Positive Motive
One of the positive motives for using commodities and services is to meet one’s material needs that are necessary for continuation of human life. On this basis, God in order to remind people of His blessings states that human beings are provided with whatever they need to continue their living.
The important point is that the holy Qur’an seeks to raise human beings in such a way to enhance his knowledge of the sublime status of human beings so much so that his motive for consumption would not be limited to materialistic needs as well as his physical desires. In other words, from the Qur’anic point of view, all human actions, including eating, drinking and physical desires, must be aimed at fulfilling his individual and social duties for serving God and serving other people in order to attain proximity to God. In this way, all his actions and efforts will be considered as prayers and in addition to their material products they will also bring about rewards in the afterlife. This is the proper motive that has to be gained based on Islamic teachings and promotion of one’s knowledge and insight that reflect the divine aspect of material life and saves human beings from the constraints created by materialistic life and guides human beings towards their praiseworthy status.
This point has been concisely and eloquently advised by the holy Qur’an in a general way:
The (indelible) marking of Allah. And who marks better than Allah! And for him we are worshipers (Al-Baqara, 138) The Prophet (PBUH) of Islam told Abouzar Ghaffari that it is noteworthy to have a divine motive in doing every deed even eating and sleeping.
Translated by: Sadroddin Musawi
Other links: The theoretical foundations of consumption model: Recognizing forbidden and permissible commodities
Desire to use divine blessings in Islamic perspective
