Living Life With A Clear Purpose

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate

In Surah Al Mulk, Allah reminds us of the purpose of life and tells us what will happen to someone who does not follow the Straight Path.

وَقَالُوا۟ لَوْ كُنَّا نَسْمَعُ أَوْ نَعْقِلُ مَا كُنَّا فِىٓ أَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ ﴿١٠﴾ فَٱعْتَرَفُوا۟ بِذَنۢبِهِمْ فَسُحْقًا لِّأَصْحَـٰبِ ٱلسَّعِيرِ ﴿١١

And they will say, "If only we had been listening or reasoning, we would not be among the companions of the Blaze." (10) And they will admit their sin, so [it is] alienation for the companions of the Blaze. (11) [Quran, Al Mulk 67:10-11]

أَفَمَن يَمْشِى مُكِبًّا عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهِۦٓ أَهْدَىٰٓ أَمَّن يَمْشِى سَوِيًّا عَلَىٰ صِرَ‌ٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿٢٢

Then is one who walks fallen on his face better guided or one who walks erect on a straight path? (22) [Qur'an, Al Mulk 67;22]

Allah chooses the word مُكِبًّا (mukibban) which is a step higher than كبا kabban to describe someone who is forcing himself to keep his face on the ground.

مُكِبًّا عَلَىٰ وَجْهِهِ

mukib already mean upside down on his face

mukibban ala wajhihi, a phrase, means he keep his face down

Imagine human being that is sniffing the ground and looking down and walking.

In the beginning of the Surah, Allah tells us to look on the sky.

ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَـٰوَ‌ٰتٍ طِبَاقًا ۖ مَّا تَرَىٰ فِى خَلْقِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ مِن تَفَـٰوُتٍ ۖ فَٱرْجِعِ ٱلْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَىٰ مِن فُطُورٍ ﴿٣﴾ ثُمَّ ٱرْجِعِ ٱلْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ ٱلْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ ﴿٤

[And] who created seven heavens in layers. You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. So return [your] vision [to the sky]; do you see any breaks? (3) Then return [your] vision twice again. [Your] vision will return to you humbled while it is fatigued. (4) [Quran, Al Mulk 67:3-4]

When you stand up straight you can look up. If you are looking down all the time you see earth.

When a dog is hungry, you see the dog sniffing looking down. You see similar behavior with other animals, looking down. The only time the animals look up is when there is danger. When they don't feel danger, they look down. When all of sudden they hear something, they look up.

There are some human beings who live a life of animals. The only time they truly look up, in the spiritual sense, is when the danger of the hereafter (akhirah) comes, but then Allah won't let them look down. In Surah Yaasin, Allah says, their heads are held back and their eyes are held open.

إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا فِىٓ أَعْنَـٰقِهِمْ أَغْلَـٰلًا فَهِىَ إِلَى ٱلْأَذْقَانِ فَهُم مُّقْمَحُونَ ﴿٨﴾ وَجَعَلْنَا مِنۢ بَيْنِ أَيْدِيهِمْ سَدًّا وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ سَدًّا فَأَغْشَيْنَـٰهُمْ فَهُمْ لَا يُبْصِرُونَ ﴿٩

Indeed, We have put shackles on their necks, and they are to their chins, so they are with heads [kept] aloft. (8) And We have put before them a barrier and behind them a barrier and covered them, so they do not see. (9) [Quran, Yaasin 36:8-9]

In Surah Mulk, Allah talks about a person whose head is down. That means the only aspiration, goals, engagement, or activities that this person has is having to do with dirt, i.e. with this world--pleasure, status, wealth, apetitte. He lives his life facing the earth constantly.

Is this person is more guided as compared with the one who stands up straight, balanced? Someone looking down, they don't even know what danger and what lies ahead. The ones who keep straight, not only they know what lies ahead of them, they have a good picture of what lies ahead. When you are driving, you have a clear view of what lies ahead when the road is straight. If you go on a winding road you don't know what's around the bend. When the road is even and is straigt you can see way down. This is the life of someone who has a clear purpose--they know they are heading somewhere. Someone with head on the ground, they don't know where they are going.

We have to have a clear picture of what we are trying to accomplish, not just goals for the akhirah but also for the dunya--what are we going to do for Islam while we are here.

Surah Mulk is one of the oft recited Surahs and it is recommended to recite this Surah every night before sleep. This will keep a fresh reminder of where we are heading.

هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ ذَلُولًا فَٱمْشُوا۟ فِى مَنَاكِبِهَا وَكُلُوا۟ مِن رِّزْقِهِۦ ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلنُّشُورُ ﴿١٥

It is He who made the earth tame for you - so walk among its slopes and eat of His provision - and to Him is the resurrection. [Quran, Al Mulk 67:15]

May Allah guide us, our loved ones and the ummah on the straight path. Ameen.

Allahumma salli 'ala Muhammad wa 'ala aalihi wa sahbihi wasallam.

And Allah knows best and is Most Wise, and He alone grants success, and to Him is the final return of all.

Wassalaam