Happiness is a mental state of well being characterized by pleasant emotions which are ranging from satisfaction to extreme comfort. As human beings, we desire the inner peace of heart and happiness in our lives. Life is full of ups and downs, but in between, we have a lot of little victories that go unnoticed. Take a moment to celebrate these small wins. Be grateful for what you already have. Allah says:

وَعِبَادُ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الَّذِينَ يَمْشُونَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ هَوْنًا وَإِذَا خَاطَبَهُمُ الْجَاهِلُونَ قَالُوا سَلَامًا

“The servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk upon the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say words of peace.” (Surah Al-Furqan 25:63)

Humans, today, look for happiness and satisfaction in material things. But a matter of fact is such happiness does not last long. If you buy a new house, for example, it will bring you happiness but after a while, even a thing on you which you spent a fortune and that has stayed so close to you, will lose its charm. We need something that will bring lasting peace to our hearts. Allah says:

فَوَقَاهُمُ اللَّهُ شَرَّ ذَٰلِكَ الْيَوْمِ وَلَقَّاهُمْ نَضْرَةً وَسُرُورًا

“But will protect them Allah (from the) evil (of) that Day and will cause them to meet radiance and happiness.” (Surah Al-Insan 76:11)

The Quran is the source of happiness for the Ummah, the basis of knowledge, action, and tranquillity, and the spring of steadfastness at the time of conflicting ideas and changing concepts. It is the fortified dam in facing temptations, allegations, and desires. Allah says:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ

“Verily, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and He forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.” (Surah An-Nahl 16:90)

 Things you can do every day to discover the secrets of being happier:

1. Let Go Of The Need For Specific Outcomes
2. Define Your Own Success And Happiness
3. Be Grateful For What You Already Have
4. Hang out with happy people
5. Find your work-life balance
6. Celebrate little victories
7. Focus on the positive
8. Spend time in nature
9. Accept imperfection
10. Do what you love
11. Cultivate gratitude
12. Live in the moment
13. Practice mindfulness
14. Nothing compares to you
15. Build meaningful relationships
16. Reminisce over happy memories
17. Forgo The Good To Pursue The Best
18. Commit Things That Make You Happy
19. Do Something Every Day That Terrifies You
20. Have Hobbies Directed Toward Your Dreams

Allah has created humans and He knows the needs of our hearts well. It is in the words and remembrance of our Creator that we find satisfaction. Quran is a form of mercy and kindness from Allah Subhana Wa Ta’ala because it cures one of the discomforts of heart and emptiness: Allah says:

وَاذْكُر رَّبَّكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ تَضَرُّعًا وَخِيفَةً وَدُونَ الْجَهْرِ مِنَ الْقَوْلِ بِالْغُدُوِّ وَالْآصَالِ وَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ الْغَافِلِينَ

“Remember your Lord in yourselves with humility and in private without announcing it in the mornings and evenings, and do not be among the heedless.” (Surah Al-A’raf 7:205)

Islam means “Submission to Allah Almighty” with respect. When someone realizes the meaning of Islam means when he/she submitted himself/herself to Allah Almighty then inner peace and happiness can achieve in life. Islam is vital for understanding the relationship between inner peace and happiness. Allah says:

الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ طُوبَىٰ لَهُمْ وَحُسْنُ مَآبٍ

“Those who believed and did righteous deeds, blessedness (is) for them and a beautiful place of return.” (Surah Ar-Ra`d 13:29)

At such a time, all of us need the Quran to strengthen our faith and certainty so that we keep steadfast before such desires and challenges. Each Muslim needs the Quran to reassure him when he feels alienated, soothe him when he is afflicted with a disaster, create hope in him. when he is distressed or suffers from the despair of the Mercy of Allah and warn and frighten him when he is overcome with fancies and lusts.

There are some steps for getting inner peace and real happiness in life:

1. Realize that sadness is not encouraged in Islam. “Be not sad, Allah is with us.” (Quran, 9:40)
2. The solution is always there for us. “O you who believe! Seek help in patience and the Prayer.” (Quran, 2: 153)
3. Show patience during hardship. “Verily with hardship, there is a relief.” (Quran, 94:6)
4. Seek the Pleasure of Allah. “And grieve not over them, and be not distressed because of what they plot.” (Quran, 16:127)
5. Be thankful to Allah. And if you would count the graces of Allah, never could you be able to count them.”  (Quran, 14:34)
6. Forget the past. “So hold that which I have given you and be of the grateful.” (Quran, 7:144)
7. Let go of the future. “He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds.” (Quran, 11:7)
8. Do good to others. “And it may be that you dislike a thing that is good for you.” (Quran, 2:216)
9. Seek knowledge. “And Say My Lord Increase me in knowledge.” (Quran, 20:114)
10. Remember Allah. “So do not become weak (against your enemy), nor be sad.” (Quran, 3:139)
11. Live within the parameters of your day. Tomorrow is yet to be born. “In the morning, do not expect to live until the evening, and in the evening, do not expect to live until the morning.” (Al-Bukhari)
12. If your heart is struggling to rest, find it within Allah’s remembrance. “Is it not with the remembrance of Allah that hearts find rest?” (Al-Quran, 13:28)
13. Your growth is in feedback, even if it’s bitter. Don’t allow it to break you. “A Muslim has six rights towards other Muslims” (one of which was) “when he asks you for advice, you offer him advice.” (Muslim)
14. If you’re loved, you will be trialled. “The enormous reward comes with the enormous trials, and when Allah loves a people, He tests them.” (At-Tirmidhi)
15. Don’t wait for people to offer you thanks. “We feed you for the sake of Allah, we do not want from you any reward of gratitude.” (Al-Quran, 76:9)
16. The majority of what people fear never ends up happening. “That is only Satan who frightens [you] of his supporters..” (Al-Quran, 3:175)
17. Never forget that Allah’s forgiveness is far greater than your sins. “Your Lord is vast in forgiveness..” (Al-Quran, 53:32)
18. If you’re a believer, then it’s always a win-win for you. “How strange is the matter of the believer. Every matter of his ends up being good for him.” (Muslim)
19. Your Rizq/ provisions are not in the hands of people. “And in the heaven is your provision, and that which you are promised.” (Al-Quran, 51:22)
20. Constant productivity is a priceless potion. Free time is your worst enemy. “So when you have finished your duties, devote yourself for worship.” (Al-Quran, Surah 94, Ayah 7)
21. Resentment harms you more than it harms the person you resent. “O Allah [..] draw out malice from my heart.” (At-Tirmidhi)
22. Belief in Allah and the doing of good deeds are the cornerstones of happiness. “Whoever does good whether male or female and he is a believer, We will most certainly make him live a happy life” (Al-Quran, 16:97)

The keys to happiness that Islam introduces are sometimes surprising, but always strictly logical. The first of these keys is contentment. The secret to achieving contentment is to put our trust in God, the Disposer of all affairs, and nurture in ourselves the belief that the All-Merciful God only sends our way what is best for us, and only keeps away that which is harmful to us. Allah says:

وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلَّا هُوَ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

“And if Allah touches you with affliction then no remover of it except Him. And if He touches you with good, then He (is) on everything All-Powerful.” (Surah Al-An`am 6:17)

Islam brings about a complete calmness and peace of mind that is the result of realizing that one believes and acting by the guidance of one’s Creator. This internal peace can then spread to the family, the community, the society and the world as a whole. True and complete peace can only be attained when the individuals themselves achieve internal peace. This results from Islam or the true submission to Allah Almighty alone. Allah says:

فَلَوْلَا إِذْ جَاءَهُم بَأْسُنَا تَضَرَّعُوا

“When Our punishment reached them, why did they not humble themselves?” (Surah Al-Anam 6:43)

We should be thankful to Allah for everything. The more we are thankful to Allah the more Allah will be happy and He will shower His bounties on us. Happy people live in the present. They don’t miss the moments that matter most. They are incredibly grateful for all they have. They focus their lives on the important and essential. They forgo the many good opportunities in order to focus on the few best ones.  Allah says:

لَهُمُ الْبُشْرَىٰ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ لَا تَبْدِيلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ

“For them (are) the glad tidings in the life (of) the world and in the Hereafter. (There can be) no change in the Words of Allah. That is the success the great.” (Surah Yunus 10:64)

Life is full of ups and downs, but in between, we have a lot of little victories that go unnoticed. Take a moment to celebrate these small wins. To find long-term happiness, you need to retrain your brain from a negative mindset to a positive mindset. People are really good at self-sabotage. We consistently behave in ways that contradict our goals and ideals. Allah says:

وَالَّذِينَ اجْتَنَبُوا الطَّاغُوتَ أَن يَعْبُدُوهَا وَأَنَابُوا إِلَى اللَّهِ لَهُمُ الْبُشْرَىٰ فَبَشِّرْ عِبَادِ

“And those who avoid the false gods lest they worship them and turn to Allah, for them (are) glad tidings. So give glad tidings (to) My slaves.” (Surah Az-Zumar 39:17)

Being a Muslim admire the life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) and his companions who are role models for us. We must recite Quran regularly and try to understand the messages it has by either learning Arabic or by reading translations; we will be bestowed with the best of this life and the hereafter, In Shaa Allah.