The Jigsaw Puzzle of Life: An Islamic Perspective

As an honoured creation,

human beings stand

on the highest pedestal in God's hierarchy of creation.

The moment the soul enters

the developing human body,

man is touched by the spark of life

and endowed with intelligence,

Creativity,

human emotions,

angelic attributes,

some evil inclinations,

and divine attributes

bestowed by God.

Thus, human beings are created

with qualities that enable them

to rise above the ordinary

and fulfil a higher purpose in life.

Yet, human existence

is not free from inner struggle.

Born with mixed emotions,

man is pulled throughout his existence

by two conflicting desires:

to be good

or to be evil.

The triumph of good

elevates him to higher stations

in the sight of God.

But when evil overtakes him,

he becomes a tyrant,

an arrogant transgressor,

unethical and cruel

to his fellow human beings,

and a destroyer of flora and fauna.

Such behaviour is contrary

to the ideal for which man was created

and entrusted with the role

of God's vicegerent-

the one who administers

and preserves the Earth.

Yet, instead of fulfilling this trust,

man often creates chaos,

engages in war and bloodshed,

pollutes the environment,

and causes destruction

to the natural world.

Despite the chaos in the world,

the Islamic way of life

calls humanity towards a philosophy

that regards human life

as meaningful,

All-encompassing,

and filled with compassion

for fellow human beings

and other forms of life

on this planet.

Islam teaches humanity

to live a balanced life,

giving due importance

to both this world

and the Hereafter.

One's time should be shared

between performing religious duties,

taking care of oneself and one's family,

and helping relatives

and others in need.

In this sense,

the good life is not simply

a life of worldly enjoyment,

but a life guided by

Responsibility,

Balance,

Compassion,

and a sense of purpose.

At the heart of this philosophy

lies man's relationship with God.

As a Muslim,

man worships only God

and not any other object in nature.

The God of Islam

is neither born

nor does He have a family.

He is omniscient,

Omnipotent,

and omnipresent.

Allah is His proper name,

and He is known

by His beautiful names and attributes

mentioned in the Qur'an.

In contrast to the pantheist philosophy

that says,

"God is everything,

and everything is God,"

Islam teaches:

"Everything belongs to God."

He is the First

and the Last.

He existed before everything else

was created.

Therefore,

in the pursuit of a good life

in this world,

one should not neglect

his relationship with his Creator.

In the life of a Muslim,

God occupies an important position.

Muslims are taught

to include God

in their equation of success

in all their dealings,

whether mundane or spiritual.

Simply put,

God becomes the central piece

of the jigsaw puzzle of life.

Without God,

life becomes meaningless

and less fulfilling.

The different aspects

of human existence

may appear as separate pieces

of the puzzle.

But it is their relationship with God

that gives them coherence

and meaning.

Ultimately,

the good life in Islam

is all about maintaining

a good relationship with God,

Nature,

and fellow human beings.

A Muslim should live a decent life,

upholding fairness and justice,

while avoiding all inhuman acts

and corruption on God's earth.

In the jigsaw puzzle of life,

God is not merely one piece

among many.

He is the central piece

that gives meaning

to all the other pieces.

Without God,

man would not be able

to fully comprehend

the meaning of his life.

With a proper understanding of God,

man is better prepared

to face all the trials

and tribulations of life.

Rather than being distracted

by the ephemeral things of this world,

man comes to understand

that his life here

is a testing ground

for the Hereafter.

For whatever happens in life,

whether good or bad,

Muslims believe:

"From God we came, and to Him is our eventual return."

(The views expressed are those of Dr. Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak from the Department of Fundamental and Interdisciplinary Studies, AHAS KIRKHS, IIUM, and do not necessarily reflect the views of IslamiCity)