Conclusion
None of the sources mentions Maslow. They also do not set out the objectives of the Shariah (maqasid al-shari'ah) in their tiers of necessities, needs and refinements, so they cannot settle a point-by-point comparison. What they do show is that Islam honours basic needs: health, safety and daily food are counted as 'the whole world'. But it puts worship and the heart's peace in remembrance of Allah at the centre of life from the start, not at the top of a ladder. It defines being satisfied by contentment, not by gathering more.
Reflection & guidance
- Guidance from the Qur'an
The verses call the reader to see worship as the purpose of life and to find peace of heart through remembrance of Allah. They also call for thankfulness for safety and provision, and for patience when these are tested. Q2Q3
- Guidance from the Sunnah
The Prophet taught people to measure their worldly needs modestly, by health, safety and today's food, and to look for real wealth within the soul. H4H6
- Guidance from the scholars
Ibn Kathir notes that Allah tests His servants sometimes with blessings and sometimes with fear and hunger, and that the patient say 'to Allah we belong and to Him we return'. Al-Nawawi ties contentment to having little greed. T3C5
- Lesson for the reader
Meet your basic needs with gratitude, ask only for what suffices, and do not put faith off until every other need is met. H4Q1
Sources
Qur'an & Tafsir
Summary
The Qur'an treats safety and provision as blessings from Allah that can be taken away when they are met with ingratitude. It places worship as the purpose for which humans were created, not as a final stage reached once other needs are met. Q1T1Q4
Key points
- Maarif-ul-Quran explains that Allah gave every human the inborn capacity to worship (fitrah, original nature). Some people use it well and others ruin it by following their base desires. T1
- In the example of the town, a people who were 'secure and content' with plentiful provision were made to taste 'hunger and terror' because they were ungrateful. Q4
References
- Q1Adh-Dhariyat 51:56 · The Winnowing Winds
- Q4An-Nahl 16:112 · The Bee
- T1Maarif-ul-Quran on 51:56
Sunnah
Summary
The Prophet taught that a person who wakes up healthy, safe and with food for the day has, in effect, been given the whole world. He also taught that true richness is richness of the soul, not plenty of possessions. H4H6
Key points
- The 'whole world' hadith is graded hasan (good). It names just three basics: health, security and the day's food. H4
- The hadith on richness of the soul is in Sahih Muslim. It moves the measure of having 'enough' from outward goods to the inner self. H6
References
- H4Sunan Ibn Majah 4141 · ZuhdAuthenticity
- Hasan Al-Albani
- Hasan Muhammad Fouad Abd al-Baqi
- Hasan Zubair Ali Zai
- H6Sahih Muslim 2420 · The Book of ZakatAuthenticity
- Sahih — the whole collection is accepted as authentic (Sahih Muslim)
Expert Opinions
Summary
Expert Opinions argue that Islam answers the modern 'meaning crisis' by grounding human purpose in tawhid (the oneness of God). They also argue that unlimited personal choice brings anxiety rather than fulfilment, and propose fitra (innate moral compass) and the stages of the nafs (ego) as the Islamic alternative. N4N2
Key points
- Expert Opinions present ibadah (worship) as covering all ethical daily action, with humans as khilafah (custodians) of the earth, responsible for justice. N4
- Expert Opinions describe the nafs as moving from a commanding stage, to a self-reproaching stage, to a tranquil stage. N2
References
- N2Freedom vs Slavery · Spirituality & Character
- N4Claim: Islamic Theology Answers the Modern Meaning Crisis · Belief
Hadith Commentaries
Summary
Al-Mubarakfuri explains 'food for the day' as having enough lawful (halal) food for that day. Al-Nawawi defines the praised kind of richness as a soul that is satisfied and not greedy, because someone always chasing more is never truly rich. C4C5C6
Key points
References