What is the purpose of our creation?

The purpose of our creation is to worship Allah in order that we achieve what Allah has created us for. Allah said:

وَمَا خَلَقۡتُ ٱلۡجِنَّ وَٱلۡإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعۡبُدُونِ

“And I (Allah) created not the jinns and mankind except that they should worship me (Alone).” [1]

The question we need to ask ourselves is: Does Allah need our worship? If we think Allah needs our worship, then we do not know Allah. Of course, Allah does not need our worship. Allah said:

ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ

“The Self-Sufficient master, whom All creatures need, [He neither eats nor drinks].” [2]

This is a clear statement that Allah has no need of anything. He is completely independent. All things depend on Him and He depends on nothing. If Allah created us to worship Him as He said, what is the purpose of that worship if He does not need it? This is what we have to ask ourselves. If He does not need our worship, why has he obligated us to do it?

The purpose of worship is to attain Paradise as Allah said:

وَتِلۡكَ ٱلۡجَنَّةُ ٱلَّتِىٓ أُورِثۡتُمُوهَا بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

“This is the Paradise which you have been made to inherit because of your deeds which you used to do [in the life of the world].” [3]

The goal of worship is the attainment of Paradise. It could be expressed as the attainment of the pleasure of Allah but it is one and the same. If Allah is pleased with you, then you have attained Paradise. That is your promise of Paradise. If we live a life which is pleasing to Allah, then we are living lives of the people of Paradise. That is the way we need to live.

References:

[1] Qur’an, 51:56

[2] Qur’an, 112:2

[3] Qur’an, 43:72