My Principles and Purpose in Life
My Principles and Purpose in Life
From childhood until this very day, I have received countless pieces of advice regarding life in this world. The more advice I gathered, the broader my perspective became in interpreting the meaning of existence. I realized I could perhaps live my life by simply mimicking exactly what others said. Alternatively, I could combine the good virtues and advice from different people to create a comprehensive set of life guidelines. However, one thing always weighed on my heart when trying to process this diverse advice: the conflict of purpose. In those moments of confusion, I was always left asking myself the same question: What is my true purpose in life?
I exist in this world because of Allah. I am in constant need of His help and guidance, and I yearned to find the true answer regarding my reason for being. Only Allah, the All-Knowing, can provide that answer. And indeed, He provided it in His own incredibly beautiful and extraordinary way. I prostrated and wept as I realized that throughout everything I have experienced over my 28 years of life, Allah has always woven fragments of the answer into every event I lived through. Finally, I found the answer to my life's purpose. I can write it down here today because I have truly lived it.
I have a deep love for reading. The book I have read most often throughout my life is the Holy Quran. I read it in Arabic, Indonesian, and English. I believe that reading the Quran is not merely about reciting it with a melodious tone. I must also understand its meaning so that I can comprehend Allah's words to all His creation.
It was through this understanding that I felt Allah guiding me to the answer. This life purpose has simultaneously provided me with the principles I live by. When people around me ask what I am actually seeking in this life, this is the answer I give, by the permission and guidance of Allah, the Most High.
Living for Allah
I found verses in the Quran that clarified the purpose behind the creation of all mankind, including myself.
Allah has provided the clearest possible explanation within these verses:
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْاِنْسَ اِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوْنِ - ٥٦
And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.
قُلْ اِنَّ صَلَاتِيْ وَنُسُكِيْ وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِيْ لِلّٰهِ رَبِّ الْعٰلَمِيْنَۙ - ١٦٢
Say, "Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allāh, Lord of the worlds.
I also love reading the collections of Hadith. The more I read, the more I yearn to meet Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). I read the words of the Messenger of Allah regarding life, and I found that the counsel he conveyed is the best advice I have ever received.
Sahih al-Bukhari
Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 6416
In-book reference: Book 81, Hadith 5
Book: To make the Heart Tender (Ar-Riqaq)
Chapter: "Be in this world as if you were a stranger."
Grade: Sahih
حَدَّثَنَا عَلِيُّ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ أَبُو المُنْذِرِ الطُّفَاوِيُّ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ الْأَعْمَشِ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي مُجَاهِدٌ عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا قَالَ أَخَذَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بِمَنْكِبِي فَقَالَ كُنْ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَأَنَّكَ غَرِيبٌ أَوْ عَابِرُ سَبِيلٍ وَكَانَ ابْنُ عُمَرَ يَقُولُ إِذَا أَمْسَيْتَ فَلَا تَنْتَظِرْ الصَّبَاحَ وَإِذَا أَصْبَحْتَ فَلَا تَنْتَظِرْ الْمَسَاءَ وَخُذْ مِنْ صِحَّتِكَ لِمَرَضِكَ وَمِنْ حَيَاتِكَ لِمَوْتِكَ
Narrated Mujahid:
`Abdullah bin `Umar said, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) took hold of my shoulder and said, 'Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a traveler." The sub-narrator added: Ibn `Umar used to say, "If you survive till the evening, do not expect to be alive in the morning, and if you survive till the morning, do not expect to be alive in the evening, and take from your health for your sickness, and (take) from your life for your death."
Allah is Sufficient for Me
اَلَّذِيْنَ قَالَ لَهُمُ النَّاسُ اِنَّ النَّاسَ قَدْ جَمَعُوْا لَكُمْ فَاخْشَوْهُمْ فَزَادَهُمْ اِيْمَانًاۖ وَّقَالُوْا حَسْبُنَا اللّٰهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيْلُ - ١٧٣
Those to whom people [i.e., hypocrites] said, "Indeed, the people have gathered against you, so fear them." But it [merely] increased them in faith, and they said, "Sufficient for us is Allāh, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs."
يٰٓاَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ حَسْبُكَ اللّٰهُ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ ࣖ - ٦٤
O Prophet, sufficient for you is Allāh and for whoever follows you of the believers.
اِلَّا تَنْصُرُوْهُ فَقَدْ نَصَرَهُ اللّٰهُ اِذْ اَخْرَجَهُ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوْا ثَانِيَ اثْنَيْنِ اِذْ هُمَا فِى الْغَارِ اِذْ يَقُوْلُ لِصَاحِبِهٖ لَا تَحْزَنْ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ مَعَنَاۚ فَاَنْزَلَ اللّٰهُ سَكِيْنَتَهٗ عَلَيْهِ وَاَيَّدَهٗ بِجُنُوْدٍ لَّمْ تَرَوْهَا وَجَعَلَ كَلِمَةَ الَّذِيْنَ كَفَرُوا السُّفْلٰىۗ وَكَلِمَةُ اللّٰهِ هِيَ الْعُلْيَاۗ وَاللّٰهُ عَزِيْزٌ حَكِيْمٌ - ٤٠
If you do not aid him [i.e., the Prophet (ﷺ)] - Allāh has already aided him when those who disbelieved had driven him out [of Makkah] as one of two, when they were in the cave and he [i.e., Muḥammad (ﷺ)] said to his companion, "Do not grieve; indeed Allāh is with us." And Allāh sent down His tranquility upon him and supported him with soldiers [i.e., angels] you did not see and made the word of those who disbelieved the lowest, while the word of Allāh - that is the highest. And Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.
وَلَوْ اَنَّهُمْ رَضُوْا مَآ اٰتٰىهُمُ اللّٰهُ وَرَسُوْلُهٗۙ وَقَالُوْا حَسْبُنَا اللّٰهُ سَيُؤْتِيْنَا اللّٰهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهٖ وَرَسُوْلُهٗٓ اِنَّآ اِلَى اللّٰهِ رَاغِبُوْنَ ࣖ - ٥٩
If only they had been satisfied with what Allāh and His Messenger gave them and said, "Sufficient for us is Allāh; Allāh will give us of His bounty, and [so will] His Messenger; indeed, we are desirous toward Allāh," [it would have been better for them].
فَاِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَقُلْ حَسْبِيَ اللّٰهُ لَآ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ ۗ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُ وَهُوَ رَبُّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيْمِ ࣖ - ١٢٩
But if they turn away, [O Muḥammad], say, "Sufficient for me is Allāh; there is no deity except Him. On Him I have relied, and He is the Lord of the Great Throne."
وَلَىِٕنْ سَاَلْتَهُمْ مَّنْ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْاَرْضَ لَيَقُوْلُنَّ اللّٰهُ ۗ قُلْ اَفَرَءَيْتُمْ مَّا تَدْعُوْنَ مِنْ دُوْنِ اللّٰهِ اِنْ اَرَادَنِيَ اللّٰهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلْ هُنَّ كٰشِفٰتُ ضُرِّهٖٓ اَوْ اَرَادَنِيْ بِرَحْمَةٍ هَلْ هُنَّ مُمْسِكٰتُ رَحْمَتِهٖۗ قُلْ حَسْبِيَ اللّٰهُ ۗعَلَيْهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ الْمُتَوَكِّلُوْنَ - ٣٨
And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and the earth?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Say, "Then have you considered what you invoke besides Allāh? If Allāh intended me harm, are they removers of His harm; or if He intended me mercy, are they withholders of His mercy?" Say, "Sufficient for me is Allāh; upon Him [alone] rely the [wise] reliers."
Striving to Be the Best in the Sight of Allah
وَلِكُلٍّ وِّجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيْهَا فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرٰتِۗ اَيْنَ مَا تَكُوْنُوْا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللّٰهُ جَمِيْعًا ۗ اِنَّ اللّٰهَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ - ١٤٨
For each [religious following] is a [prayer] direction toward which it faces. So race to [all that is] good. Wherever you may be, Allāh will bring you forth [for judgement] all together. Indeed, Allāh is over all things competent.
وَاِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلٰۤىِٕكَةِ ِانِّيْ جَاعِلٌ فِى الْاَرْضِ خَلِيْفَةً ۗ قَالُوْٓا اَتَجْعَلُ فِيْهَا مَنْ يُّفْسِدُ فِيْهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاۤءَۚ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ ۗ قَالَ اِنِّيْٓ اَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُوْنَ - ٣٠
And [mention, O Muḥammad], when your Lord said to the angels, "Indeed, I will make upon the earth a successive authority." They said, "Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood, while we exalt You with praise and declare Your perfection?" He [Allāh] said, "Indeed, I know that which you do not know."
Not Becoming Ensnared by Worldly Life
زُيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ حُبُّ الشَّهَوٰتِ مِنَ النِّسَاۤءِ وَالْبَنِيْنَ وَالْقَنَاطِيْرِ الْمُقَنْطَرَةِ مِنَ الذَّهَبِ وَالْفِضَّةِ وَالْخَيْلِ الْمُسَوَّمَةِ وَالْاَنْعَامِ وَالْحَرْثِ ۗ ذٰلِكَ مَتَاعُ الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا ۗوَاللّٰهُ عِنْدَهٗ حُسْنُ الْمَاٰبِ - ١٤
Beautified for people is the love of that which they desire - of women and sons, heaped-up sums of gold and silver, fine branded horses, and cattle and tilled land. That is the enjoyment of worldly life, but Allāh has with Him the best return [i.e., Paradise].
فَاِذَا قَضَيْتُمْ مَّنَاسِكَكُمْ فَاذْكُرُوا اللّٰهَ كَذِكْرِكُمْ اٰبَاۤءَكُمْ اَوْ اَشَدَّ ذِكْرًا ۗ فَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَنْ يَّقُوْلُ رَبَّنَآ اٰتِنَا فِى الدُّنْيَا وَمَا لَهٗ فِى الْاٰخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَاقٍ - ٢٠٠
And when you have completed your rites, remember Allāh like your [previous] remembrance of your fathers or with [much] greater remembrance. And among the people is he who says, "Our Lord, give us in this world," and he will have in the Hereafter no share.
وَمِنْهُمْ مَّنْ يَّقُوْلُ رَبَّنَآ اٰتِنَا فِى الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَّفِى الْاٰخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَّقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ - ٢٠١
But among them is he who says, "Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire."
Sunan Abi Dawud
Reference: Sunan Abi Dawud 4297
In-book reference: Book 39, Hadith 7
English translation: Book 38, Hadith 4284
Book: Battles (Kitab Al-Malahim)
Chapter: Nations Summoning One Another To Attack Muslims
Grade: Sahih (Al-Albani)
حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الدِّمَشْقِيُّ حَدَّثَنَا بِشْرُ بْنُ بَكْرٍ حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ جَابِرٍ حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو عَبْدِ السَّلَامِ عَنْ ثَوْبَانَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يُوشِكُ الْأُمَمُ أَنْ تَدَاعَى عَلَيْكُمْ كَمَا تَدَاعَى الْأَكَلَةُ إِلَى قَصْعَتِهَا فَقَالَ قَائِلٌ وَمِنْ قِلَّةٍ نَحْنُ يَوْمَئِذٍ قَالَ بَلْ أَنْتُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ كَثِيرٌ وَلَكِنَّكُمْ غُثَاءٌ كَغُثَاءِ السَّيْلِ وَلَيَنْزَعَنَّ اللَّهُ مِنْ صُدُورِ عَدُوِّكُمْ الْمَهَابَةَ مِنْكُمْ وَلَيَقْذِفَنَّ اللَّهُ فِي قُلُوبِكُمْ الْوَهْنَ فَقَالَ قَائِلٌ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَمَا الْوَهْنُ قَالَ حُبُّ الدُّنْيَا وَكَرَاهِيَةُ الْمَوْتِ
Narrated Thawban:
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: The people will soon summon one another to attack you as people when eating invite others to share their dish. Someone asked: Will that be because of our small numbers at that time? He replied: No, you will be numerous at that time: but you will be scum and rubbish like that carried down by a torrent, and Allah will take fear of you from the breasts of your enemy and last enervation into your hearts. Someone asked: What is wahn (enervation). Messenger of Allah (ﷺ): He replied: Love of the world and dislike of death.
Knowledge from Allah
فَتَعٰلَى اللّٰهُ الْمَلِكُ الْحَقُّۚ وَلَا تَعْجَلْ بِالْقُرْاٰنِ مِنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ يُّقْضٰٓى اِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهٗ ۖوَقُلْ رَّبِّ زِدْنِيْ عِلْمًا - ١١٤
So high [above all] is Allāh, the Sovereign, the Truth. And, [O Muḥammad], do not hasten with [recitation of] the Qur’ān before its revelation is completed to you, and say, "My Lord, increase me in knowledge."
اَمْ لَكُمْ كِتٰبٌ فِيْهِ تَدْرُسُوْنَۙ - ٣٧
Or do you have a scripture in which you learn
اِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيْهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُوْنَۚ - ٣٨
That indeed for you is whatever you choose?