In life, most of us are in the constant and never-ending pursuit of happiness. The thing is society and peer groups push you towards the things that don’t always give you true happiness as we find in Islam. We seek happiness in many things. Ask yourself what needs to come into your life in order to make you happy? The real source of happiness is inner peace. Every one of us looks for happiness, searches for peace of mind, even if we have to pay every single dime we have in order to achieve that. 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)
Happiness is Allah’s paradise on earth, which both the disbelievers and the believers look for. The educated and the illiterate, the rich and the poor, the healthy and the sick; everyone strives to find happiness. Absolute trust in God is the root of contentment, and contentment is one of the great keys to happiness. Actively think about each individual thing in your life that you can be grateful for and say Alhamdulilah. Do this daily, in the mornings, after salah or at any point where you start to become unhappy. Allah says:
قالَ الَّذينَ يُريدونَ الحَياةَ الدُّنيا يا لَيتَ لَنا مِثلَ ما أوتِيَ قارونُ إِنَّهُ لَذو حَظٍّ عَظيمٍ
“Those who were desirous of the life of the world said: ‘Ah, would that we had the like of what Qarun (Korah) has been given! Verily, he is the owner of a great fortune.’” (Surat Al-Qasas: 79)
The key to being happy in this world and the next is seeking the pleasure of God, and worshipping Him, without associating partners with Him. In fact, all of the social scientists of the world are going crazy about this like this is a new fad. Let’s create a habit of being conscious of what blessings we have and can be happy about. The key to happiness is knowing and worshipping God.
Islam is for the attainment of happiness. Steps to Happiness in Islam:
- 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 has more to do with the human mind
- Happiness is to personal history and life status
- Happiness is derived from intentional activity
- Happiness is a leading factor to direct the life
- Happiness is practices that we choose to do
- Happier people tend to have good families
- Happiness is due to our circumstances
- Happiness is from discrete actions
- Happiness seek the pleasure of Allah
- Happiness avoid worldly comparisons
- Happiness comes from a genetic set point
- Happiness is the key to satisfying your soul
- Happiness is due to our demographic factors
- Happiness makes friends and treasured family
- Happiness adequate rest and organize your life
- Happiness has more to do with the human heart
- Happiness endure all odds that hinder man’s way
- Happiness is to rejoice every single day of our life
- Happiness make progress toward achieving personal goals
Islam allows us, imperfect humans, to seek happiness in this world. Truly this is the key to happiness. Being grateful for things you already have in your life. We look for happiness everywhere, and we miss the very blessings we have in life right now. If you don’t recognize the blessing you have already you can never be happy. But if you recognize it, you can become happy right now. Allah says:
يَومَ يَأتِ لا تَكَلَّمُ نَفسٌ إِلّا بِإِذنِهِ ۚ فَمِنهُم شَقِيٌّ وَسَعيدٌ
“On the Day when it comes, no person shall speak except by His (Allah’s) Leave. Some among them will be wretched and (others) blessed.” (Surat Hud: 105)
Happiness is a feeling that resides in the heart. It is characterized by peace of mind, tranquillity, a sense of well-being, and a relaxed disposition. Real happiness cannot be seen by the naked eye; it cannot be quantified or measured. Real happiness cannot be contained in vaults or safes; you cannot buy it. Otherwise, we would have spent everything we have in order to attain real, true and endless happiness. Allah says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِن تَتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّكُمْ فُرْقَانًا وَيُكَفِّرْ عَنكُمْ سَيِّئَاتِكُمْ وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ۗ وَاللَّهُ ذُو الْفَضْلِ الْعَظِيمِ
“O you who believe, if you fear Allah, He will grant you a criterion and will remove your sins and forgive you, for Allah is the possessor of great bounty.” (Surah Al-Anfal 8:29)
Real happiness is a feeling that one has in his chest. It is the comfort and tranquillity in our hearts that makes us strong and keeps us firm and steadfast when everything is falling around us. It is the clear conscience that we have when we go to bed at night. Real happiness lies in our conviction in Islam. Allah says:
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 Ali Imran 3:134)
The desire for happiness is a natural desire, and both the Greek and Islamic philosophers agree that happiness is the final end. Happiness is not merely a temporary state of joy and delight; rather it’s is a lifelong process aiming primarily at bringing eternal happiness, peace of mind, tranquillity of heart, contentment in this world and everlasting bliss in the Hereafter. Allah says:
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٌ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الْأَنْهَارُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ الْفَوْزُ الْكَبِيرُ
“Verily, those who had faith and had done righteous deeds will have gardens beneath which rivers flow. That is a great achievement.” (Surah Al-Buruj 85:11)
Happiness is a mental state of well-being characterized by positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. Life is what it is and most of life’s problems are created by us. The problems are events in our lives and no one is denying that. Moving on and finding ways to cope with life can take some effort and time.
Allah Almighty says in The Holy Quran:
- “Truly Allah loves the Muttaqin.“ (Quran, 3:76)
- “Guidance for those conscious of Allah.” (Quran, 2:2)
- “Have taqwa of Allah for you to succeed.” (Quran, 3: 200)
- “Allah has set a measure for all things.” (Surah al-Talaq, 65:2)
- “Then We will save those who have had taqwa.” (Quran, 19:72)
- “Certainly We have created man to be in toil.” (Surah Al-Balad: 90)
- “And whoever fears Allah, He will make for his ease in his matter.” (Quran, 65:4)
- “And in the heaven is your providence and that which you are promised.” (Quran 51:22)
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. Allah says:
الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا
“Wealth and Children are the adornments of life of this world”. (Surah Al-Kahf, 46)
Many people attempt to follow complex paths in order to achieve happiness. However, they fail to see the easier path that is Islam. Happiness can be achieved by sincere worship, competing to do righteous good deeds, and by performing acts of kindness or giving charity, bringing a smile to the face of a child. These things have the potential to make our hearts truly happy. 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)
Therefore, We must fear Allah to the best of our abilities. This life is a stage where we are tested and where we are supposed to work. But it is not going to be easy. We have to work hard in order to make it a bridge to Jannah, with Allah’s Grace and Favor. 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)
If we look at the obstacles in life we can put them under a variety of headings: personal problems, family issues, financial dilemmas, work pressures and spiritual confusion. And there are many issues under these headings. O Allah, make us among those who are happy in this world. Make us happy on this earth. And make us happy when death comes to us and make us happy when we are underneath this earth.
