Happiness is perhaps the most highly sought after goal in our life. This is the only goal that every one of us strives to achieve throughout life. The goal of happiness, tranquillity, serenity, peace of mind, contentment and freedom from worries and anxiety is what each of us is vicious to achieve. Remembrance of Allah has a wonderful effect of bringing expansion and tranquillity to the heart and removing worry and grief from it. Allah says:
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِّن ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُم بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
“Whoever does righteous deeds whether male or female while he (is) a believer, then surely We will give him l a life good, and We will pay them their reward to (the) best of what they used (to) do.” (Surah An-Nahl 16:97)
True happiness is ultimately aimed to bless the individual with a blissful life in the Hereafter. This is the noble cause that drives a Muslim to strive to become better. Positive thoughts are very powerful. They give you immense inner strength. They can make Michael Jordan out of an ordinary person. You ultimately become what you think of repeatedly. 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)
Belief in Allah helps a believer to attain true happiness. It drives him closer to Allah and makes him turn to Almighty when faced with trials seeking His help to alleviate the problems that he faces. However, what is integral in seeking happiness through knowledge is having the good intention of doing it with sincerity and seeking the pleasure of Allah. Allah says:
يُثَبِّتُ اللَّهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِالْقَوْلِ الثَّابِتِ فِي الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ وَيُضِلُّ اللَّ
“Allah keeps firm those who believe with the firm word in the life (of) the world and in the Hereafter. And Allah lets go astray the wrongdoers. And Allah does what He wills.” (Surah Ibrahim 14:27)
Our worldly lives, even when they are bolstered by faith and good works, are never free from distress and vexations. This world is the abode of tests and trials. Total and perfect happiness is achieved through true devotion in worship to Allah, salvation from Hell, and admission to Paradise in the Hereafter.
Here are some useful ways of leading a Happy Life:
- Happiness is instrumental to get rid of the hardships
- Happiness in living between patience and gratitude
- Happiness is helping people make their life easier
- Happiness endure all odds that hinder man’s way
- Happiness has more to do with the human mind
- Happiness is derived from intentional activity
- Happiness is practices that we choose to do
- Happiness comes from a genetic set point
- Happiness is due to our circumstances
- Happiness is from discrete actions
- Happiness is to control one’s life
- Happiness is inspired by strong faith
- Happiness embodies the peace security
- Happier people tend to have good families
- Happiness is the key to satisfying your soul
- Happiness is due to our demographic factors
- Happiness is to personal history and life status
- Happiness has more to do with the human heart
- Happiness comes as a result of proper behaviour
- Happiness is to rejoice every single day of our life
الَّذِينَ يُنفِقُونَ فِي السَّرَّاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ ۗ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ
“They are those who spend in charity during ease and hardship and who restrain their anger and pardon the people, for Allah loves the doers of good.” (Surah Al Imran 3:134)
A believer ought to look for the things that will draw him nearer to Allah. He commits all his affairs to Allah, throws himself between His hands, and consequently is relieved from all distress and sadness, and as a result, his life becomes good and his heart happy. Allah says:
تِلْكَ الدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ نَجْعَلُهَا لِلَّذِينَ لَا يُرِيدُونَ عُلُوًّا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فَسَادًا وَالْعَاقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
“That the Home (of) the Hereafter We assign it to those who (do) not desire exaltedness in the earth and not corruption. And the good end (is) for the righteous.” (Surah Al-Qasas 28:83)
This “good life” is happiness itself. It is realized through faith and good deeds. This does not mean that we will not face difficulties in a good life. You think success, you will be successful you keep thinking, you will fail then you surely will. So always think about success. Stay Happy. Allah says:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ لَا يَرْجُونَ لِقَاءَنَا وَرَضُوا بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَاطْمَأَنُّوا بِهَا وَالَّذِينَ هُمْ عَنْ آيَاتِنَا غَافِلُونَ
“Indeed, those who (do) not expect the meeting with Us and are pleased with the life (of) the world, and feel satisfied with it and those – they (are) of Our Signs, heedless.” (Surah Yunus 10:7)
Allah Almighty says in the Holy Quran:
- “Be not sad, Allah is with us.” (Quran, 9:40)
- “Allah is All-Hearer, the All-Seer.” (Quran, 19:65)
- “So hold that which I have given you and be of the grateful.” (Quran, 7:144)
- “O you who believe! Seek help in patience and the Prayer.” (Quran, 2: 153)
- “If you are suffering hardships, they too are suffering similar hardships: but you hope from Allah that for which they hope not.” (Al-Quran 4:104)
- “And if you would count the graces of Allah, never could you be able to count them. [Quran, 14:34
- “Without a doubt in the remembrance of Allah do heart finds satisfaction.” (Al-Quran 13:28)
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)
To spend happier life we must follow these teachings:
- Realise that sadness is not encouraged in Islam: Sadness damages the soul and prevents the Muslim from continuing on his path. Muslims should fight sadness and seek refuge in Allah from anxiety and grief. Both of them weaken the heart, causing inactivity and a decrease in willpower
- Remembering Allah Much: Remembrance of Allah has a wonderful effect of bringing expansion and tranquillity to the heart and removing worry and grief from it.
- The bliss of the heart: There is no doubt that the bliss of the heart, its tranquillity and happiness, and the absence of grief and worry from it, is the goal of every individual. It is the means by which a happy, blissful and excellent life is achieved.
- Iman and Righteous Deeds: The greatest and fundamental means of achieving a good life is iman (certain belief) and good deeds.
- Forget the past: The past is gone forever. Today is all that you have. Life is short and passes quickly; don’t make it shorter by worrying.
- Makes the act of doing good: Allah makes the act of doing good and granting it easy for him because of his hope in the goodness with Allah, and He removes from him in pleasant things because of his sincerity and his seeking the reward of Allah.
- The solution is always there for us: When disaster and calamity occur to us, we should call out, Oh Allah! When we cry out for Him our hearts find peace.
- Let go of the future: Leave the future alone until it comes. Don’t be preoccupied with the future as it is unseen.
- Be thankful to Allah: The favours of Allah surround us from above and below, from every direction.
- Think Of Your Soul As Well: The problem with the ideals of happiness that we have at present is primarily based upon material things. We presume that money could bring us happiness, or if we were rich we would have less stress.
- Show patience during hardship: Patience helps us to emerge as stronger human beings, and with patience comes victory. History is witness to great men with difficult backgrounds and yet they were successful because of their belief in Allah and His Supreme Power.
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)
There are different means of attaining happiness, namely religious, natural and practical, but true happiness can only be achieved by combining all of them. Knowledge and faith are the best acquirements for the hearts and souls that raise the believer to an elevated status in this worldly life and the Hereafter. Allah says:
اللَّهُ يَبْسُطُ الرِّزْقَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ وَيَقْدِرُ وَفَرِحُوا بِالْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا فِي الْآخِرَةِ إِلَّا مَتَاعٌ
“Allah extends the provision for whom He wills and restricts. And they rejoice in the life (of) the world and nothing (is) the life of the world in (comparison to) the Hereafter, except an enjoyment.” (Surah Ar-Ra`d 13:26)
The gateway to achieving the happiness and contentment of the heart and its tranquillity and satisfaction is abundant remembrance of Allah. Remembrance of Allah results in bringing expansion and tranquillity to the heart and eliminating worry and grief from it. Allah says:
فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَهُمْ فِي رَوْضَةٍ يُحْبَرُونَ
“Then as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, so they in a Garden will be delighted.” (Surah Ar-Rum 30:15)
A believer who is aware of the bounties and blessings bestowed by Allah upon him and gratefully conscious that his very existence, body, spirit, intellects, and faculties are gifted to him out of generosity, is moved to celebrate his Creator’s praises and be grateful to Him. Such a believer attains satisfaction, blessedness, and inward pleasure, which is beyond description.
