Islam and Peace
The Spiritual Goal of Islam
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THE SPIRITUAL GOAL OF ISLAM
What is the spiritual goal of Islam? That is, what is
that spiritual target which Islam sets before man?
The answer in the words of the Qur’an is: ‘A soul at
rest’ (89:27). Thus the spiritual goal of Islam is to
attain this state of peace in the soul.
According to the Qur’an this is the ultimate stage in
a man’s spiritual development. When he reaches
this stage of progress, he qualifies himself to be
ushered into Paradise, the perfect and eternal world
of the Hereafter. The Qur’an addresses such souls in
these words: ‘O serene soul! Return to your Lord
joyful, and pleasing in His sight. Join My servants
and enter My paradise’ (89:27-30).
In this world man has to lead his life in
circumstances in which he experiences various
kinds of situations: there are times of gain, times of
loss; times of happiness and times of grief.
Sometimes he receives good treatment at the hands
of others, at other times his fate is quite otherwise.
The ideal human being of the Qur’an is one who
undergoes all these experiences without losing his
