The Qur'an and the Meaning of Life

This article explains the meaning and the purpose of life in relation to minor and major activities of life and, with an emphasis on the meaning of life, takes a short look at the lack of meaningfulness in the West, explaining its meaningful past, causes of abandoning meaningfulness, and the impact of lack of meaning there. The article goes on to suggest four viewpoints for solving this lack of meaningfulness and explains the Qur'an's viewpoint in this respect, regarding its present status as noteworthy in the lives of the Muslim. From this perspective, the entire being – including humans – guide toward God, draw humans toward Him, and convince them to submit to Him just as all the particles of being do. This submission becomes manifested in worship – which has various evidences and stages – and then prevails all man's life, whereupon the spirit of servitude reaches its highest peak in light of ontological belief in after-life. In conclusion, the article deals with the Qur'an's viewpoint concerning the appearance of meaningfulness in life and stresses the belief that zeroing in on the mundane life will lead man down to meanness which in turn will get him into savagery and frustration.