THE PURPOSE OF LIFE — Answers to Your Questions

It is as though, God is addressing man saying ‘O man, you are in this state because you failed to understand My creation plan. Had you discovered that I have prepared for you an unending reward, instead of giving in to despair, you would have paid your full attention towards making yourself a deserving candidate for this eternal reward.’ Humans are referred to as social beings or thinking beings. A more suitable reference would be to call them, Paradise-seeking beings. As perfection is only in Paradise, we can conclude that all the other living creatures find fulfilment in the pre-death period in their present habitat, but man will find this fulfilment in the post-death period in his eternal abode. The pre-death period of life is like a temporary nursery and the post-death period is like a permanent garden. If he were to discover this fact and engage himself in becoming a deserving candidate for the permanent abode of Paradise, then certainly he would attain peace of mind. When one ponders over creation, one realises that it is perfect in all aspects. It is highly meaningful. The present phase of creation is the first phase of creation, and if the first phase is meaningful, then its second phase—the ending phase—must also be meaningful. It is this aspect of creation that necessitates the belief that, if the beginning is good, then the end must also be good. If man’s creation is in the ‘best mould’, then the final result of this should also be the best. The Quran gives us an explanation to this aspect of creation. According to the Quran, man’s life has two different periods: pre-death and post-death. The pre-death period is the period of preparation and the post-death period is the period for receiving the reward. In short, the pre-death period of life is like a temporary nursery and the post-death period is like a permanent garden. o Great success The necessary price of great success is long-time endeavour.