Life: Purpose and Mission

Muslims believe the purpose of life is to worship, glorify, and obey Allah. For that we use the word of Allah, the Quran, as our primary guide. Our secondary guide, which is a demonstration of living according to the Quran, is the seerah of Muhammad صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم.

Over some time now I have been trying to fulfill my purpose as a human. I am by no means perfect. Actually I am so fallible I despair for my akhirat. I have also been trying to determine what my mission in life is.

I thought long and hard about the difference between purpose and mission. It has not been easy but I think I found a good way to describe it.

Our purpose is defined by Allah. It is an obligation. We cannot modify or deny it.

Our mission is something we choose. It must lead us to fulfilling our purpose. However, it is different for each person. Some people may choose popular missions and some may choose something obscure. Some do not even get to choose and a mission is thrust upon them. Some may never recognize their mission or may even abandon it altogether. Whatever the circumstances or nature of our mission it is significant.

A mission must be something beyond ourselves. It must be about someone or something else. Muhammad Ali Jinnah made it his mission to get independence from the British colonists and carve out a country for the Muslims. Dr. Muhammad Iqbal made it his mission to bring the Muslims of the subcontinent closer to their self i.e. khudi. Imran Khan made it his mission to build a network of hospitals in Pakistan so no family would suffer from cancer the way his family did when his mother fought with it. My khala has a mission to help anyone who needs help.

All these people chose something bigger than themselves. We must do the same.

I have yet to formalize my mission.

Allah has blessed me far beyond what a sinful person could ever hope for. When I look at my life, from childhood to now, I have been ensconced in privilege. What can I give back to Allah beyond words of gratitude? It is not even giving back, instead, a way to assuage the heart. I can give thanks to Allah through acts of service and kindness to His creation. This is the first step in my vague mission: to thank Allah for what He chose to give me and for what he chose to keep away from me.

It is time for you to choose your mission. May Allah guide you.