Allah has bestowed countless blessings upon us. He has endowed us with the gifts of sight and hearing, the intellect, health, wealth and family. He has even subjected everything in the universe for us: the sun, the moon, the heavens and the earth, and many countless things. The greatest and fundamental means of achieving a good life is iman (certain belief) and good deeds. Allah says:
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
“Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and is a true believer, verily to him will We give a life that is good and pure, and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.” (Surah An-Nahl 16:97)
All the blessings will cease to exist when our short worldly life comes to an end. The only blessing that is bound to bring about happiness and tranquillity in this life and eternal bliss in the hereafter is the blessing of being a Muslim, which is undeniably the greatest blessing Allah has ever bestowed upon us. Allah says:
وَإِن تَعُدُّوا نِعْمَةَ اللَّهِ لَا تُحْصُوهَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَغَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
“And if you should count the Favors of Allah, not you could enumerate Indeed, Allah (is) Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Surah An-Nahl, 16:18)
The Islamic faith in itself is the best way of achieving happiness. In the form of Islam Allah has given the right frame of work which a Muslim has to follow to live life peacefully and happily. Muslims who learn Quran find meanings from it, and when they incorporate those meanings in their lives, they achieve happiness, regardless of whatever their idea of happiness is to them.
Allah Almighty says in The Holy Quran:
- “And whoever puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is Allah for him.” (Quran 65:3)
- “If you are grateful, I will certainly give you increase.” (Surat Ibraaheem, 14:7)
- “Today I have perfected your religion for you, completed My blessing upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.” (Surat Al-Maa’idah, 5:3)
- “There is no good in most of their secret conferences except (in) him who exhorts to a deed of charity (in Allah’s Cause), or goodness, or conciliation between people. Whoever does that seeking the pleasure of Allah, We shall bestow on him an immense reward.” (Quran 4:114)
Allah’s blessings are indeed numerous, but the only blessing, as the verse makes it clear, regarding which Allah declares He has bestowed favour upon us is that of guiding us to Islam and to worship Him alone without associating any partners with Him whatsoever. Therefore, to continue benefiting from such immense blessing, we need to express gratefulness to Allah for bestowing such favour upon us. Allah says:
وَلَا تَهِنُوا فِي ابْتِغَاءِ الْقَوْمِ إِن تَكُونُوا تَأْلَمُونَ فَإِنَّهُمْ يَأْلَمُونَ كَمَا تَأْلَمُونَ وَتَرْجُونَ مِنَ اللَّهِ مَا لَا يَرْجُونَ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًا
“And (do) not be weak in pursuit (of) the people. If you are suffering, then indeed, they are (also) suffering like what you are suffering, while you (have) hope from Allah what not they hope. And Allah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” (Surah An-Nisa 4:104)
A happier life starts with positive habits that you practice often. For Muslims, a happier life also revolves around our purpose to please and worship Allah (SWT). Here are some simple habits that you can start to adopt right now to be a happier Muslim.
- Make it a habit to regularly say “أعوذُ بِٱللَّهِ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ”
- Serve others and cultivate good relations
- Ask Allah (SWT) for a happier life!
- Repelling Evil with Good
- Righteous Company
- A smile is a charity
- Avoid comparisons
- Love yourself!
- Be grateful
- Remembering Allah Much
- Spread Kindness And Good
- Forgetting the Unpleasant Things that Have Passed
- Do Not Let Grief and Worry Make Your Short Life Shorter
- Make someone else happy with a simple kind word or gesture
Take Guidance From the Quran: In the Quran, there are instructions for a Muslim. These instructions are not limited to a certain aspect of life, rather the instructions comprise all areas of life whether it is spirituality, social life, political concepts, law, and ethical values. Allah says:
إِنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنكُمْ جَزَاءً وَلَا شُكُورًا
“Only we feed you for (the) Countenance (of) Allah. Not we desire from you any reward and not thanks.” (Surah Al-Insan 76:9)
Thus, when a Muslim believes that Quran is the word of Allah and is also agrees to the fact that whatever he or she does in life will bring happiness to him or her, then following the instructions of Allah is the best shot that a Muslim has at achieving happiness. Allah says:
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ
“Those who believed and find satisfaction their hearts in the remembrance (of) Allah. No doubt, in the remembrance of Allah find satisfaction the hearts.” (Surah Ar-Ra’d 13:28)
Ergo, a Muslim must learn Quran and try to develop an understanding of it and once one understands it, try to implement it in life, which h will lay the foundation for happiness. The achievement of happiness is comparatively an easy thing for a Muslim because in the form of Islam Allah Almighty has given the perfect code of life to a Muslim by practising which a Muslim can achieve happiness in this life and the eternal happiness of the life hereafter. Allah says:
يَمُنُّونَ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ أَسْلَمُوا قُل لَّا تَمُنُّوا عَلَيَّ إِسْلَامَكُم بَلِ اللَّهُ يَمُنُّ عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْ هَدَاكُمْ لِلْإِيمَانِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ
‘‘Do not consider your Islam a favour to me. No indeed! It is Allah who has favoured you by guiding you to the faith if you are telling the truth.” (Surat Al-Hujuraat, 49:17)
Happiness is, if you adopt the instructions of Islam by truly believing in them, then happiness is quite achievable and you as a Muslim will be able to live life happily. Happiness is one of the most crucial and commonly pursued. Every one of us has his or her idea of happiness and we try to achieve and incorporate that notion of happiness in our life to make ourselves feel better. May Allah make us among such believers, with whom Allah is pleased. Ameen.
