Happiness in Islam.............

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The Meaning of Happiness in Islam

Happiness is a feeling that resides in the heart. It is characterized
by peace of mind, tranquility, a sense of well-being, and a relaxed
disposition. It comes as a result of proper behavior, both inward and
outward, and is inspired by strong faith. This is attested to by the
Qur’ân and Sunnah. Allah says: <blockquote>- Whoever works righteousness as a believer, whether male or female, We will give a good life.

- Then, whoever follows My guidance shall neither go astray nor be
distressed. But whoever turns away from My reminder will have a life of
hardship. </blockquote>
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “True enrichment does not
come through possessing a lot of wealth, but true enrichment is the
enrichment of the soul.”

Happiness is Not Restricted to Material Things

From an Islamic viewpoint, happiness is not restricted to material
prosperity, though material reasons make up some of the elements of
happiness. The material aspect is merely a means, but not the end in
itself. Thus, the focus in attaining happiness is on nonmaterial, more
abstract concerns, like the positive effects of good behavior. Allah
says: <blockquote>- And the cattle, He has created them for you; in them
there is warm clothing and numerous benefits, and from them you eat.
There is beauty in them for you when you bring them home in the evening
and when you lead them to pasture in the morning.

- Say (O
Muhammad): “Who has forbidden the adornment given by Allah that He has
brought forth for his servants, and the good things of sustenance?”
Say: “They are, in the life of this world, for those who believe, and
exclusively for them on the Day of Resurrection.” </blockquote>
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “Among the things that can
bring happiness to the son of Adam are a pious wife, a good home, and a
good means of transport.”

Islam Ensures Eternal Happiness for Humanity

Islam comes with a complete way of life. It provides rules and
procedures to prepare a person for life in both this world and the
next. In this way, Islam ensures a person’s well being in this world as
well as in the life to come. Islam comes to protect the highest needs
of man: life, reason, wealth, lineage, and faith.

Happiness, from an Islamic perspective, occurs on two levels:

1. Worldly happiness: Islamic Law lays down a number of
injunctions and regulations to guarantee man’s happiness during his
worldly life, which is his first life.
At the same time, Islam emphasizes that the life of this world is
nothing more than a means of attaining the Hereafter, which is the true
life that we all must strive to attain. Allah says:
<blockquote>- Whoever works righteousness as a believer, whether male or female, We will give a good life.

- Seek, with what Allah has given you, the abode of the Hereafter, and do not forget your share of this world.

- Little are the enjoyments of the life of this world as compared to the Hereafter. </blockquote>
2. Eternal happiness: This is the true, lasting happiness. This
happiness depends on the righteousness of the individual in his worldly
life. Allah says:

- Those whose lives the angels take while they are in a
pious state, to them the angels will say: ‘Peace be upon you. Enter
Paradise because of that which you used to do.

- For those who do good in this world, there is good, and the abode of
the Hereafter will be better; and excellent indeed will be the abode of
the pious.

Means of Attaining Happiness
1. Faith and good works: Faith brings about happiness in many ways:

A. A person who believes in Allah alone without associating with Him
any partner, with a belief that is pure and free from any defects, will
enjoy a tranquil heart, a peaceful soul, and will not be full of worry
and anxiety over life. He will be pleased with whatever Allah has
ordained for him; thankful for all the good things in his life and
patient with misfortune. The submission of a believer to Allah gives
him the peace of mind that a person needs in order to be industrious
and hard working. This is because he senses that his life has meaning
and a definite purpose that he must strive to achieve. Allah says: <blockquote>Those who believe and do not mix their belief with iniquity, for them there is security and they are the rightly guided. </blockquote>
B. Faith gives a person an ideal to strive for. His life is invested
with a higher meaning that inspires him to work and expend his efforts
in order to realize it. This keeps him away from living a narrow,
selfish life. He instead lives his life for the good of others in the
society in which he lives. A person who lives only for himself finds
his days shortened and his goals constrained. When he, instead, lives
for the ideal that inspires him, his life appears long and beautiful,
beginning with the dawn of humanity and continuing long after he leaves
the Earth. This enhances his perception of the moments, hours, and days
of his life.

C. Faith is not only a means to attain happiness; it is also a means to
ward off the things that prevent happiness. This is because the
believer knows that he is going to be tried and tested throughout his
life and that these trials are opportunities for him to put his faith
into practice. They help the believer to develop inner strength through
the noble qualities of patience and determination, and through trusting
in Allah, seeking His assistance, and fearing Him alone. These
qualities are some of the most effective ways of realizing the
objectives of life, and of bearing life’s trials. Allah says: <blockquote>If you are suffering, then they too are suffering as you are, but you hope from Allah what they do not hope for.</blockquote>
2. High moral standards that inspire one to do good for others:
Man is a social being who needs to interact with beings of his own
kind. It is not possible for him to exist independently of others in
every aspect of his life. Interacting with others is unavoidable, and
people differ greatly in their physical and mental peculiarities. Thus,
it is unavoidable that displeasing things will happen between people
that can cause them sorrow and distress. If a person cannot deal with
these things in an honorable manner, then his interaction with others –
which in and of itself is unavoidable – will be a great source of
distress and misery for his life. For this reason, Islam emphasizes
morality and the development of moral character.

Allah says, describing the Messenger (peace be upon him):
<blockquote>- And verily you (O Muhammad) are of an exalted standard of character.</blockquote>

<blockquote>
- And by the mercy of Allah, you dealt with them gently. And had you
been severe and hard-hearted, they would have dispersed from around
you; so overlook their faults and ask Allah’s for their forgiveness;
and consult them in affairs.</blockquote>
Allah says:
<blockquote>- Help one another in virtue and piety, and do not help one another in sin and transgression. </blockquote>

<blockquote>
- The good deed and the evil deed are not equal. Repel evil with that
which is better, then verily the one between whom and you there was
enmity will become as if he was a close friend. </blockquote>
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “I was only sent to perfect moral character.”

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “The similitude of the
believer in his affection and mercy towards other believers is like
that of one body; if any part of it feels pain, the whole body becomes
feverish and restless.”

3. Remembering Allah often and constantly being aware of His presence:
A person’s satisfaction with another depends on the esteem that he has
for him. Allah is the greatest source of peace for the heart, and the
one whose remembrance can bring joy to the soul. Remembrance of Allah
is the pleasure and comfort of the believer while attaining what
benefits him and avoiding what harms him. For this reason, Islamic Law
prescribes a number of specific remembrances to relate the Muslim back
to his Lord whatever the circumstance, in every place, and at all
times, when hoping for something desired, or fearing something disliked.

These remembrances connect the believer’s conscience with his Creator,
so he sees beyond the cause and effect relationships in the world
around him. Consequently, he does not exaggerate their importance so
much that they can disturb his spirit. He does no exalt the worldly
causes of things beyond their limits, because he realizes that these
causes in and of themselves have no effect, but their effects come only
by the decree of Allah. Allah says: <blockquote>Verily, in the remembrance of Allah hearts find rest. </blockquote>
The Prophet (peace be upon him) commanded the Muslim man to say when
getting married to a woman: “O Allah, I ask of you the goodness within
her and the goodness that you have made her inclined towards, and I
seek refuge with you from the evil within her and the evil that you
have made her inclined towards.”

The Muslim should say when the wind begins to blow fiercely: “O Allah I
ask you for the good of it, the good that it contains, and the good
that it was sent with; and I seek refuge with you from its evil, the
evil within it, and the evil that it was sent with.”

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) spoke of the necessity of taking
proper action to accomplish what one wants to accomplish, seeking the
help of Allah, and not grieving if the results are not the ones that
were hoped for. He said: “Strive for what benefits you and seek the
help of Allah and do not behave as if you are incapable. And do not
say, ‘If only I had done this or that, it would have been this way or
that.’ Instead say, ‘Allah decreed what he decreed and what he wishes
to do he does.’ Otherwise, you open the way for Satan’s handiwork.”

4. Maintaining one’s health: This covers all aspects of health: physical, emotional, mental and spiritual.

Physical health: Man is naturally concerned with preserving his
physical health, this being part of his instinct to survive. It is also
a means of realizing his worldly aims of attaining food, drink,
clothing, and transportation.

Islam is concerned with man’s survival and physical health. It forbids
murder and prohibits consuming things that are hazardous to one’s
health. Allah says: <blockquote>Do not kill a person – whose life Allah has made sacred – except in the dispensation of justice. </blockquote>
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) says: “There shall be no harm nor causing of harm.”

Emotional Health: Many people are heedless of the importance of
emotional health and are equally heedless of the way to take care of
it, in spite of the fact that it a basic pillar of happiness. For this
reason, Islam strives to develop a person’s inner state in the best
manner, purifying it with noble qualities. One of the most important
matters here is the development of a balanced, harmonious, and composed
emotional makeup. The basis for an upright emotional character is,
first and foremost, faith. Thereafter come the other important elements
of an upright emotional character, like possessing a high standard of
morality and avoiding ignoble traits like anger, pride, conceit,
stinginess, worldly ardor, envy, and malice, traits that can only lead
to emotional instability and anxiety.
Allah says: <blockquote>- Do not strain your eyes in longing for the things that
we have given to some groups of them to enjoy, the splendor of the life
of this world, through which we test them. But the provision of your
Lord is better and more lasting.</blockquote>

<blockquote> - O you who believe, let not
one group scoff at another; it may be that the latter are better than
the former. Nor let some women scoff at other women; it may be that the
latter are better than the former. Do not defame one another and do not
call each other by nicknames. How evil is the name of iniquity after
faith. And whoever does not repent, these are indeed transgressors. O
you who believe, avoid much suspicion. Indeed some suspicion is sinful.
And do not spy on or backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat
the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it. And fear Allah.
Verily, Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.</blockquote>
Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “If there are three of you,
do not two of you talk secretly to one another to the exclusion of the
third until you mix with other people, because you may hurt his
feelings.”

</blockquote>

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Mental Health:
The rational mind is the basis for accountability
in Islamic Law. Therefore, the Wise Lawgiver commands that it should be
preserved and protected and prohibits everything that can diminish it
or cause it harm. Alcoholic beverages and drugs are among the worst
things that can cause the loss of mental faculties. For this reason,
Allah has forbidden them, saying:

O you who believe, intoxicants, gambling, idols, and
divination are abominations of Satan’s handiwork. So avoid all of it so
that perhaps you might be successful. Satan wants only to excite enmity
and hatred between you with intoxicants and gambling and hinder you
from the remembrance of Allah and from prayer. So will you not then
abstain?

Spiritual Health: Islamic Law has taken great care to set down
ways to ensure and preserve spiritual health. It encourages the
believer to remember Allah at all times. Likewise it makes a minimum
amount of worship obligatory upon him to ensure that he gets his
spiritual nourishment. This includes the prescribed prayers, fasting,
Zakâh tax, and the Hajj pilgrimage. It then opens for him a wide door
for voluntary worship of every kind. These forms of worship return the
worshipper to his Lord and reaffirm the bond that exist between him and
Allah whenever the deluge of worldly concerns starts to sweep him away.
For this reason, Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) would say: “The
coolness of my eyes is prayer.” He also used to say to Bilâl, the one
who would give the call to prayer: “O Bilâl, let us find relaxation in
prayer.”

Islamic Law prohibits everything that can cause spiritual sickness and
weakness. It prohibits us from following our vain desires, clinging to
baseless beliefs, and devotion to pleasure, because these things blind
the heart and make it heedless of Allah’s remembrance. For this reason,
Allah says, describing the unbelievers in the following way:

Those who disbelieve will enjoy this world and eat as cattle eat, and the Hellfire will be their abode.

One Should Pursue the Material Provisions It has
already been affirmed in what preceded that Islam does not deny the
importance of material causes for realizing happiness, except that
these material things are not a necessary condition for it; they are
merely one of many means that can work together to bring it about. Many
of the sacred texts attest to this fact. Allah says:

Who has forbidden the adornment given by Allah that He has brought forth for his servants, and the good things of sustenance?

Allah’s Messenger (peace be upon him) said: “How good pure wealth is for a pious servant.”

He also said: “Among the things that can bring happiness to the son of
Adam are a pious wife, a good home, and a good means of transport.”