There is a question that finds us all eventually, regardless of culture, education, or belief: Why am I here? It is not merely about career or fulfillment, but about existence itself.
By Dr. Tim Orr
There is a question that finds us all eventually, regardless of culture, education, or belief: Why am I here? It is not merely about career or fulfillment, but about existence itself. To ask it is to probe the foundations of being and to seek harmony between origin and destiny. The ancient Greeks pursued this through philosophy, the Hindus through karma, and the Hebrews through covenant. Today, billions turn to Islam and Christianity—two towering theological systems—for answers. Both affirm that life has a divine origin and eternal consequence, yet they diverge sharply in their vision of God, human identity, and the path to fulfillment. Islam finds purpose in submission to a transcendent, unknowable God (Nasr, 2003), while Christianity locates it in relationship with a God who enters history to redeem (Wright, 2010). What follows is a reflection on how these frameworks shape our understanding of existence and the life we are meant to live.
Islam answers the question with sharp clarity: You are here to submit to the will of Allah. The Qur’an proclaims, "I did not create jinn and mankind except to worship Me" (Qur’an 51:56, Sahih International). That word—worship (‘ibadah)—is not limited to ritual prayer; it encompasses every area of life lived by divine law (Esposito, 2002). In Islamic theology, Allah is utterly transcendent, wholly other, and beyond relational categories. He is not a Father or Redeemer; He is the sovereign Creator whose will is inscrutable and absolute (Watt, 1973). The human being is not created in God’s image, but as His abd—a servant, whose identity is fundamentally one of obedience and submission (Nasr, 2003). Life is a test, and the soul’s purpose is to pass this examination by fulfilling duties and avoiding sin, always hoping but never assured of divine favor (Murata & Chittick, 1994).
This framing of life shapes daily moral decisions in significant ways. Every action must be filtered through the lens of obedience, making even mundane decisions spiritually weighty. For instance, the intention (niyyah) behind a simple act like sharing food or giving to charity can determine its eternal value. This ever-present accountability often leads to a constant self-scrutiny, not unlike a student preparing for an exam with eternal consequences. Spiritually, this cultivates deep discipline and seriousness but can also generate emotional tension and guilt, especially in the absence of assurance. The result is a moral landscape where the believer must continually seek to earn God’s favor without knowing if they have succeeded. This burden is both a spiritual motivator and a psychological weight that marks the Islamic view of purpose. Scales and Uncertainty: The Logic of Moral Probation
Christianity opens the human story differently. It begins not with duty, but with dignity. Genesis 1:27 states that humans are made in the image of God, a status that bestows intrinsic worth and invites relational participation (Middleton, 2005). In Christian theology, God is not a solitary monad but a Trinitarian community of love—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Gunton, 1993). Out of this overflowing love, God creates humanity not merely for servitude but also for fellowship. This contrasts sharply with Islam’s functional ontology, where humans are defined primarily by their role as obedient servants rather than beings intrinsically shaped for communion. In Christianity, personal value is not assigned based on compliance but inherited through divine design and relational intention. The goal is not just to obey, but to commune, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever (Westminster Shorter Catechism, 1647). Our purpose is not merely to function rightly but to be in the right relationship with God, who delights in dwelling among His people (Wright, 2010).
Christianity opens the human story differently. It begins not with duty, but with dignity. Genesis 1:27 states that humans are made in the image of God, a status that bestows intrinsic worth and invites relational participation. In Christian theology, God is not a solitary monad but a Trinitarian community of love—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Out of this overflowing love, God creates humanity not merely for servitude but also for fellowship. Humanity reflects God’s nature, representing His justice, creativity, and compassion. The goal is not just to obey, but to commune, to glorify God and enjoy Him forever (Westminster Shorter Catechism, 1647). Our purpose is not merely to function rightly but to be in the right relationship with God, who delights in dwelling among His people.
But something has gone wrong. Christianity teaches that human beings have rebelled, not just in isolated actions, but in the very posture of the heart. Sin is not only the failure to follow divine commands but the rupture of divine fellowship (Keller, 2008). Like Adam hiding in the garden, humanity hides from God, not out of ignorance, but shame. And yet, the Christian God does not leave us to find our way back. He descends. The incarnation of Jesus Christ is the inbreaking of divine grace into a fractured cosmos—not just to model moral behavior, but to reconcile enemies to God through the cross (2 Corinthians 5:18–19). Thus, human purpose is not salvaged through ethical striving but restored through relational redemption. In Christ, we are not only forgiven—we are adopted (Galatians 4:4–7).
This is where the divergence between the two worldviews becomes stark. Islam views the human-God relationship in juridical terms: God commands, we obey, and the outcome depends on the scale. Christianity views the relationship in familial and covenantal terms: God loves, we rebel, and He pursues us to the point of self-sacrifice. Through union with Christ, believers are not just pardoned criminals but sons and daughters (Galatians 4:4–7). The very ontological status of the believer changes—from servant to heir, from outsider to beloved. Christian obedience flows not from fear of rejection, but from confidence in adoption (Packer, 1973). Worship becomes not a means of gaining approval, but a joyful response to already-secured love. This reorients not only behavior but identity.
Both Islam and Christianity affirm a future life. But what is longed for in that future reveals the soul of each faith. In Islam, paradise (jannah) is described in sensory detail—gardens, rivers, spouses, ease (Qur’an 55). Allah is present, but not the focus. It is the reward of obedience. In Christianity, the greatest hope is not what we receive, but who we are with. Revelation 21:3 declares, "Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man." To illustrate, imagine two banquet halls: in the first, you are seated at a lavish table filled with delicacies, comfort, and music—but the host remains unseen behind a curtain. In the second, the food may be simple, but the host is seated with you, smiling, speaking your name, and sharing the meal. The Christian’s eternal purpose is union with Christ, participation in the divine life, and restoring the beatific vision—seeing God face to face (Reeves, 2012). Heaven is not compensation—it is consummation. It is not merely a place of rest, but of relational fulfillment with the One for whom we were made.
These contrasting purposes do more than shape theology—they shape how people live now. In Islam, life is a perpetual trial, defined by moral striving and a restrained hope for mercy. The weight of performance never fully lifts. In Christianity, life is a pilgrimage of grace, marked by repentance, assurance, and transformation. The believer still struggles with sin, but does so as a beloved child, not a desperate probationer. In one worldview, peace is conditional and deferred; in the other, it is granted and present. In one, identity is always fragile; in the other, it is secure and sealed by the Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).
In Islam, you are here to submit to Allah, obey His laws, and await His judgment. You live as a servant under the possibility of mercy. In Christianity, you are here to be known, loved, redeemed, and sent. You were created for relationship, redeemed by Christ, and destined for glory. You live not as a slave earning wages, but as a son returning to his Father’s house. Only Christianity resolves the tension between justice and love in the person of Jesus, and only Christianity offers a purpose grounded in grace, not performance. The gospel tells you: You are here because God wanted you. And He still does.
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Middleton, J. R. (2005). The liberating image: The Imago Dei in Genesis 1. Brazos Press.
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Nasr, S. H. (2003). The heart of Islam: Enduring values for humanity. HarperOne.
Packer, J. I. (1973). Knowing God. InterVarsity Press.
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Rahman, F. (1980). Major themes of the Qur’an (2nd ed.). University of Chicago Press.
Reeves, M. (2012). Delighting in the Trinity: An introduction to the Christian faith. InterVarsity Press.
Sahih Bukhari. (n.d.). Book 76, Hadith 474.
Watt, W. M. (1973). Islamic philosophy and theology. Edinburgh University Press.
Westminster Shorter Catechism. (1647). The Westminster Confession of Faith.
Wright, N. T. (2010). Simply Christian: Why Christianity makes sense. HarperOne.
Tim serves full-time with Crescent Project as the assistant director of the internship program and area coordinator, where he is also deeply involved in outreach across the UK. A scholar of Islam, Evangelical minister, conference speaker, and interfaith consultant, Tim brings over 30 years of experience in cross-cultural ministry. He holds six academic degrees, including a Doctor of Ministry from Liberty University and a Master’s in Islamic Studies from the Islamic College in London.
In addition to his ministry work, Tim is a research associate with the Congregations and Polarization Project at the Center for the Study of Religion and American Culture at Indiana University Indianapolis. His research interests include Islamic antisemitism, American Evangelicalism, and Islamic feminism. He has spoken at leading universities and mosques throughout the UK—including Oxford University, Imperial College London, and the University of Tehran—and has published widely in peer-reviewed Islamic academic journals. Tim is also the author of four books.