A Life with Purpose

With the increasing distractions in life and the growing responsibilities placed on young families, some fathers occasionally ask: What is the purpose? Is caring for one’s family and children really worth all this hardship and toil? Is the goal simply to produce more children for society to suffer the same hardships we endure?

In truth, I have heard this sentiment expressed several times, both directly and indirectly, by some young fathers, as well as by those who have chosen never to marry. Unfortunately, this line of reasoning was not prevalent or widely recognized in the generations that preceded us. However, with the passage of time and the proliferation of diversions and distractions, this question has emerged among a significant number of our youth.

The root cause is the loss of purpose, mission, and meaning. In the past, young people desired marriage either to increase their offspring and take pride in their wealth and progeny, viewing marriage as a central and enduring aspect of life’s natural order—and even one of its pleasures—or simply to draw closer to God through this act, seeking His pleasure.

Today, however, many of these traditional norms have changed, and many former pleasures have evolved or shifted. For some, marriage has become a heavy burden, a major responsibility, or an unprofitable venture, often viewed through a purely material and economic lens.

We might initially excuse these young people, attributing their views to the changing times and the difficulties of raising children in the current environment. Yet we cannot excuse them if they understand the true purpose of marriage: to worship God and to cultivate the earth. Marriage is a sunnah (tradition) within the divine mandate of human stewardship on earth.

As you know, humans were not created in vain, but for a profound purpose. Were it not for this great purpose, God would not have honored humanity with the trust of vicegerency on earth, charged with its cultivation and the fulfillment of servitude to the Creator, exalted be He.

But when humans lose or neglect this great purpose—due to various reasons, or because of life’s pressures and numerous distractions—they may feel that their lives lack meaning. Consequently, some become preoccupied with enjoyment and amusement, even if such activities are permissible, because they contradict the very purpose of their creation and existence.

If a young person were to reflect on the magnitude of this trust—namely, the stewardship on earth—by turning toward what is lawful, seeking chastity and modesty through marriage, and raising righteous offspring whom they nurture with God-consciousness, the difficulties of life would seem trivial. They would realize that marriage is far more than a mere call to reproduce without purpose.

In conclusion, life, understood through the correct lens of faith, has a purpose. By nature, whenever humans sense that there is a grand purpose behind their existence, survival, and procreation, they recognize their own worth and readily endure hardships for the sake of that purpose. Let our goals be sound and pure, so that life’s challenges may seem manageable, and may we thereby come to understand the purpose for which we were created.