isn't because life will pass by you with that goal of happiness forever in sight but never quite in reach. Happiness shouldn't be your life's goal; it should be your life! The only time to be happy is right now! It's a state of mind, not a set of accomplishments or the accumulation of material things.
Everywhere we see people seeking pleasure, wealth, and a good reputation. It seems that all other goods are a means towards obtaining happiness, while happiness is always an end in itself. To put it briefly, if you search for happiness, you will never find it. Happiness doesn't lie in fame, a long life, or wealth. It's a trigger that lies in your heart, and only ever opens when you feel surreal joy (which is a rare occurrence in itself).
As Muslims, especially as the younger generation, we feel confined and seem to think that life outside the boundary of Islam is where we find happiness, but if we are looking for bliss, then that shows that we haven't pondered enough about our purpose. Happiness, for most people, IS life. Not for us, we search for something much greater. Paradise? No. to live the best life in this world? Yet again, no. We seek the combination of both, to feel the surrealness of living in paradise here, in this world, and in the next.
The Prophet once said to his Companions, "Do you want to see a man of Paradise?" A man then passed by and the Prophet said, "That man is one of the people of Paradise." So, a Companion of the Prophet decided to learn what it was about this man that earned him such a commendation from the Messenger of God. He spent time with this man and observed him closely. He noticed that he did not perform the Night Prayer or anything extraordinary. He appeared to be an average man of Madinah. The Companion finally told the man what the Prophet had said about him and asked if he did anything special. And the man replied, "The only thing that I can think of, other than what everybody else does, is that I make sure that I never sleep with any hatred in my heart towards another." That was his secret.
From this hadith, we learnt that paradise is guaranteed even without extensive worship (worshipping is still a MUST), or as we would call it, confinement, thats just the 1st part. Now, the purpose of our life from the atheistic point of view is to enjoy limitlessly.
We want the best of both, to enjoy to the fullest while still obtaining (the highest rank of) paradise, that is our purpose. To fulfil the requirements ...
