Epigraph

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ

I created jinn and mankind only to worship Me. (Al Quran 51:56, Surah Zariayat)

The Quranic Perspective on Human Nature and the Purpose of Life: A Multidisciplinary Exploration

Written and presented by Zia H Shah MD

The video above is a scientific perspective examining the evidence through an agnostic or an atheist lens. What will be a theistic or an Islamic view?

The verse quoted above as epigraph is the most specific verse on the purpose of human life. However, this verse should not be taken literally in a myopic view as implying only ritual worship, rather a broader theme of worship in all walks of life or spheres of human interest.

The Surah that has this specific verse on the purpose of life also has several verses that have a few verses establishing a scientific case for theism and the truth of the Glorious Quran. A few prior articles on those verses:

The Quran and the Expanding Universe: Is This God Speaking or Muhammad?

The Quranic Presentation of Cosmology Inspires Awe and True Admiration, When We Recall Aristotle

How Electron and Positron Enhance My Belief in the Quran and God’s Providence?

The Holy Quran and the Pairs in Quantum Physics

Oaths by Natural Phenomena in the Qur’an

Abstract

Human nature and the meaning of human existence have long been debated across theology, philosophy, and science. This thesis examines how the Qur’an — Islam’s sacred scripture — portrays the essence of being human and life’s ultimate purpose, integrating insights from classical and contemporary Quranic exegesis, philosophical reflections, modern science, and psychology. The Qur’an presents human beings as a unique creation composed of both material body and immaterial spirit, born with an innate disposition (fitrah) inclined toward recognizing God. It affirms that the purpose underlying human creation is to worship and know God, cultivating moral excellence and fulfillment. This study synthesizes Quranic theology with philosophical perspectives on existence and selfhood, and correlates them with scientific findings on human cognition, evolution, and the quest for meaning. It also draws on psychological theories of moral development, free will, and well-being to explore how concepts like the soul (nafs), conscience, and suffering are understood in the Quranic worldview. The resulting multidisciplinary analysis reveals a harmonious picture: the Qur’an’s view of human nature and life’s purpose as divinely endowed and purposeful corresponds with the human intellectual and emotional drive to seek meaning, morality, and self-actualization.

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