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The Islamic Worldview

What is the purpose of all that exists?

Conclusion

From these sources, everything was created with truth and for a real purpose, not as play. Jinn and humans were created to worship Allah alone, and life and death are a test of who does best, which ends in a just reckoning. The rest of creation serves that purpose as signs that lead a thinking person to remember Allah and affirm His oneness.

Reflection & guidance

  1. Meaning

    Al-Jalalayn explains 'not aimlessly' in 23:115 this way: people were created to be tested with commands and prohibitions, then returned to Allah to be repaid. Q3T3

  2. Guidance from the Qur'an

    The wise remember Allah standing, sitting and lying down, and reflect on creation until they say, 'You have not created all this in vain.' Maarif-ul-Quran says the right conclusion of that reflection is to live knowing, obeying and remembering Allah. Q5T5

  3. Guidance from the Sunnah

    The Prophet made worship without shirk (associating partners with Allah) the core of Allah's right over people, and valued dhikr and seeking knowledge above everything else in this world. H1H11

  4. Guidance from the scholars

    Ibn Hajar says Allah's decrees hold wisdoms and hidden benefits, by His will and without any obligation on Him. Where people are not shown the reason, the mind should stop and not object. Al-Tibi links being created for worship with Allah's mercy, which comes before His anger. C4C3

Sources

Qur'an & Tafsir

Summary

The Qur'an says Allah created jinn and humans only to worship Him. He created life and death to test who does best, and made the heavens and the earth with truth, so that every soul is repaid for what it earned. Q1T1Q2Q6

Key points

  • Maarif-ul-Quran explains that Allah commanded everyone to worship and gave them free will. Some use their inborn capacity for worship well and others waste it. T1
  • Life and death are named as the arena of the test: which of you is better in deeds. Q2
  • Creation has a just purpose that ends in recompense, and no one will be wronged. Q6

References

  • Q1Adh-Dhariyat 51:56 · The Winnowing Winds
  • Q2Al-Mulk 67:2 · The Sovereignty
  • Q6Al-Jathiyah 45:22 · The Crouching
  • T1Maarif-ul-Quran on 51:56

Sunnah

Summary

The Prophet taught that Allah's right over His servants is that they worship Him without associating anything with Him. Those who do have a right from Him not to be punished in the Fire. H1

Key points

  • In a hadith graded hasan, the world and what is in it are called cursed, except remembrance of Allah (dhikr), what leads to it, and the scholar and the student. H11

References

  • H1Sahih Muslim 143 · The Book of Faith
    Authenticity
    • Sahih — the whole collection is accepted as authentic (Sahih Muslim)
  • H11Jami At Tirmidhi 2322 · Chapters On Zuhd
    Authenticity
    • Hasan Ahmad Muhammad Shakir
    • Hasan Al-Albani
    • Hasan Bashar Awad Maarouf
    • Isnaad Hasan Zubair Ali Zai

Hadith Commentaries

Summary

Ibn Hajar reports two readings of 'only to worship Me'. In the first, it refers to the people of felicity alone. In the second, it covers everyone, in the sense that all were created fit for worship and charged with it. C5C6

Key points

  • The first reading is al-Farra's, backed by Ibn Qutayba: Allah created only the people of felicity to affirm His oneness. The reason for narrowing the verse is that some people do not worship, so a general reading would set the stated purpose against what actually happens. C5
  • The second reading is that Allah created them to act: some did and some did not. Ibn Hajar traces it to Ibn Abbas (via Ibn Khuzayma) and explains it as readiness, like saying camels are made for ploughing. Here 'creation' means being given duties, not an inborn nature that forces the outcome. C5C6
  • Al-Mubarakfuri quotes al-Tibi: people were created to worship in gratitude for the blessings poured on them. No one can give thanks in full, so Allah's mercy comes before His anger. He rewards the grateful beyond measure and forgives those who fall short when they repent. C3

References

  • C3Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi on Jami' al-Tirmidhi 3543 · al-Mubarakfuri, vol. 9 p. 369
  • C5Fath al-Bari on Sahih al-Bukhari 4852 (part 2 of 4) · Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, vol. 8 p. 597
  • C6Fath al-Bari, introduction 1 (part 303 of 480) · Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani

Expert Opinions

Summary

Expert Opinions argue that tawhid (belief in Allah's oneness) anchors every human pursuit. They say worship covers the whole of ethical life, and that a materialist view leaves purpose a mere accident. N4N2

Key points

  • Expert Opinions present, from Nazir Khan, 'ibadah (worship) as the whole ethical life and khilafa (stewardship) as a duty of justice and building civilisation. Citing Mujahid, they read 'worship' as 'to know', and treat suffering as a trial that shows Allah's attributes. N4
  • Expert Opinions propose belief in God as a basic 'hinge' belief that grounds purpose, morality and reason. They contrast this with materialism, where these are illusion, convention and accident. N2

References

  • N2Axiomatic Morality · Belief
  • N4Soul vs Narcissism · Spirituality & Character
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