Why do I feel empty despite material progress?

The feeling of emptiness and void, even amidst peaks of material progress and worldly achievements, is an experience many people face in the contemporary era. From the perspective of the Holy Quran, this feeling is not only normal but a natural consequence of neglecting the primary purpose of creation and the true source of tranquility. The Quran clearly states that material life and everything within it is merely a fleeting and deceptive enjoyment, unable to fill the place of truth and eternal peace for humanity. Allah Almighty has, in numerous verses, emphasized that human hearts find rest only in His remembrance, and the main purpose of creating jinn and mankind is worship and servitude, not merely the accumulation of wealth and worldly pleasures. In Surah Ar-Ra'd, verse 28, the Quran states: "الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ" (Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.) This blessed verse explicitly reveals the truth that true peace and tranquility are not found in wealth and status, nor in professional and social successes, nor in fleeting worldly pleasures. Instead, its root lies in connection with the Creator and His remembrance. When a person becomes heedless of this inexhaustible source of peace and directs all their efforts towards acquiring material possessions, they will, despite seemingly standing at the pinnacle of success, experience an inner feeling of emptiness and a kind of disorientation. This emptiness stems from the incompatibility between the soul's innate need for spirituality and its immersion in materialism. In Surah Adh-Dhariyat, verse 56, Allah specifies the purpose of creating humans and jinn: "وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ" (And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.) This verse indicates that our existential purpose in this world is far beyond acquiring wealth or achieving material statuses. The primary purpose is the worship and servitude of Allah, which gives meaning and direction to life. When an individual deviates from this noble purpose of creation and spends their life competing in the accumulation of wealth and children and worldly adornments, it is natural for them to feel a deep void within themselves, because these things can never replace the main purpose or satisfy the soul. This feeling of emptiness is essentially a warning bell from the human fitra (innate disposition) calling them back to their origin and the remembrance of the Source of existence. In Surah Al-Hadid, verse 20, the Quran clearly describes the nature of worldly life: "اعْلَمُوا أَنَّمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ وَزِينَةٌ وَتَفَاخُرٌ بَيْنَكُمْ وَتَكَاثُرٌ فِي الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ ۖ كَمَثَلِ غَيْثٍ أَعْجَبَ الْكُفَّارَ نَبَاتُهُ ثُمَّ يَهِيجُ فَتَرَاهُ مُصْفَرًّا ثُمَّ يَكُونُ حُطَامًا ۖ وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ عَذَابٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ مِّنَ اللَّهِ وَرِضْوَانٌ ۚ وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ" This verse likens worldly life to play, amusement, adornment, mutual boasting, and increase in wealth and children. It then compares it to rain whose vegetation delights the disbelievers, but then it dries up and turns yellow, becoming debris. This comparison illustrates the instability and transient nature of worldly pleasures. The Quran emphasizes that what we acquire in this world, in terms of wealth and children, are merely transient adornments that cannot be a source of lasting peace and satisfaction. If a person attaches their heart solely to these matters and makes their only goal to increase them, they will ultimately face emptiness and regret. This verse reminds us that worldly life is merely a deceptive enjoyment that makes us forget our main purpose. Finally, Surah Taha, verse 124, gives a serious warning to those who turn away from the remembrance of Allah: "وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَن ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَىٰ" (And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, for him will be a deprived life, and We will gather him on the Day of Resurrection blind.) "Ma'ishatan Dhanka" or a 'straitened/deprived life' here does not only refer to material poverty but to a life full of anxiety, worry, despair, and emptiness, even if materially prosperous. This verse teaches us that the root of the feeling of emptiness and inner pressure is not material deficiencies but distance from Allah and heedlessness of His remembrance. Allah has given humanity a monotheistic nature, and the human soul is quenched by the remembrance of Allah and His worship. Therefore, to fill this inner void and achieve true peace and contentment, it is necessary to strengthen our relationship with the Creator of existence, engage in remembrance and worship, and seek the primary purpose of life in the path of servitude and devotion. Material progress in itself is not bad, but it should not come at the expense of spiritual growth and connection with the Divine Being. It is the balance between the material and spiritual aspects of life that brings lasting happiness and peace to humanity and eliminates the feeling of emptiness.