Obedient Angel
Admin
Join date : 2011-04-30
Posts : 2448
 | Subject: The Purpose of Life and Mubah (Permissible) Acts  Mon Jun 13, 2011 2:18 am | |
| The Purpose of this Life
By Br. Ahmad Ibrahim We know that the One God exists and we know that we are a product of His creation. But we often forget to remember that we were created for a specific purpose. If ten of us try to find out what our purpose is on our own, without considering the Revelation, we might find ten different purposes. However, if we look at the Qur'aan, we will find out that the purpose of our lives is clearly defined.
Allah{SWT} The Most High says, "O Mankind! Worship your Lord Who created you and those before you so that you bay become Al-Muttaqoon (i.e. those who have taqwaa)." Al-Baqarah (2):21
And He said, "And I created not the Jinns and men except that they may worship Me (Alone)." Adh-Dhaariyaat (51):56
Allah{SWT} Ta`aalaa also says in the Qur'aan: "Blessed be He in Whose Hand is the dominion, and He is able to do all things. Who has created death and life, that He may test which of you is best in deed. And He is the All-Mighty, the Oft-Forgiving." Al-Mulk (67):1-2
These verses where revealed to us by Allah{SWT} in order to inform us of why we are here on the Earth, what we should be doing and where we are heading. Not to benefit Himself, or because He needs our worship. Rather, because we are in need of Him.
Allah{SWT} Ta`aalaa says, "O mankind! It is you who stand in need (who are poor) of Allah{SWT}, but Allah{SWT} is Rich (Free of all needs), Worthy of all praise." Faatir (35):15
What is meant by "to test which of you is best in deed"? Al-Fudayl Ibn `Iyyaad said, "The best deed is that which is most devoted and most proper." He was asked, "How should it be most devoted and most proper?", and he responded, "For if the deed was devoted but was not proper it would not be accepted, and if it was proper but was not devoted it would not be accepted; the devoted is to be for Allah{SWT} alone, and the proper is to be in compliance with As-Sunnah."
We were created for this one reason: to worship Allah{SWT} and to strive to be the best in deed. It is not only a matter of how many deeds we do, it is also a matter of quality. Should we take for granted that our deeds are accepted or should we strive to perfect them and make them pure for Allah{SWT}'s sake and in accordance to the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace be upon him)?
Allah{SWT} Ta`aalaa says in the Qur'aan: "Say (O Muhammad{SAW}: "Shall We tell you the greatest losers in respect of (their) deeds? Those whose efforts have been wasted in this life while they thought that they were acquiring good by their deeds?" al-Kahf (18):103-104
And He said, "Verily, Allah{SWT} accepts only from those who are al-Muttaqoon (i.e. those who have taqwaa)." Al-Maa'idah (5):27
A scholar said, "there are those who think that this Universe has founded itself or it came to exist by co-incidence. This necessitates that man "has no goal to fulfill" because he came into being without a defined goal! Consequently, a moral or a value system becomes meaningless. Accordingly, man is just a responding "tool" for "mother nature" which, according to Darwin himself, "acts haphazardly"! This way of thinking is aimlessness, and it occurs when man does not recognize his relation with the One who had created life and death, the Universe, and everything around man, all in due proportion."
We have to remember that Allah{SWT} created death and life so that we may worship Him (i.e. obey Allah{SWT} Ta`aalaa in all which He commands through the tongue of the Messengers, performing all that Allah{SWT} loves and is Pleased with from statements and actions - both inner and outer), and perform that worship in the best manner. That is what our objective should be. Instead of contradicting the purpose of man's existence and acting for the sake of perishable worldly interests, we must fulfill its completion. This worship includes all our acts, our sleep, our studies, our recreation and specific forms of worship defined by the Qur’aan and Sunnah. Our period here is short and being slave to worldly gains results in corruption of our souls, constant difficulty, worry and poverty.
Allah{SWT} has given us choice and has not forced us to do our acts. He says, "Then whosoever wills let him believe, and whosoever wills let him disbelieve." al-Kahf (18):29
Clearly, we have been informed of our purpose and were shown the way to achieve it. The choice is ours.
http://www.islaam.com/Article.aspx?id=124
Al-Mubaah (The Permissible Acts) and Acts of Worship
Shaykh Nathim Sultan
Al-Mubaah (the permissible) acts, such as walking, eating, standing and wearing clothes, should not be considered acts of worship themselves.
This is why the Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam, criticized Abu Israel when he saw him standing in the sun. When he asked why he was standing, they told him, "This is Abu Israel! He made a vow to stand and not sit down, to avoid the shade, to keep silent and to fast." The Prophet said, "Order him to speak, seek the shade, sit down and let him continue his fast (which is the only act of worship Abu Israel vowed to perform)." [Abou Dawood, ibn Majah & others, also al-Bukhari related the Hadith without mentioning standing in the sun]
Ibn Ash-Shaat said, "When one intends to be stronger and able to perform the various acts of worship by performing the Mubaah, such as eating, sleeping and earning money, it (each of these permissible acts) will become an act of worship."
It must be noted here, however, that Al-Ezz ibn Abd As-Salam said that in this case, the Muslim will only gain a reward for the intention and not for the act itself. Ibn Taymiyyah said, "One should only perform the acts of Al-Mubaah that will enable him to perform acts of worship, and should also intend by doing them to be able to perform the acts of worship."
When the Muslim performs Al-Mubaah, he should do so believing that Allah{SWT} has permitted it for him. Allah{SWT} likes that His permissible be made use of, just as He likes that one fulfills His obligations. Also, Allah{SWT} does not accept from one to be difficult with himself, going to the extreme and becoming like monks. What Islam legislates is the middle and the best way to demonstrate and prove one's slavery to Allah{SWT}. One conducts himself according to a complete, yet reasonable set of codes of conduct. The Halal is what Allah{SWT} has made Halal, the Haram is what Allah{SWT} has made Haram and Al-Mubaah is what Allah{SWT} has made Al-Mubaah. Those who treat Al-Mubaah in this manner will gain Allah{SWT}'s reward, Allah{SWT} willing.
When an act of worship is conditionally permitted (Mubaah), like voluntary fasts, then one is not allowed to exhaust or physically harm himself by going to the extreme with regards to this Mubaah. In this case, it is an obligation that one breaks his fast and eat and drink to save himself from harm. If he does not do this, then he may be punished for harming himself. On the other hand, if people abandon and avoid various Mubaahs, such as marriage, commerce, agriculture or industry, they will all be committing a sin. These areas are required in our Muslim Nation | |
|
