What is life? This question becomes attached to a person the moment they are born, and as they grow, different dimensions of this question begin to unfold before them. In the innocence of childhood, life feels pleasant like a game, carrying us along like a swift-flowing river. When a person steps into adolescence and youth, life greets them with excitement and enthusiasm. The passion to conquer the world surges forth visibly. Then, the advancing age begins to teach a whole different philosophy of life. Life starts to connect with purpose. Questions such as why, what, and how become a part of one’s existence. Experiences, personal stories, cherished memories, bitter truths, and all the highs and lows of life lie before them. Yet the question, What is life?, lingers, silent and unresolved, like a coiled serpent in the depths of our consciousness. Dear readers! Let me ask you this! After living through life and reaching middle age, is it fair to only then ask, what is life? Is that justice to life itself? What is Life? Life is purpose. And what is purpose? Is purpose merely what we spend our days and nights chasing? Wealth, desire for children, the pursuit of a comfortable life? After all, what are we running after? And for how long? The True Purpose and Meaning of Life in Islam In reality, life is the name of the ‘search for the self’. And this is the very purpose for which life exists. Self means self-realization. From Iqbal’s perspective, it is khudi (soul). From a Sufi perspective, it is self-realization. When a person recognizes their self, this recognition transforms into the recognition of Allah. In other words, the journey of life is a journey from knowing the self to knowing Allah (Divine gnosis). There are many stations along this path, but for now, let us mention just two: One is continuous effort, i.e., struggle. The second is determining the direction, center, or focus. Since this discussion began in a philosophical tone, we will take ‘struggle’ and ‘focus’ as the foundation of life and attempt to gather the pearls […]