The Pleasure of Allah
If someone asks about the meaning of life, one can give them a very simple answer: "The pursuit of the pleasure of God is the meaning of life!"
Allah informs us in the Qur'an:
Then We caused Our messengers to follow in their footsteps; and We caused Jesus, son of Mary, to follow them, and We gave him the Gospel. And We placed in the hearts of those who followed him compassion and mercy. But monasticism they invented - We did not prescribe it for them - only the seeking of Allah's pleasure; but they did not observe it with due observance.
(Al-Hadid 27)
Is he who founded his building upon piety and the pleasure of Allah better, or he who founded his building on the brink of a crumbling, washed-out bank which tumbles down with him into the fire of Hell? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.
(At-Taubah 109)
Allah calls upon us to seek His pleasure. And He makes clear to us through His Holy Books and His messengers how to attain His pleasure. Not through self-invented things like the aforementioned monasticism, but through remembrance of God and worship in accordance with the revealed law (Shariah) and the example of the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace). Many God-pleasing virtues are mentioned in the Qur'an, e.g., gratitude, goodness, and kindness:
If you are ungrateful, then Allah is independent of all of you. And He does not find pleasure in the disbelief of His servants; but if you are grateful, He finds pleasure in that for you.
There is no good in many of their secret conversations, except those who enjoin charity or goodness or reconciliation between people. And whoever does that seeking Allah's pleasure, We will give them a great reward.
(Az-Zumar 7, An-Nisa 114)
The pursuit of the pleasure of God in accordance with the law, as set forth in the Qur'an, gives humanity guidance:
With this (the Qur'an) Allah guides those who seek His pleasure to the ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness into light by His permission, and guides them to a straight path.
So they returned with bounty from Allah and favor, and no harm touched them. They followed the pleasure of Allah; and Allah is the possessor of great bounty.
(Al-Maidah 16, Ali Imran 174)
Those who seek the pleasure of Allah receive not only guidance from Allah but also His grace. This grace ultimately leads to Paradise:
Allah will say: "This is a day when the truthful will benefit from their truthfulness. For them are gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they shall abide forever. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. That is the great attainment.
(Al-Maidah 119)
The great attainment is therefore not Paradise in itself, but attaining the pleasure of God. But not only does God take pleasure in us, but we also take pleasure in Him. And how could it not be so, since He is our Creator, to whom we owe everything, and who embodies absolute glory and perfect attributes.
When we accept God as our Creator, we also accept our destiny and trust that misfortunes are ultimately good for us. Only our ego is never satisfied and always demands more (of this world):
Know that the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting among you and competition in increase of wealth and children. It is like the example of abundant rain, whose plant growth pleases the farmers; then it withers and you see it turn yellow; then it becomes debris. And in the Hereafter there is severe punishment, but also forgiveness from Allah and pleasure. And the life of this world is nothing but a enjoyment of delusion.
(Al-Hadid 20)
The soul of the disbeliever is like a junkie. It is only satisfied temporarily, namely when its desires are fulfilled. When these pleasures are taken from it, it despairs:
And when affliction touches a person, they call upon their Lord, turning to Him in repentance. But when He bestows a favor upon them from Himself, they forget that for which they previously called upon Him, and they set up partners to Allah, so that they may lead people astray from His way. Say: "Enjoy your disbelief for a little while; indeed, you are among the companions of the Fire."
Is the one who pursued the pleasure of Allah like the one who incurred the wrath of Allah and whose refuge is the Fire? And wretched is the destination!
(Az-Zumar 8, Ali Imran 162)
In contrast, the believer is content with what God has destined for them. Therefore their soul is at peace, in this world and the Hereafter:
O tranquil soul! Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing (to Him). So enter among My servants. And enter My Paradise.
(Al-Fajr 27-30)
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