Do you know your Purpose in this Dunya? - Vitamin Deen #9
We all seek it, but do we really know what it's about?
Salam loves,
I hope you’re doing swell! Can’t believe we’re officially in 2025, literally as far of 2000 as 2050, isn’t that crazy?
Beside today being the first day of the Gregorian year, it is the first day of Rajab 1446, one of the four sacred months of the Hijri calendar and the start of a very important trimester for us Muslims Alhamdulillah.
I was reflecting upon how to make the most of this time insha’Allah and how these past few months, my purpose in life felt a little blurry at times (probably because of that spiritual burnout I told you about in my last newsletter, but also my turning 30 existential crisis finally kicking in haha).
We often hear the word purpose thrown around—find your purpose, live your purpose, follow your purpose. But what is purpose supposed to actually look like? Is it tied to a specific career, role, or achievement? And what happens when the expectations we carry don’t align with what we truly feel or do?
Let’s unpack all of this.
What Purpose Really Means for Us
When we talk about purpose, it’s tempting to associate it with a specific role or achievement right? I’ve been guilty of that for sure.
We often frame purpose as something tied to a career, a relationship, or a major life milestone: creating a business, becoming a mom, being committed to speak up for a specific cause... And because of that, so many people feel lost, like they’re not where they’re supposed to be or like something is missing.
But Islam offers us a perspective that’s both deeper and more freeing.
Our ultimate purpose as Muslims is clear: to worship Allah and to strive for His pleasure. We know for a fact that this is all about intention and alignment in our actions and if Allah chose you to be Muslim, then your purpose has not much to do with what is commonly described and everything to do with His choice.
You could fulfil this purpose as a teacher, an entrepreneur, or a parent, or even simply by consistently being kind to the people around you, helping your parents out or taking care of your health everyday — at the end of the day, everything’s written so you can be the person you’re supposed to be and find your way to Allah. Plus, the world and its expectations are constantly changing, isn’t it so exhausted to try and answer them when you could just focus on the immutable mission of Muslims? That’s how easy Allah makes it for us to find purpose and earn reward from it Subhan’Allah.
Absolutely everything you do should aim to please Him first and foremost, and although it isn’t always easy to remember that in the realm of this Dunya, it should be more than enough for us and it truly makes life so much softer. This means our worth isn’t tied to worldly metrics, that our purpose isn’t confined to a label but is about who we are at our core and how we approach every aspect of life.
Lesson 1: Purpose is about who we are at our core and how we approach every aspect of life. Allah made it easy for us to find it in the smallest acts and earn reward from it Subhan’Allah.
Balancing Selflessness and Self-Care
I feel like one of the challenges of embracing your purpose is navigating the tension between doing for others and honouring our own needs. Islam beautifully balances these two, but somehow, because of culture, traditions or society’s standards, we can lose track of that.
I won’t teach you anything by telling you that as Muslims, we are encouraged to serve the common good, to be useful to others, and to bring benefit to those around us, but that doesn’t mean Islam calls us to neglect ourselves.
Your purpose really doesn’t have to come at the expense of your health or happiness. You know what they say — you can’t pour from an empty cup. Having goals, protecting your well-being, and setting boundaries doesn’t make you selfish, it makes you healthy, as long as they respect Allah’s commands. Even the Prophet ﷺ, who was the ultimate example of service, took time for himself, to rest, reflect and connect to his imaan. So, why not you?
Lesson 2: Strive to do good, but don’t forget to take care of the body, mind, and soul Allah has entrusted you with. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
By the way, if you enjoy my work and would like to support it, you might consider a €5 monthly subscription (€3.5/month for an annual one). All you have to do is click here to switch 👇🏼
Pray Istikhara Often
If there’s one thing social media has popularised, it’s the idea that Salah Istikhara is exclusively for marriage. But this couldn’t be further from the truth!
Istikhara is one of the most powerful tool we have for seeking clarity and guidance from Allah in all decisions—big or small. Whether you’re choosing a career path, deciding on a move, or even figuring out if you should keep someone in your circle, Istikhara reminds us to center Allah in our decision-making.
The beauty of this prayer is that it allows us to surrender. It’s an acknowledgment that while we may not know what’s best, Allah does. This gives us the confidence to move forward, knowing that He will guide us to what’s good or steer us away from what isn’t and therefore, makes it easier for us to refocus and embrace our purpose.
Lesson 3: Istikhara reminds us to center Allah in our decision-making, and therefore, makes it easier for us to embrace our purpose.
Using Ikigai
So as much as inner spiritual work does wonder to cherish your purpose, we all want to structure our lives, use our time wisely and find something that makes us excited and grateful to wake up in the morning.
I typically advise to be careful with what the personal development sphere encourages to do but I think the Japanese concept of Ikigai can be useful. I find it to be a pragmatic way of identifying where your passion, skills, values, and the needs of the world intersect. Add that to the lessons Islam teaches us and you have the ultimate tool to align your goals with your purpose as a Muslim!
Here’s how you can reflect on your Ikigai:
What do you love? Think about what excites and energizes you.
What are you good at? Reflect on your strengths and skills, even the ones you take for granted.
What does the world need? Consider how you can bring value to others and fulfill a need.
What can you be paid for? While this isn’t the sole focus and isn’t always a necessity for Muslim women, it’s practical to think about sustainability.
By combining this reflective exercise with our values, you can begin to align your day-to-day choices with both your personal fulfillment and your purpose as a Muslim.
Lesson 4: Use the Ikigai to establish your life goals in the light of Islam, think about how your answers can serve your purpose as a Muslim.
Accept and Cherish your Growth
It’s important to remember that while your purpose should always be the same (aka seek Allah’s satisfaction and go to Jannah), your life goals can shift and evolve as you grow, as your circumstances change, and as you learn more about yourself.
Sometimes, they might look like starting a business, being promoted or buying a house. Other times, it might look like supporting a friend, raising your children, or just going through a tough day. Both are valid. Both are valuable, as long as they serve that main purpose.
Ultimately, all you need is to stay connected to Allah, do good for others, take care of yourself and strive for excellence in all that you do while accepting that life is a journey where our paths might be different but our destination is the same.
Lesson 5: Don’t mistake goals for purpose.Your goals should serve that purpose and allow you to grow close to Allah, as they’re the path to our common destination in this journey called life.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this. Have you struggled with embracing you purpose? What has helped you navigate the journey?
Love and du’as,
Assia