The Qur’an approaches purpose through relationship and responsibility. Human beings are not described as accidental or self-sufficient; they live before a Creator and are answerable for how they use freedom, ability and time.
Worship as a whole orientation
Adh-Dhariyat 51:56 connects the creation of human beings and jinn with worship. In the Qur’anic frame, worship includes formal prayer but is not confined to ritual. Honesty, care for others, gratitude, restraint and the pursuit of justice all belong to a life consciously directed toward God.
A life in which choices matter
Al-Mulk 67:2 describes life and death in relation to a test of which people are best in conduct. The emphasis is on the quality of action, not simply its scale or visibility. Purpose therefore appears in ordinary moral decisions as much as in exceptional achievements.
Responsibility in the world
The account of humanity in Al-Baqarah 2:30 uses the language of succession or stewardship on earth. Interpretations of the term vary, but the passage has long informed Muslim reflection on responsibility: human power is entrusted rather than absolute, and its use has moral consequences.
Purpose is not the same as a career
The Qur’an does not reduce purpose to discovering one occupation, talent or public role. Work, family, learning and service can all express purpose, but none alone defines a person’s worth. The broader question is how a life is oriented and what kind of conduct it produces.