....IN SEARCH OF MEANING IN LIFE

zubairus

????IN SEARCH OF MEANING IN LIFE.

The quest for the meaning of things and activities is inherent in us. It is in satisfaction of this quest that we sometimes take to superstition when a scientific meaning is not available.

In a person?s life, meaning is the heart-satisfying understanding of a thing or an activity. At heart level, the concern is the benefit a thing or an activity offers. Meaning therefore can be said to be the resultant benefit from a thing or an activity.

Staying alive is first and foremost to any living creature..

For both the conscious and the unconscious creatures, the struggle is to survive and the activities are thus carried out.

At human level, we talk of not just surviving but surviving well.

The survival of plants is limited to their environment and their opportunities of survival thus.

At animals? level, the survival though at the instance of environment, is enhanced by the consciousness.
The prospect of survival of animals is therefore higher compared to the plants.

Coming to us, the humankinds, we have the highest prospect considering the superior brain on which our consciousness is based.

We talk of surviving well when the things required to survive well are readily accessible.

Therefore, the plants and animals just like humankind can be said to be surviving well when all that are needed to survive fine are accessible.

The survival is so vital that every other thing in a person?s life is suspended when it is threatened. Both the conscious and the unconscious activities are thereafter geared towards regaining the survival first.

The situation is the same in the world of plants and animals.

But the question to be answered is this; What is the essence of this said survival? What is the meaning?
For the plants and animals, it is not farfetched. They are surviving for the humankinds. Human beings taken out of the scene, there is no meaning in the life of plants and animals.

But what about a human being? For what purpose is he surviving? What is the central meaning of his existence?

Herein lies a question the answer of which give a sense of purpose and direction in a person?s life.

Actually people are so entangled with the struggle of survival that the aforementioned questioned is not given the due attention.

While the majority of people are struggling to survive, those that have established are struggling to sustain the established level of their survival. For these people, the meaning in life is survival as they do not see life beyond it. But the unanswered question is that for what goal is a human being surviving?
And every person need a heart satisfying answer to this question in order to live a meaningful life. Definitely ,there is more to life.

When a person identify a purpose for which he/she lives, his/her programmes of life are aligned with it.
What is the meaning in life wherein a person strive to be just even against his desires while others are cheating and everything finally just come to an end?
What is the meaning of life wherein a person strive hard to gain fame, to acquire power, to amass wealth only to die one day and leave behind all?
What is the meaning in life wherein a person live as oppressor unrepentant and one day die scot free?
What is the meaning in life wherein a person lived oppressed unaddressed and one day die as the end of his life?
A drama of this kind would not even be accepted by the holly wood as a complete scene.

So, our perception of life devoid of the world beyond wherein there is accountability is meaningless.
Our perception of the world wherein fame, power and wealth solely determine success is delusion.
A holistic perception of life is a combination of this present world and the world beyond where in there is the stewardship of all we are entrusted with in this world and accountability of all our deeds the outcome of which serve as a basis for our eternal bliss or doom.

Yes, we have the material body which must be attended to materially and in this endeavor of life, we need to be comfortable.
But then , there is a goal for which humankind is elevated above the status of plants and animals, and for which the phase of adulthood is meant for in our life. The stage when among others, the sense of right and wrong is activated in us.
The internal sense of right and wrong ? Conscience is activated at adulthood in a person?s life.

The complete selfish human being, on becoming adult is thereafter confronted with the choice between the rational path and the selfish path and they are of equal valences.

The ?reward? of the selfish path is immediate but short lived while that of the rational path is preceded by effort, must be earned, but endures.
Everyone is responsible for his or her choice and we are leaving for our choices.

We, human beings are endowed with the faculty of reasoning so that we could bring facts together rationally to serve as the platform for nulturing our desires but instead we have subjected the said faculty of rasoning to our irrational desires.
What a great favour that we are given the power of will to decide and stand against our desires but again, we have empower our desires with the powere of will.
Indeed we are ungrateful to the merciful lord.
The consequences are the mischievous acts that humankinds have perpetuated and are perpetuating.
We have by our free will destroyed our hearts. What a misfortune.

The challenges of life lies in interactions at human level- human to human.
A human being is a human being and must thus be treated.
A leader by virtue of his portfolio is not more of human than the lead and vice versa.
An employer by virtue of his position is not more of human than the employed.
A man by virtue of his sex is not more of human than the woman.
The? rich? by virtue of his possession is not more of human than the ?poor?.
The white by virtue of his skin is not more of human than the black.
The skilled by virtue of his skill is not more of human than the unskilled. We have endless illustrations .
These are variations which are needed for identification and organization in our life.
No one has the right to lord in whatever form over another. There is only one lord, that is the creator.
He is the one who out of mercy created us the best among His creatures and not only allow us but enable us to put every other things to our use. What a great favour?
As important as labels are in our life, more important is what the heart contains, the choice a person has made.
Call it Christian, muslim,hindu, pagan, name them, the parameter remains the choice and of consequence the life based on the choice.

The entire life of a person when summed up, is either productive to the course of humanity or destructive. It is either a person is contributing to the development of human course or exploiting.
While a person who builds has something to look forward to, the one who destroys obviously has nothing except the immediate gratification of the destruction.
Carefulness and patience among other virtues are needed in building process but not in destruction.

Anyone who, out of his decision, regardless of the name by which he is identified, acknowledge the lordship of the creator and on that basis take to the path of conscience, looking forward to give stewardship of this present life in the world beyond is a righteous person .While the one who is yet to be aware of this reality is in darkness, the one who is aware but denies is a rebel.

The world is a war zone between the the righteous ones and the rebels.
We are living in a single house , earth. While the devils are destroying, the righteous are repairing and the merciful lord is not unaware,
The devils, like the righteous ones claim repairing. While we can deceive others by distorting fact and deceive ourselves by rationalization, the fact remains that everyone is very much aware of the choice he or she has made.

Today we live in a world divided into nations by the rebels and governed by laws which emanated from human selfish desires.
Are we prepared to take to the path of righteousness, the enduring path, resting our hope on the merciful lord, purge of ourselves the selfish desires in us and boldly reject the present rebellious systems or to trade our conscience for the worldly ephemerals?

The choice is ours and again everyone is responsible for his or her choice.

THINK ABOUT IT

Zubairus.
[email protected].

unknownuser

The meaning of life is to keep the balance.

Rich person sees poor person, rich person should make poor man richer.
Intelligent person sees stupid person, intelligent person should share their intelligence.

Both of these work in reverse.

The aim is to dissolve all dualities and differences such that we are united under the sole banner of one ALLAH.

loxbox13

The meaning of life is to keep the balance.

Rich person sees poor person, rich person should make poor man richer.
Intelligent person sees stupid person, intelligent person should share their intelligence.

Both of these work in reverse.

The aim is to dissolve all dualities and differences such that we are united under the sole banner of one ALLAH.

emmm, you spoke in two sentences , the purpose of life, and the conduct mankind is supposed to follow
wise , may our Rabb open more your mind.

Paradox_Uncreated

I think the intent of life, is being. - Going through life, being yourself, acting naturally - experiencing life truthfully.

I believe the Quran states "The porpose is with God", however I can't seem to remember the verse atm.
The Quran also states "God created you to worship him."

And for those who believe in immanence, the purpose is ofcourse selfcontained.

Abdul-Hadi

The meaning of life is to keep the balance.

Rich person sees poor person, rich person should make poor man richer.
Intelligent person sees stupid person, intelligent person should share their intelligence.

Both of these work in reverse.

The aim is to dissolve all dualities and differences such that we are united under the sole banner of one ALLAH.

With respect, not all people are good stewards of money. If the wealth of the earth were to be evenly distributed, it would not stay evenly distributed for long. Good stewards tend to accumulate wealth. People who can't manage money rarely rise to wealth. People should help each other--but there is nothing wrong with the moderate enjoyment of the fruits of one's labor. Should a brain surgeon (with all of the expense and sacrifice of education plus long work hours and stress) earn the same as unskilled labor? Money's purpose is to circulate--and in passing "bless" those it leaves. Rather than redistributing wealth, my opinion is that it is better to foster an environment where people can (financially) succeed through honest work, ability,or talent (or a combination of the above).

We are united under Allah--we all live on earth, we all die, and we are all judged. Allah created duality and difference. Whether the truth is realized (or not) will not affect the truth.

The meaning of life...Abdul-Hadi's take (per ability, no specific order)

Live in a spiritually fulfilling manner
Reproduce
Make the world a better place--build it up, don't tear it down
Enjoy and appreciate the blessings of Allah
Understand as much as possible
Whatever else gives your life meaning to you

peace

~Abdul-Hadi