Religious Faith and Existential Pains A Way to Freedom as Viewed by Imam Ali

One of the main functions of religion in our times, and throughout all ages, has been to reduce the toils and worries of the mankind. Existential pains and miseries are among the main concerns of the humankind. They include loneliness, hopelessness, nihilism, and so forth.. After a brief review of the difficult situation of the contemporary man, we consider three main human concerns, namely, failure in achieving,, losing, and boredom. They are followed up by some solutions. This paper seeks to provide an outlook toward Imam Ali way-out to these problems, he is chosen as a model: person who had profound experience in dealing with human existential suffers and pains and the meaning of life. The thesis is that there are troubles, and hardships in the religious mode of life; however, they all become bearable, pleasant and sweet in the light of a spiritual picture of life.