I love the idea that we were born to do something, that we have a purpose. I feel that this is two-fold – creative and spiritual and that both of these can be practical parts of our lives rather than airy-fairy concepts.
On the one hand there is our spiritual purpose – I believe that we are born to obey Allah and that this is for our own benefit and that of our communities:
Let there be among you a community who enjoin good and forbid evil; it is they that shall be successful, [3:104]
When we live by this, we become serene because we are exactly the way we are meant to be. On the other hand there is our creative purpose – our life’s work. As Abraham Maslow said: “A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself.”
Perhaps the art is in reconciling the two; bringing your spirituality into your work. One example of how they can be brought together is by engaging in dawah through your example as an honest worker of good character and through serving others as part of your work with the intention to please Allah.
One of the things that really got me thinking about this was the Omaha Mall shooting in 2005 which saw the loss of eight lives. The shooter, 19-year old Robert Hawkins, killed himself but left behind a three-page suicide note which said: "I've just snapped I can't take this meaningless existence anymore I've been a constant disappointment and that trend would have only continued."
On the one hand there is our spiritual purpose – I believe that we are born to obey Allah and that this is for our own benefit and that of our communities:
Let there be among you a community who enjoin good and forbid evil; it is they that shall be successful, [3:104]
When we live by this, we become serene because we are exactly the way we are meant to be. On the other hand there is our creative purpose – our life’s work. As Abraham Maslow said: “A musician must make music, an artist must paint, a poet must write, if he is to be ultimately at peace with himself.”
Perhaps the art is in reconciling the two; bringing your spirituality into your work. One example of how they can be brought together is by engaging in dawah through your example as an honest worker of good character and through serving others as part of your work with the intention to please Allah.
One of the things that really got me thinking about this was the Omaha Mall shooting in 2005 which saw the loss of eight lives. The shooter, 19-year old Robert Hawkins, killed himself but left behind a three-page suicide note which said: "I've just snapped I can't take this meaningless existence anymore I've been a constant disappointment and that trend would have only continued."
The loss of life and the pain for the victim’s families is horrendous, but the thing which caught my attention was Hawkins despondency about the pointlessness of life. How many others do their day job, raise their families, achieve everything they ever wanted to regarding academia, their careers and materially, but deep down feel the same I wonder?
I believe that faith is an antidote to this despondency, but that this reaches a new depth when we couple our faith with listening to our heart’s song about what we would like to do with our lives. When we let our faith infuse the work that we were born to do, we have a practical framework for our dawah and for living in a way that speaks to our inner, innate purpose – the reason why we are here.
I believe that faith is an antidote to this despondency, but that this reaches a new depth when we couple our faith with listening to our heart’s song about what we would like to do with our lives. When we let our faith infuse the work that we were born to do, we have a practical framework for our dawah and for living in a way that speaks to our inner, innate purpose – the reason why we are here.
What is the Creators purpose for you?
Aslamu alakum sister
ReplyDeletethis very question lead me to my converstion to Islam al hamduillah! This queston is asked by most at one time or another in life , sometimes we are so consumed with this ideology and media in the world we loose track of our fitrah. I was searching for many years for the ''meaning of life'' and 'what was my purpose'' ALHAMDUILLAH after many years of searching my question are answered and all the answers are in the faith subhanAllah tabarak Allah!!!
Assalam-alaikam Sis,
ReplyDeleteAlhamdulillah so many convert sisters I have met have said the same thing to me. I guess it's as Allah says - look around you and think, the signs are there.