Finding Fulfillment: The Search for The Meaning of Life
One of the questions I often find myself asking repeatedly is, "What is the meaning of life?"
This question especially comes up when
Things are not going the way I'd planned
When I've got a big decision to make, and I feel confused
I'm experiencing some suffering or seeing others experiencing it
I ask, "What is the purpose of all this pain and confusion?" I know I'm going through this experience in life, but is it all meaningless, or is there some meaning to my experience?
I think something inside us is hungry for meaning and purpose. If there's no meaning in life, we feel lost and without direction, not knowing where to turn or what to do next. We struggle to get a sense of fulfilment in my work.
But I feel it's absurd to say life has no meaning. I just have to look around and see that there is so much beauty and wisdom in the world, and they cannot be outcomes of an accident but a reflection of a higher beauty & wisdom.
So instead of saying "there's no meaning in life", it makes more sense for me to explore "what is the meaning of life?"
Now, this is not a new question. It's a question that has been asked and answered throughout history by religious leaders, philosophers and scientists.
So we should have the answer by now, right?
Let's look at some of the answers:
To be an authentic human being
To survive and live as long as possible
To seek pleasure and avoid pain
To seek wisdom and knowledge
To leave the world as a better place than you found it
To end suffering
To reach the highest heaven
To attain union with God
To know oneself
To love God and all of his creations
Some of these are profound, and some resonate more than others. But just reading these answers doesn't satisfy the heart.
The longing for an answer to the question, "What is the meaning of life?" still persists.
Perhaps you may also have had the same experience.
In this post, I'll explore the question "What is the meaning of life?" and also explore why the answers we get are often not satisfying and what we can do to get a more satisfying answer.
Knowing the meaning of life is an essential question each of us has to answer because it'll give us purpose, direction and clarity in our lives.
What is the meaning of "meaning?"
Let's begin by understanding what we mean by "meaning." It's a word we frequently use in conversations.
Understanding the meaning of a form or an action means understanding its true purpose behind the form or action.
When someone gives us a gift, we assign the action meaning by trying to understand the giver's intent. We may say he's given the gift because he wants to express his love. While we cannot physically see the giver's intent, his giving symbolises it.
When we read an article, we don't have direct access to the author's mind, but by reading the symbols of language, we understand what the author meant.
What's important to understand here is that the form of the thing is not the meaning itself. It is a symbolic representation of the meaning.
Okay, so where do we find the meaning if the meaning is not in the form?
Meaning lies in the mind of the creator.
While we cannot see directly into the mind of a creator, we understand what the creator intended through the symbolic signs of the form.
Let me explain with an example.
Let's say you want to email a friend to express appreciation for his work.
You put down words in the email that express your intent.
However, the words of the email are not the meaning of your message; it's a symbolic representation of it.
The words you've typed are the carrier of the meaning, but it's not the meaning itself.
You could have conveyed the appreciation through a call or a face-to-face meeting.
In each of these cases, the carrier of the meaning is changing, but the meaning remains the same.
The meaning of the email is in your mind, while the email is the form which represents what you mean.
From this, we understand that the meaning of the form lies in the mind of the creator of the form.
So what is the meaning of life?
When I say life, I mean all our experiences from birth until we die.
Instead of looking for meaning in the form of life, we need to direct our attention to the one who created life.
Let's call the creator of life - God.
But how do we know God? And how do we understand why God created life?
God is outside this space-time dimension. He is infinite and beyond the comprehension of the mind. It's impossible to understand him directly.
But just like we understand the meaning of any form through its symbolic signs, we can seek to understand God through the symbolic signs of his creation - through life itself.
We shall show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves, until it becomes clear to them that this is the Truth. (Quran 41:53)
The universe is full of signs that reflect the attributes of the creator. We can read these signs when we reflect on them with our hearts and minds.
The beauty in a rose reflects God's Beauty
The vastness of the universe and its galaxies reflects God's Majesty
The harmonious relationships between living beings reflect God's Wisdom
Reflecting on the signs of God is a journey. The more we observe and reflect, the better we can read these signs and they become a guide to understanding God.
And this is something that takes time to happen.
Understanding God is a journey. Therefore understanding the meaning of life is also a journey.
Some of us are just starting, while some have deeply invested in the knowledge of God.
So it makes sense that there will be different answers to the "meaning of life" as each of us is at a different stage in this journey.
But what's clear is that if we want a satisfying answer to the meaning of life, we cannot completely rely on other people's answers. Knowing God is not a mental concept; it's the knowledge that comes through reflection and experience.
We must answer this question for ourselves by taking this journey of knowing God.
And the more we progress on this journey, the more satisfying answers we'll receive. And when we live more meaningful lives:
We can face our challenges with more courage
Our failures will transform into valuable lessons
We have clarity in our priorities, and decision-making becomes easier
May we all be guided in finding the meaning of life!
