In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate
What is the purpose of this life? What are our goals? What should be our goals? How do we carry them out?
In the Qur’an Allah informs us that He only created human beings and spirits (jinn) so that we may worship Him:
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
“And created not I, the jinn and the humans, but that they worship (Me).” (Az-Zariyat 51: 56)
He tells us that we were created for toil and hardship:
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ
“Indeed We have created man (to dwell) amidst hardships.” (Balad 90:4)
He tells us that only those who rise to the challenge and fight our lower inclinations purifies his or her soul become worthy of Allah’s satisfaction manifested in the eternal bless of Paradise:
وَمَنْ أَرَادَ الآخِرَةَ وَسَعَى لَهَا سَعْيَهَا وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَأُولَئِكَ كَانَ سَعْيُهُم مَّشْكُورًا
“And whosoever intends the hereafter and strives for it a (sincere) striving and he is a believer, these, their striving shall be (recompensed fully) appreciated.” (Bani Israel 17:19)
And:
وَالَّذِينَ جَاهَدُوا فِينَا لَنَهْدِيَنَّهُمْ سُبُلَنَا وَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لَمَعَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
“And those who strive hard in Us, certainly will We guide them in Our ways; and verily Allah is (always) with those who do good.” (Al-Ankabut 29:69)
Allah SWT also tells us that these people are the mu’mineen (the believers):
ثُمَّ نُنَجِّي رُسُلَنَا وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ كَذَلِكَ حَقًّا عَلَيْنَا نُنجِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
“Ultimately (when Our wrath fell) We delivered Our apostles and those who believe – even so it is binding on Us (that) We deliver the believers.” (Yunus 10:103)
The mutaqeen (precautious people):
إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ
“Verily Allah loves those who guard themselves (against evil).” (At-Tawbat 9:4)
The saadiqeen (truthful people):
الصَّابِرِينَ وَالصَّادِقِينَ وَالْقَانِتِينَ وَالْمُنفِقِينَ وَالْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ بِالأَسْحَارِ
“The patient and the truthful, and devout (ones), and those who spend (in the way of Allah) and those who seek forgiveness e’re dawn.” (Aali ‘Imran 3:17)
The mutahireen (purifying people):
إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ وَيُحِبُّ الْمُتَطَهِّرِينَ
“Verily, Allah loves those who turn unto Him constantly and loves those who purify themselves.” (Al-Baqarah 2: 222)
The saliheen (righteous people):
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ الرَّحْمَنُ وُدًّا
“Verily those who believe and work righteous deeds the Beneficent (God) will appoint love for them.” (Maryam 19:96)
The muhsineen (doers of good):
إِنَّ اللّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
“For verily, Allah loves the beneficent ones.” (Al-Baqarah 2: 195)
The sabireen (patiently persevering people):
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ اصْبِرُواْ وَصَابِرُواْ وَرَابِطُواْ وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُفْلِحُونَ
“O you who believe! Be patient and vie with in endurance and be ever-garrisoned; and fear (the wrath of) Allah, that ye may be successful.” (Aali ‘Imran 3:200)
The muqsiteen (just ones):
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ
“Verily, Allah loves the just ones.” (Al-Hujurat 49:9)
So how do we become these people, these mu’min? In every title, Allah describes inclusively and comprehensively how one becomes such. Each title in and of itself is a rode leading towards Allah’s satisfaction.
For the saadiqun, truth is imperative. I’m sure we all heard the hadith about the man with 3 grave sins. It goes something like this:
A man came to Prophet Muhammad (s.) and said, “O Prophet of Allah, I have three plaguing sins: drinking, fornicating, and lying. Tell me which one I should give up.”
Rasulullah (s.), with all the wisdom Allah SWT has endowed him with, told the man that if he must give up one sin then give up lying.
The man departed from him. Soon he desired to fornicate, but he paused and thought if the Prophet (s.) asked him about such a sin he could not lie or else he would break his vow. And if he admitted it, he would be punished. So he decided not to go through with it
Soon, though, he was tempted to drink. But he paused again and thought about what would happen if he saw Prophet Muhammad (s.) and the shame he would feel on admitting his sin. So again, he decided he would not do it. So not only did he give up lying but he also gave up fornicating and drinking.
A person who gives up lying must also give up other sins. It’s a natural precursor, for while committing sins a person must constantly lie, but not only to people but to themselves. They have to justify in their mind their actions. So, when a person becomes truthful, not only are they honest in actions, but their actions and words reflect their faith: Hypocrisy and contradiction no longer exist in them. Such a person becomes a Siddiq or a Siddiqah like Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq (a.s.) or Fatimah az-Zahra.
The mutaqun, they are people who guard themselves against evil. They prevent themselves from not only sinning, but keep themselves away from the prerequisites that lead up to sinning. They fear Allah’s wrath and displeasure and seek to come close to Him so they prevent and prevent and prevent themselves from going down that lonely dark path of disbelief.
The salihun and the muhsinun are people of constant good deeds, who try to their utmost to please their Lord in everything they do. They give charity, help the needy, show compassion and kindness, they mediate between two disputing Muslims in hopes to resolve issues and foster love and understanding. They memorize Qur’an and hadiths, and rehears through their actions what they learn. They call people to truth, they serve their parents, they fast, and they keep up their prayers, pray on time, and truly worship during salaat.
The mutahirun strive to release negativity and evils from their being, always looking at themselves, what is in their hearts and minds, what they did, how they did it, what they can do better. They criticize themselves in the hopes to get rid of all filth within them. They ask Allah for forgiveness, constantly turn to Him, and plead for His mercy and compassion. They physically take care of themselves, follow the laws without exception. They are precise, cautious, wanting fervently to do what is right. They are the first to apologize, the first to see their errors; when a verse of warning is read, they look at how it applies to them.
The sabirun are proactive. They live to strengthen themselves and fortify their faith. They know that while they have ease, it is the time to be grateful and to cultivate righteousness. When hardships are placed upon them they are ready, mentally having an understanding of their reality: life is but a test, a struggle, a trial. Allah know what is in you, He knows your capabilities. It is you who must show yourself who you are, use Allah’s gifts to rise amongst the ranks of the faithful. Allah knows you can succeed. He believes in you. You merely have to believe in yourself. So the patiently persevering people hold on to that truth and trust in Allah’s wisdom, that their Lord is not cruel, that He is all goodness, and they strive to come close to that Goodness.
All of these people are mu’min. To be mu’min means to exude these characteristics. Mu’min are truly the fruit of Prophet Muhammad (s.) and Imam ‘Ali’s (a.s.) struggle. Mu’min adorn the A’imma, the Prophets, and Messengers, from Adam to Khataam – may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon them. Mu’min are the soldiers of Imam al-Mahdi’s army, they are the Party of Allah (Hizbullah) and they are the muflihun (the successful ones).
لَا تَجِدُ قَوْمًا يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ يُوَادُّونَ مَنْ حَادَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَلَوْ كَانُوا آبَاءهُمْ أَوْ أَبْنَاءهُمْ أَوْ إِخْوَانَهُمْ أَوْ عَشِيرَتَهُمْ أُوْلَئِكَ كَتَبَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمُ الْإِيمَانَ وَأَيَّدَهُم بِرُوحٍ مِّنْهُ وَيُدْخِلُهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ خَالِدِينَ فِيهَا رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ وَرَضُوا عَنْهُ أُوْلَئِكَ حِزْبُ اللَّهِ أَلَا إِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
“You shall find not a people who believe in Allah and the hereafter befriending those who oppose Allah and His Apostle, be they even their own fathers, or their sons, or their own brothers, or their kinsmen, they are those Allah has inscribed faith in their hearts and has strengthen them with a Spirit from Himself; and He will admit them into gardens ’neath which flow rivers; they shall abide therein, with Allah well pleased with them and they well-pleased with Allah. They are the party of Allah. Be it known, verily the party of Allah alone shall be the successful ones.” (Al-Mujadilah 58:22)
These are the people who gain closeness to Allah. They are determined and resolved, they put their hope in Allah, rely on His promise. It is only these people whose life has purpose, whose life is a sign and example for all of humanity.
Ya Allah Ya Atheem, Ya ‘Aliy Ya Kareem!
Have mercy on us, your humble servants, your sinning servants. We are ashamed of our actions, the actions that fall short of who the Muslimun are. We seek your closeness only. We seek your mercy, your love and your compassion. Without it life is meaningless, purposeless.
