[Derived from the contents of Javed Ahmed Ghamidi’s works Al-Bayan and Meezan]
The ultimate objective of human life is the Abode of the Hereafter (Dār al-Ākhirah). It is a realm of peace and safety, a dominion of eternal sovereignty. The Noble Qur’an has designated it as Jannah (Paradise), and for it, has employed numerous expressions such as Jannat al-Firdaws, Jannat al-Naʿim, Jannat ʿAdn, and Jannatin tajri min taḥti-hā al-anhār, among others. It is described as the gardens of Paradise, meadows of comfort, and eternal fields of delight. Beneath them flow rivers. There is neither the heat of the sun nor the severity of cold. Within are pure dwellings for residence—an abode of ultimate tranquility. Its comfort is everlasting. The people therein will wear bracelets of gold and necklaces of pearls; they will be adorned with garments of fine silk (sundus) and brocade (istabraq), reclined upon thrones. For their nourishment, there will be various fruits, and whatever they desire will be brought before them. Therein, the servants of God will attain closeness to their Lord, and their Master will Himself serve them cups of pure drink (sharāb tahur). There is, thus, no doubt that this Jannah of God is a land of well-being and safety, a kingdom of rest and serenity, and a dominion marked by rādiyatan mardiyyah—being pleased and pleasing (to God). Compared to it, the life of this world is inferior and of the lowest order, while Paradise is exalted, sublime, and supremely superior.
Esteemed teacher, Javed Ahmed Ghamidi, has written about it.
This is the place of everlasting bliss. In contrast to this worldly life, there is no concept of death with life, pain with pleasure, sorrow with happiness, anxiety with peace, discomfort with comfort, or adversity with blessing in it. Its comfort is eternal, its pleasure is boundless, its days and nights are everlasting, its safety is perpetual, its happiness is immortal, its beauty is eternal, and its perfection is infinite. (Meezan 197)
Humans has been sent to this world to attain this very paradise. Therefore, Allah has guided them to actively strive to achieve it throughout their life. It is stated:
وَسَارِعُوۡۤا اِلٰى مَغۡفِرَةٍ مِّنۡ رَّبِّكُمۡ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرۡضُهَا السَّمٰوٰتُ وَالۡاَرۡضُۙ اُعِدَّتۡ لِلۡمُتَّقِيۡنَۙ.
And run to advance to the forgiveness of your Lord and to Paradise which is as vast as the heavens and the earth, prepared for the righteous. (3:133)
In another place, encouragement is given to excel one another in the endeavor to attain it. It is stated:
سَابِقُوۡۤا اِلٰى مَغۡفِرَةٍ مِّنۡ رَّبِّكُمۡ وَجَنَّةٍ عَرۡضُهَا كَعَرۡضِ السَّمَآءِ وَ الۡاَرۡضِۙ اُعِدَّتۡ لِلَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡا بِاللّٰهِ وَرُسُلِهٖ ذٰلِكَ فَضۡلُ اللّٰهِ يُؤۡتِيۡهِ مَنۡ يَّشَآءُؕ وَاللّٰهُ ذُو الۡفَضۡلِ الۡعَظِيۡمِ
[For this reason,] strive fervently while outdoing one another towards the forgiveness of your Lord and for a Paradise as vast as the heavens and the earth. It has been prepared for those who truly believe in God and His messengers. Such is the grace of God: He bestows it on whomsoever He wills and great is God’s grace. (57:21)
God’s religion has been revealed to guide humanity towards this paradise. His scriptures indicate the paths leading to it, and His prophets endeavor to educate and nurture mankind to attain it. It is stated in the Qur’an that when Allah commanded Adam, Eve, and their descendants to inhabit the earth as a test, He promised to bestow His mercy upon them and provide guidance in the form of religion. Those who value this guidance and adhere to it will be deemed deserving of that paradise, where there will be neither fear nor sorrow.
It is proclaimed:
قُلۡنَا اهۡبِطُوۡا مِنۡهَا جَمِيۡعًاۚ فَاِمَّا يَاۡتِيَنَّكُمۡ مِّنِّىۡ هُدًى فَمَنۡ تَبِعَ هُدَاىَ فَلَا خَوۡفٌ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا هُمۡ يَحۡزَنُوۡنَ.
We said: Get down from here all of you; then if ever comes to you any guidance from Me, follow it because those who follow this guidance of Mine, their reward is Paradise. So, there they shall neither have any fear, nor shall they grieve. (2:38)
In clarification of this passage, the esteemed teacher has written:
It becomes clear from this that the ultimate objective of human beings since eternity is Jannah (Paradise) al-Firdaws. It is for the attainment of this that they have been sent to this world, and thus, the motive behind all their actions is this Paradise. Even if they are not striving for it in the rightful place, they cannot be indifferent to it. All the capabilities of their knowledge and actions are then dedicated to the effort of attaining it in this world. This is ingrained in their nature. Even unwillingly, they live for this ultimate objective and die for it. (Al-Bayaan 1/54)
The method prescribed by Allah to achieve the ideal of Jannat al-Firdaws is the purification of the Self. This means that the gates of the highest paradise will open only for those who strive to purify both their external and internal selves in every aspect.
It is commanded:
وَمَنۡ يَّاۡتِهٖ مُؤۡمِنًا قَدۡ عَمِلَ الصّٰلِحٰتِ فَاُولٰٓٮِٕكَ لَهُمُ الدَّرَجٰتُ الۡعُلٰىۙ جَنّٰتُ عَدۡنٍ تَجۡرِىۡ مِنۡ تَحۡتِهَا الۡاَنۡهٰرُ خٰلِدِيۡنَ فِيۡهَا وَذٰلِكَ جَزَآءُ مَنۡ تَزَكّٰى
Contrary to this, those who come before Him as believers, who have done righteous deeds, then it is such people for whom there are high ranks, orchards of eternal residence beneath which streams flow. They shall live in them forever. And this is the reward of those who adopt purity.(20:75-76)
Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi writes in clarification of this place:
This is the reward for those who purify their outward and inward selves, as well as their beliefs and actions. The implication is that this is not something attained through false hopes, but rather those are deserving who strive to cleanse their souls from all kinds of impurities, whether they are ideological or practical and moral. In this path, the stumbles a person encounters, Allah Almighty has provided measures for their rectification in His book, and the concessions a person requires due to their weaknesses have also been granted to them. (Tadabbur-e-Qur’an 5/69)
In Surah Al-Naziat, this truth has been elucidated in another manner. It is stated that Paradise will be granted to those who restrain their souls from following false desires:
فَاِنَّ الۡجَـنَّةَ هِىَ الۡمَاۡوٰىؕ. وَاَمَّا مَنۡ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهٖ وَ نَهَى النَّفۡسَ عَنِ الۡهَوٰىۙ.
And he who feared the standing before his Lord and restrained his soul from lowly desires, then Paradise only shall be his abode.
(79: 40-41)
This detailed explanation makes it completely clear that the purpose of human life is to attain Paradise. To achieve this, it is essential for a person to purify their soul. The prophets of Allah teach humans the ways by which one can purify their soul. The name given to this method taught by the prophets (peace be upon them) is religion. Therefore, the purpose of religion is the purification of the soul. This means that its function is to inform people about the ways of adopting purity.
The esteemed teacher has written:
The purpose of this religion as stated in the Qur’an is referred to as ‘Tazkiyah’ in Qur’anic terminology. It means that the individual and collective life of a human being should be purified from impurities, allowing their thoughts and actions to develop in the right direction. This concept is mentioned repeatedly in the Qur’an, explaining that a person’s ultimate goal is the Garden of Bliss and the sovereignty of rādiyatan mardiyyah (being pleased and pleasing), and the guarantee of reaching this state of success and salvation is only for those who achieve their purification in this world.
قَدۡ اَفۡلَحَ مَنۡ تَزَكّٰىۙ. وَذَكَرَ اسۡمَ رَبِّهٖ فَصَلّٰى. بَلۡ تُؤۡثِرُوۡنَ الۡحَيٰوةَ الدُّنۡيَا ۖ.وَالۡاٰخِرَةُ خَيۡرٌ وَّ اَبۡقٰىؕ.
However, successful shall be he who spiritually purified [himself] and for this he remembered his Lord’s name, then prayed. People! you do not have any sound argument. In fact, you give preference to worldly life even though the life to come is better and more lasting also. (87:14-17)
Therefore, in religion, purification holds the position of being the ultimate goal and objective. Allah’s Prophet was sent for this very purpose, and the entire religion was revealed to guide humanity in achieving this objective and reaching this ultimate goal. It is stated:
هُوَ الَّذِىۡ بَعَثَ فِى الۡاُمِّيّٖنَ رَسُوۡلًا مِّنۡهُمۡ يَتۡلُوۡا عَلَيۡهِمۡ اٰيٰتِهٖ وَيُزَكِّيۡهِمۡ وَيُعَلِّمُهُمُ الۡكِتٰبَ وَالۡحِكۡمَةَ.
It is He who brought forth among the unlettered a Messenger from among them, who recites to them His revelations and purifies them and for this instructs them in the Law and in Wisdom. (62:2)
(Meezan 80)
Thus, the person who purifies their self, that is, cleanses it from the impurities of thought and action as well as from the defilements of soul and body, is considered a tranquil soul in the sight of Allah. It is this soul that will be granted permission to enter the kingdom of rādiyatan mardiyyah. It will be proclaimed:
He will say: “O you with a contented heart, return to your Lord, such that He is pleased with you and you are pleased with Him. So, enter among My servants, and enter My Paradise.” (89:27-30)
Regarding the words of permission Irji’ee ila rabbi ki rādiyatan mardiyyah, Imam Amin Ahsan Islahi has written:
This is a word of praise and commendation from Allah the Almighty. The address will be directed towards those individuals, stating that well done! In the field of trial where your Lord placed you, your success has been outstanding. Now return to your Lord with this honor, having proven that you remained content and satisfied with your Lord in all kinds of conditions, whether easy or difficult. Along with this honor, you have also attained the distinction of being pleasing in the eyes of your Lord. Just as you never complained at any stage with your Lord, in the same way, your Lord never found you lacking at any stage from His standards. You are pleased with Him and He is pleased with you! (Tadabbur-e-Qur’an 9/362)
It is clear from this that the religion presented by Allah through His Messenger (PBUH) is an invitation to purify both their individual and collective lives.
The foundation of self-purification is the awareness of good and evil, which is an essential part of human existence. Just as humans are naturally endowed with the ability of reproduction, hearing and sight, speech and conversation, understanding and perception, and intellect and wisdom, in the same way, the awareness of good and evil is also instilled within them. This awareness is inspired in their nature. Thus, without any external guidance, a person possesses the complete ability to recognize and distinguish between good and evil. It is akin to a moral sense, by which a person can differentiate between virtuous and vile morals and understand which elements are beneficial for their personality and which are harmful. For this natural awareness and moral sense, the Qur’an has chosen the expression Alhamahā fujūrahā wa taqwāhā (then inspired it with its evil and its good). It has been stated:
وَنَفۡسٍ وَّمَا سَوّٰٮهَا ۙ .فَاَلۡهَمَهَا فُجُوۡرَهَا وَتَقۡوٰٮهَا .قَدۡ اَفۡلَحَ مَنۡ زَكّٰٮهَا .مَنۡ دَسّٰٮهَا.
And the soul and the way it is perfected then inspired it with its evil and its good that the Day of Judgement is certain to come; [hence,] he succeeded who purified his soul and he failed who corrupted it. (91: 7-10)
The esteemed teacher writes in explanation of this position:
Just as Allah Almighty has given eyes to see and ears to hear, in the same way, He has bestowed upon humans a moral sense to distinguish between good and evil. Man is not just a physical and intellectual being; he is also a moral being. This means that the distinction between right and wrong, and the innate sense of good as good and evil as evil, has been inspired in human heart and mind at the time of creation. This same truth is explained in other places with the words Inna Hadainahu as-Sabeel (We have shown him the way of good and evil) and Hadainahu an-Najdain (Have We not shown him the two ways?). This distinction and feeling is a universal reality. Hence, even the worst person, when committing a sin, firstly tries to hide it. When Adam’s son Cain tried to conceal his brother Abel’s corpse after murdering him, it was clearly due to the feeling of guilt. The same is true of virtue. Man loves it, finds feelings of respect and honor for it within himself, and whenever he creates a society for himself, he establishes a system of truth and justice within it. This is clear evidence of the natural distinction of good and evil. There is no doubt that sometimes man concocts excuses for evil, but at the very moment he does so, he knows that these excuses are being fabricated against his nature, because if the same evil is done to him, he unhesitatingly considers it wrong and stands in protest against it. (Al-Bayan 5/465-466)
This awareness of good and evil urges a person towards self-purification. On this basis, one is convinced that virtue and vice are not the same in their essence and their outward and inward realities, and therefore, their consequences cannot be the same either. This distinction demands that their recompense should also be given, and the recompense should not be the same, but rather different from one another. Hence, one realizes that they are not absolute sovereigns or possessors of complete authority but are bound by certain limits and regulations. If they observe these limits, they will achieve success, and if they violate them, they will fail. My esteemed teacher has explained this matter in light of the aforementioned verses of Surah Al-Shams.
He writes:
The second question is, what is the primary motivation that prompts a person towards moral purification? The Qur’an answers this question in these verses by stating that this motivation is the human consciousness that arises from the divine inspiration of good and evil, that the results of both cannot be the same for him. He feels that the awareness of the goodness of good and the wickedness of evil demands from his existence that the outcome of both should appear according to their nature. From this, it becomes clear to him that he is not an uncontrolled camel and that he must inevitably face recompense and punishment for his deeds. The Qur’an describes this as achieving success or facing failure. It is evident from this that a sense of fear and desire arises within a person, which becomes the motivation for purifying his morals despite his natural inclinations. Then, when he embraces faith, this same consciousness becomes related to God. At that point, the Qur’an demands from a person that the true motivation for adhering to good character and avoiding evil conduct should be none other than the love of that God, the desire to attain His pleasure, and the fear of His displeasure—He who is the Knower of the unseen (Ālim al-Ghayb), the Possessor of all secrets (Dānā-i-Rāz), the One fully aware of all hidden matters (Waqif-i-Asrār), and completely informed of every movement of existence and every stir of the heart and glance of the eye. (Meezan 204)