THE WAY TO HAPPINESS
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
INTRODUCTION
To my surprise, he returned from the rich dinner very unhappy. I
wanted to know the reason. He explained to me: If only you had seen the luxury
they are living in a splendid villa, rich food, luxurious furniture, servants
and a fleet of cars! It makes me feel extremely miserable".
"But, is he enjoying his life?" I asked, "Is he
really happy?"
"As far as I know", he replied a little pacified,"
he is not enjoying the luxuries of his life. He wishes he could eat ordinary
food, even bread, even though he loses all his wealth."
"So you are much richer and happier than he is", I said.
"Your health is a greater wealth than those luxuries which have made you
so depressed. Wealth alone does not give happiness. You will not sell one
finger or eye of yours or your appetite for all his riches or cam!"
I saw the tears of satisfaction and gratefulness shine in his eyes.
"Thank Allah! Thank Allah!" He said.
Bismark, the man of iron and blood, genius of war and peace, could
not give up smoking for one moment; he used to light one cigarette from another
all the day. Without smoking, he was not able to think, plan or take
appropriate action. Once, while in war, he found only one cigarette in his
pocket, so he put off smoking it to the time hardship. He waited for a full
week without smoking, entertaining the hope of using this cigarette in time. He
realized that he was able to do without smoking all this time. He decided to
stop smoking for good because he did not want his happiness to be dependent on
a single cigarette.
Imagine a man whose body was exhausted with illness, and that
suddenly he noticed a snake crawling towards him and at once jumped out of his
bed as if he were full of health and vigour... or a man who returned home
exhausted with hunger and looking only for a chair to rest on when he received
a call from a dear person saying he was coming, or an urgent letter from the
Minister calling him with the news of promotion, he would feel lighthearted and
full up and would hurry up to the station in the former or to the Minister’s
office in the latter.
Such powers are the source of happiness!
Dear readers! You are rich, but you do not realize how wealthy you are. Some may
suffer from headache, toothache or colic, which makes them feel that life is
dark. Why did they not see the bright side of life when they were healthy? If
someone goes on a diet, he will long for a mouthful of bread or meat and envy those
who enjoy various foods. ‘Why did he not value the pleasures of food before his
illness? Why does man recognize the value of boons and bounties only when he
loses them? Why does an old man lament the passing of his youth, while the
young man fails to smile at his youth?
Why are we aware of happiness only when it is far from us?
Almost everybody is lamenting and yearning to his past! Why not
think about the present before it becomes part of the past?
We may think that richness can be attained by possession of money
alone. What can money alone give to man? You may have heard of the sick king
who was brought the most delicious meals, but he was unable to eat any of them.
Once, he was looking through a window of his palace, when his eyes caught a
farmer eating brown bread with black olives: pushing one mouthful into his
mouth, taking a second in his hand, and setting his eyes on a third. The king
wished he had been a farmer and enjoyed such an appetite.
Why don’t you recognize the value of health? Is there no value for
health? Who would agree to give up his sight for a hundred thousand dollars, or
part of his nose for the riches of a millionaire? Gold and money cannot give
life and happiness to every man. Rothschild entered his large safe, and while
he was inside, its door banged and he died in a sea of gold. Why are we seeking
gold anxiously though we possess ample gold? Isn’t sight as precious as gold?
And health and time... and the human mind, too all these are treasures. Why
don’t we make the best of our time Why don’t we recognize the value of life?
Why don’t we make the best use of our minds? Health, time and mind are an
invaluable wealth that may lead man to happiness if he takes the right way.
But what is the right way to that goal which is pursued by man
everywhere and at all times throughout history?
*There are several trends that describe the reality of happiness
and the way leading to its attainment by man. The major trends can be summed up
as follows:
1. Spiritualistic School, in which philosophers and theosophists
believe that real happiness consists essentially in spiritual life.
2. Materialistic School or theory, which upholds that real
happiness lies in materialism.
3. Rationalistic School, in which rationalists believe that
happiness can be attained only by reason and logic.
4. Islamic Trend, which states that the three types of life: the
spiritual, the material and the rational are together essential elements of
happy life if they are ruled by the Islamic belief, practice and values. That
is because man is a combination of those very three ingredients: the body, mind
and spirit: the body is nourished by food and drink, the mind by knowledge and
experiments, and the spirit by faith and goodness. But it is sound faith that
builds up a healthy spirit and gives a realistic and truthful explanation of
man’s position in this universe, Divine Reality and the basic concept of the
Oneness and Perfect Attributes of God, and here we are going to use the name “Allah’’
for God as it is not associated with any distortions added by upholders of
idolatry, polytheism, trinity and other worshippers of false gods.
Let us consider the crimes and evils of modern societies: murders,
suicides, rapes, drug abuse, robberies, thefts, and sexual, neurological,
psychological, juvenile and many other abnormalities and disorders.., the void
man suffers because of the absence of true faith that springs from human nature
and does not conflict with logic, reason and established facts of
science....the lack of awareness of the real aim behind man’s existence in this
universe, i.e., to build and establish an ideal and sound society controlled by
the instructions and injunctions of his Merciful and Wise Creator so as to free
man from destructive drives and inclinations, and the world from injustice and
tyranny.
In fact, Islam, and only Islam, is the true Saviour of humanity and the answer to all problems and questions faced by
man.
The happiness Islam achieves for man has two major domains:
I. This wordly life, both on the individual and collective levels.
It seeks to give man a happy life free of cares and evils, characterized by
sound faith. It is a life in which every thing should be placed at the service
of man, "And He (Allah) has subjected to you, as from Him, all that is in
the heavens and on earth: behold, in that are Signs indeed for those who
reflect." (Qur’an 45:13)
Everything in nature is made available by Allah for the use of man
through the genius and faculties Allah has given to man.
Yet, many people behave adversely as if they were created to serve
wealth and be slaves to the pleasures and luxuries of life, losing thereby
their freedom of will and becoming servants of transient trivialities instead
of being servants of their Beneficent Sustainer and Cherisher, the Eternal and
Almighty Allah.
As for the Collective aspect, Islam embraces all rules and
principles contributing to a happy society, whether a family, a nation or on larger
scale, i.e., on the international level.
2. The Eternal Life after Death, The Life after death is a
demonstration of Divine Justice. That day is a must for the achievement of
retributive justice and settlement of all injustices and outstanding accounts,
and at the same time for the generous reward of good acts. Since we believe
that Allah is the One and Only God with perfect attributes, it would be
illogical to entertain the notion that He will leave justice unfulfilled. This
life so full of wrongs, crimes, inconveniences, good deeds unrewarded, and many
human affairs unsettled is infact just an introductory chapter which prepares
for the book of eternal life in which justice is restored and a person meets
with his (or her) just deserts.
The wrongdoers who have persisted in their sins and wrongdoing and
failed to repent and give up sound conduct will go to endless punishment in
Hell. While those with good records and righteous deeds will receive generous
reward and attain real and eternal happiness in the Heaven of Allah, in
There may be some difficulties and handicaps on the road to this
exalted goal of wise and faithful people, as stated by the Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) that "Hell is surrounded with whims and waton desires, while the
Garden is surrounded with hardships." Such hardships will serve as a test
of man’s goodly nature and of his truthful insistence on the attainment of
Allah’s pleasure and reward. A trader may spend sleepless nights and put up
with arduous efforts in order to win a gainful deal. However, the eternal life
in the abode of happiness is the biggest deal which man has ever competed or
striven to attain. But what is
The above passage refers to the state of freedom and ease, to the
final and everlasting stage of human bliss, when the righteous soul of the
righteous believer, at peace with its Lord, certain of its way and fate, is
welcomed among those servants of Allah chosen to enjoy this Divine grace and to
receive Allah’s mercy and protection.
‘Every soul shall have a taste of death, and only on the Day of Judgment shall you be paid your full
recompense. Only he who is saved far from the Fire and admitted to the Garden
will have succeeded: for the life of this world is but goods and chattels of
deception." (Holy Qur’an, 3:185)
The blessings of
An explanation of this is given in the Prophet’s (PBUH) tradition
mentioned in Bukhari’s compilation of
Hadith: "Allah says: I have prepared for my righteous servants that which
no eye has ever seen, no ear has ever heard, and no man’s mind has ever
conceived."
We read in the Glorious Qur’an about the Garden or Gardens of
everlasting bliss passages the meaning of which runs as follows, "Allah
hath promised to Believers, men and women, Gardens under which rivers flow, to
dwell therein, and beautiful mansions in Gardens of everlasting stay. But the
greatest bliss is the Good Pleasure of God, That is the supreme felicity."
(Qur’an, 9:72)
"My devotees! No fear shall be on you today nor shall ye grieve
Those who have believed in our Signs and submitted (to Us). Enter ye the
Garden, ye and your wives, in (beauty and) rejoicing. To them will be passed
round, dishes and goblets of gold, there will be there all that the souls could
desire, all that the eyes could delight in, and ye shall abide therein (for
aye). Such will be the Garden of which ye are made heirs for your (good) deeds
(in life). Ye shall have therein abundance of fruit, from which ye shall
eat." (Qur’an, 43:68-73)
What for sinners and disobedient criminals?
"The Sinners will in the Punishment of Hell, to dwell therein
(for aye), ‘No wise will the
(punishment) be lightened for them, and in despair will they be there
overwhelmed.No wise shall We be unjust to them, but it is they who have been
unjust themselves.’ (Qur’an, 43:74-76)
The need to discuss this subject of "happiness" has
arisen as a result of various reasons some of which may be summed as follows:
(I) People could belong to different religious denominations, or
schools of thought, could have different feelings, wishes and aspirations, yet
they are apparently in total agreement about the pursuit of one goal in their
life that is happiness.
This is true of all persons believers and non-believers, rulers and
ruled, rich and poor, they all toil to achieve happiness.
(2) Notwithstanding the consensus of all human beings on seeking
happiness, it is however, surprising how different individuals and different groups
of people have chosen and defined for themselves differing ways and avenues to
achieve this common goal. And in so doing a large number of them seem to have
missed the proper avenues to this goal and have consequently failed to achieve
any happiness throughout their lives but only have succeeded in attaining what
can be termed as ‘illusory" and "transitory" happiness as
opposed to "real" and "permanent" happiness. Hence, the
attempt in this book to redirect these people to the proper course of action to
be able to achieve the soughtafter happiness.
The above, as well as many other reasons, have led to our
discussion of this important subject with a sincere hope that this treatise
would prove of help to many who are earnestly searching for real happiness.
WHAT IS HAPPINESS?
According to Webster’s Third New International Dictionary’,
happiness is a state of well-being characterized by relative permanence, by
dominantly agreeable emotion ranging in value from mere contentment to deep and
intense joy in living, and by a natural desire for its continuation. "In
the distinction between this term and its synonyms (i.e., felicity, beatitude,
blessedness, bliss), it defines HAPPINESS" as the general term denoting
enjoyment of or pleasure able satisfaction in well-being, security, or
fulfillment of wishes. FELICITY, a more bookish or elevated word, may denote a
higher, more lasting, or more perfect happiness. BEATITUDE refers in this sense
to the highest happiness, the felicity of the blessed. BLESSEDNESS suggests the
deep joy of pure affection or of acceptance by God. BLISS may apply to a
complete and assured felicity."
Some students of education and psychology define HAPPINESS as the
continued feeling or state of delight, contentment, and joy emanating from the
permanent sense of self-goodness, goodness of life and goodness of man’s
destiny.
SOURCES OF HAPPINESS
Different individuals and groups of people may have different ideas
with regard to the best ways of achieving happiness. However, there are several
theories and speculations which many a people share as constituting the main
sources of happiness. These may be classified as follows:
(1) HAPPINESS IN WEALTH
Wealth is, probably, the element mostly associated, if not
synonymous, with happiness as many people think. This understanding so
deeprooted in the hearts of so many, to the extent that almost everywhere
people are engrossed in the acquisition of wealth. They look towards wealth as
the primal constituent of happiness to the point that for them the two are
entwined.
How happy are those men and women who own business empires, wide
expanses of land and estates, large bank deposits, etc?
Many indeed are those people who own millions or even billions but
are suffering from an almost permanent lack of peace of mind as a result of the
fear they have over their wealth the fear of, say, political turmoils, market
movements, wars, plunders, theft, etc. And not only does such fear lead to
sleepless nights for these people but even tensions, mental anguish, heart
attacks and deaths. Very often one comes across reports in the media such as
the following:
* Fortunes lost and lives follow in financial market crash
* A
*
Understanding and accepting that happiness has nothing to do with amassment
of wealth is perhaps the most liberating realization we can ever come to.
Ample material is readily available from the lives of many people
to prove our dictum "wealth is not equal to happiness".
QAARUN
Qarun’s story serves as a
typical example of opulent people whose wealth infused them with pride and
arrogance and made them forget the role of wealth in mans life. Wealth should
be used for the achievement of the welfare of man and his society in accordance
with the will and commandments of Almighty Allah, Who has granted man his
existence, faculties, powers, sustenance and resources.
His story is told in the Holy Qur’an, Such were the treasure We had
bestowed on him, that their very keys would have been a burden to a body of
strong men. Behold, his people said to him, Exult not, for Allah loveth not
those who exult (in riches).’ (Qur’an, 28:76) Then,
‘So he went forth among his people in the (pride of his wordly)
glitter", (Qur’an, 28:79)
When he was in the heyday of his glory, worldly people envied him
and thought how happy they would be if only they were in his place.
But wise people were not dazzled by Qaarun’s fabulous wealth,
because they realized the transient nature of worldly treasures and they were
certain that the true wealth is the reward of Allah (in the Hereafter) for
those who believe and work rightesousness. (Vide the Qur’an, 28:80)
Qaarun lived ostentatiously and appeared to many of his people
"a lord of mighty good fortune." They admired his glorious appearance
but forgot his reality. All this was ‘illusory happiness’ or, at least,
transient happiness, just like a dream or a movie.
What was the end? What happened to all that pomp, wealth, pride and
arrogance?
"Then, We caused the earth to swallow up him and his house;
and he had not (the least little) party to help him against Allah, nor could he
defend himself.’ (Qur’an 28:81)
CHRISTINA ONASSIS
Here lies another eventful story which proved beyond doubt that
wealth, whatever the amount one holds, cannot by itself be the basis for the
achievement of real happiness! Here is the story which for years dominated the
minds of writers, reporters and newsmen, as well as the pages of newspapers,
books and magazines! This is the story of Christina Onassis daughter of the famous
Greek tycoon, Aristotle Onassts who owned fleets of ships and aeroplanes, lakes
and islands, real estates, huge bank deposits, etc. Following the death of her
father, Christina was the only one left behind as the legal heiress to the vast
resources of her father besides her late father’s second wife Jacqueline
Kennedy. The enormous liquid inheritances were to the tune of billions of
dollars besides the immovable properties, the fleet of ships and aeroplanes,
lakes and islands, real estates, large bank deposites, etc ‘What an inheritance
that was! Certainly, to the judgment, reasoning, feelings and standards of most
people, someone inheriting such a huge fortune should be the happiest person on
earth but was this true for Christina? The answer to this question can only be
arrived at after going through the following pages which briefly explain the
known course of her life.
Christina got married to an American during her father’s lifetime;
but only a few months thereafter the marriage broke up and ended up in divorce.
After the death of her father, she got married to a Greek for the second time
but their marriage lasted only a few months, if not weeks, before it was all
over!
Christina stayed out of marriage for quite some time apparently
looking for a happy life outside the marriage bond. However, that happiness did
not materialize and, after a few years had elapsed, she feltlike flying to find
a life of happiness under the marriage bond once again. This time her choice
for a husband was from a completely different camp from communist Russia! To
many who knew her free style western life, this step, indeed, became an
interesting, if not perturbing or excruciating experience. And when once asked
by a pressman of this move, she had a ready answer which was simple, short, but
frank: "I am searching for happiness.’
Of course, her two previous marriages were with men from the West;
and since they both failed, she thought that she could "discover" some
happiness in the East. But here too she was only trying out her luck with no
guarantees. When pressmen interviewed her for a second time her unchanged reply
was: "I am searching for happiness..!
But was she really happy about her marriage in Russia? Never! She
hardly remained with the Russian for more than a year before she eventually
divorced him!
Apparently, that was not the end of the marriage "dilemma’.
Back in Europe she decided to give it one more final try this time with a
French industrialist, the fourth husband from a fourth different country in
hardly a period of two years! What a miserable and unsecured life it has been.
It was during one of those occasions at a party relating to this last marriage
that a pressman asked her whether she was the richest woman and her frank reply
went as follows: Yes! I am the richest woman but the unhappiest...."
The marriage with the French industrialist went ahead as planned
but it took only a few months to exist before it was all gone!
Having failed to achieve happiness under marriage life, Christina
vowed not to marry again and endeavoured to achieve happiness "on her
own". However, happiness was impossible for her even on her own and she
spent the rest of her life in a desperate manner full of frustrations and
dissappointments and of frenzy travels between the world’s major cities until,
finally, she was found lying dead inside a hotel in Argentina. Who killed her?
She committed suicide! What an unhappy ending for a very, very wealthy lady!
Was her wealth able to buy her happiness?
NEVER, INDEED!!!!!!!
(2) HAPPINESS IN RANK AND POSITION
Could real happiness be attained through the acquirement of high
rank or position in society? To many the answer is in the affirmative. This is
apparently due to lack of deep insight in the nature of rank or position and
the responsibilities which they involve. In Islam, holding any position, rank
or office is first and foremost regarded as a trust and, therefore, constitutes
an obligation, and a legal as well as moral responsibility. Therefore, those to
be entrusted with such roles could only be citizens who are possessed of
unquestionable competence, integrity and virtue. Only a righteous and competent
person can shoulder responsibility and use his position or office for public
welfare.
Such a person would be able to dispense justice based on moral
value and promote sound administration. He would promote and enhance the
well-being of his people by handling their affairs in a manner that is in
accordance with public interest. In return, he would earn his people’s
obedience, support, loyalty and cooperation. Thus, he would love doing his job
because ultimately he would be blessed with joy, happiness, contentment and
satisfaction.
However, any person who is entrusted with authority over others and
does not conduct his affairs on the basis of justice and moral standards, would
definitely be responsible for maladministration. His position would only be a
source of misery and corruption with issues such as the following:
*Loss of public confidence.
*Rift between the ruler and the ruled.
*Tension fear and insecurity of life and position on the part of
the ruler.
*The ruler’s internal restlessness arid agonies of conscience.
*Upsurge of enemies and oppositions from amongst the ruled.
*Ruler going to great lengths to protect his position at times
at any cost, even if that may mean the shedding of blood.
*Public revolt.
*Coups d’etat.
*Assassinations
Hardly does a year pass by around the world without closing with
the news of miserable falls, overthrows and/or assassinations of unwanted
rulers, kings, emperors, premiers, presidents, etc. Recent cases include the
following:
The Shah of
The Shah of
But when the end came it was heavy. He was chased" out of his
country by a massive public revolt and spent the rest of his life
"wandering" from one country to another until he eventually died a
miserable death in Egypt as a result of a chronic cancer.
Ferdinand Marcos
The man who for 20 years literally "owned" the
Nicolae Ceausescu
The man dwelt in a palace built in "pure gold" for a
period of more than 20 years as the "Owner" of
(3) EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS (ACADEMIC AND HONORARY DEGREES)
Then, where is happiness? Is it in obtaining the highest level of
education and in earning doctorate degrees?
It is true that Islam not only encourages but also requires man to
seek knowledge and live in the light of learning. Islam is a way of life based
on knowledge and not on superstition. Prophets are the sources of divine
knowledge, and the first divine revelation to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) begins
with the word "IQRA" meaning "READ". In that same
revelation, Allah, (GBTH) tells mankind that He (Allah) taught man ‘with the
pen" and taught man "what he did not know".
Much emphasis is placed in Islam on the need for excellent
learning, that in the Holy Qur’an, Allah (GTBH), teaches mankind the following
supplications: "and say '0 my Lord, advance me in knowledge'."
(Qur’an, 22:114)
In another verse of the holy Qur’an, Allah tells mankind:
"those truly fear Allah among His servants who have knowledge."
(Qur’an, 35:28)
Yet, in another verse of the Holy Qur’an, Allah questions mankind:
"are they equal, those who know and those who do not know?" (Qur’an,
39:9)
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also left behind many authentic sayings and
teachings in this regard emphasizing the importance and superiority of
knowledge. In one of these sayings, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said that
seeking knowledge is every Muslim’s duty.
Such is the concept of Islam with regard to learning that it leaves
wide open all fields of thought before the human intellect to penetrate as far
as it could reach. It frees, and lays down no restrictions against, the
free-thinker who seeks knowledge to widen his vision and broaden his mind.
However, such intellectual development is not and could not be pursued as an
absolute objective in itself. It could not be independent but would remain
throughout on the plane of faith with the moral values based on the true
religion of Allah, that is Islam.
It is only by doing so that a persons intellect gets a complete
‘nourishment and his intellectual life becomes enriched so as to be
constructive and useful. It is only by such integration of the intellectual and
the spiritual values that the person’s internal nature becomes sound, healthy
and happy. However, if know]edge and scientific research are taken as an end in
themselves at the cost of faith, moral and spiritual values, then even the most
learned man would ‘unhappily" be regressed to "the lowest of the low’
despite any qualifications, degrees, credentials and honors he may have
possessed. While advancement in knowledge and science alone may work well when
it comes to the treatment of matter, yet, it could not be taken as conclusive.
Very frequently one comes across press reports such as the
following: "A college PROFESSOR was jailed after he was accused of
kidnapping a woman and holding her in a closet for two weeks for his pleasure
the charge carries a 10 to 99 year prison sentence he admitted to the
charge...."
"A male top
"Two DOCTORS were fined and given prison sentences yesterday
for performing a sex- change operation on a patient He (the sex-change victim)
filed a complaint in 1984 asserting that the operation had not been successful
and that he was in constant pain. Four years later he committed suicide."
(4) HAPPINESS IN FAME
Sporting
It is gratifying to note that most of the Islamic forms of worship,
e.g. prayers, fasting and pilgrimage, display some sporting characteristics,
although they are basically by nature meant for spiritual purposes. But who
would deny the constant interaction between the physique and morale of man?
Yet, that is not all that Islam has to say in the subject of sports and
physical exercises. Islam encourages any sporting activity that promotes sound
thinking or refreshes the mind and revitalizes the body to keep man in healthy
shape. The general Islamic precept in this matter is the statement in which the
Prophet(PBUH) says: "The strong believer is better than the weak
One." (Ahmad, Muslim and Ibn Majah )
Physical exercises and sporting activities are valuable things in
themselves, but they should only be taken for what they are worth, i. e., to
prepare our minds and bodies for the more serious matters of life. They should
not be taken as an end in themselves or be allowed to deflect away our minds or
blur our visions to appreciate the more serious requirements of our inner
lives. Sporting has almost become a sort of a "religion" for
sportsmen, ‘it runs in their blood’!
Therefore, if sports are carried to such an extreme, one could not
fail to realize the kind of "suffering" to which such men and women
lead their lives. Thus:
*The internal feelings and pressures to win over, say, a particular
game and at times at any cost, even tat may mean taking prohibited drugs.
* The "big blow" upon losing a game; the despair, the
embarrassment, the agony, the shame and the ridicule from the "fans".
* The loss of job, quitting from the team after losing a game
or, worse, being fired!
Therefore, we need to ask the question whether or not a life
exposed to such physical danger, ordeal and shortcomings is a happy one? The
answer is left to you, the reader....!
The sports media is full of stories such as the following:
Sports activities proved dangerous with basketball injuries alone
accounting for more than 640,000 hospital visits last year, new
safety figures show, "Three football playing veterans died of
heart attacks during an international golden oldies...."
"
"Canadian sprinter, Ben Johnson, was stripped of the Olympic
100meter title and world record in
There are other stories similar to these which we could reproduce
here in support of our argument, but for the sake of time and space let us have
a look at just one more case without which I could not have done justice to a
subject discussing men, sports, fame and happiness. This was the story of Diego
Maradona! For a time his name was everywhere; in all media and literally on
many products and advertisements.
Football earned him "wealth’ and "pride". His luxury
cars were estimated to the tune of $1 million, including a Ferrari F40 worth
$323,000, besides the Rolls Royces and the BMW’s.
He was in all that and even more! But hardly did he complete 4
years in that "fame”,“wealth" and "prominence" when the
world had to read a much more different kind of story about him! He used
cocaine for an Italian league match! What were the consequences? He was wanted
in Italian courts for a related case of "cocaine possession". And a
few weeks after returning to his native homeland of
"I will not play soccer professionally again. It is an
irrevocable decision...the Argentine national team is also a closed chapter for
me. I want to quit because I am sick of the pressure and the discipline...i am
not blaming soccer but everything that surrounds soccer and I am scared of
having to face a situation of that kind....I am not hiding my problems with
drugs....there is something deeper here than simply having taken cocaine... I
find I don’t ENJOY myself anymore....
He made mention of joy, but do these confessions portray him as
having experienced joy? If so, then, that is the subject of our discussion in
this treatise and that is what we are calling "illusory",
"artificial" or "fake’ joy as opposed to any
"abiding", "real" and "lasting" happiness which
could not be earned by "devotion" to soccer or otherwise. Rather, it
is by the understanding of the purpose of life as prescribed by Allah for us to
make it the ideal basis in pursuit of our objectives in this world which is the
inculcation and development of internal nourishment that would embody and
infuse together the spiritual, moral and other virtues required Of man.
Allah (GBTH) said: "Leave alone those who take their way of
life to be mere play and amusement and are deceived by the life of this world.
But proclaim (to them) this (truth): that every soul delivers itself to ruin by
its own acts: it will find for itself no protector or intercessor except
Allah." (Qur’an, 6:70)
Acting
Here we specifically refer to those persons directly engaged in the
field of entertainment namely, film and stage actors, singers, dancers, etc. Is
the world of entertainment a source of true happiness?
Far from the common man, it is surprising how many people still
equate happiness with fun. The truth of the matter, however, is that fun and
happiness have little or nothing in common. The correct and logical conclusion
would be that fun is what we experience during an act, while happiness is what
we experience after an act. It is a deeper, more enduring, more meaningful and
more abiding emotion. Going to an amusement park or to a ball game, watching a
movie or television are fun activities that "may" help someone to
relax. One may temporarily forget his problems and even may laugh. But these
are things which do not and could not definitely bring any real happiness to
the person because their positive effects usually last only as long as the fun
lasts.
A much deeper analysis into the matter is achieved when we envisage
and look into fun and entertainment around us. I could not help the thought
that if these movie, TV, music and theatre "stars" had anything to
demonstrate, it is that happiness has nothing to do with fun. It is a fact that
these individuals have constant access to abundant wealth, glamorous parties,
fancy cars, expensive homes and everything that "seems to spell
happiness’. However, memoir after memoir with so much information is exposed
about these "celebrities’ unveiling the sorrow hidden beneath all their
fun e.g., depression, alcoholism, drug addiction, children out of wedlock,
broken marriages, troubled children, illicit relations, loneliness, mental
anguish, ignominy, etc. Could there be a way to deny all these facts? ? Hardly
does a day pass by without coming across some stories in the media such as the
following:
"Elizabeth Taylor, who was once considered to be one of the
legends of film makers and film viewers, again at the age of 59 got married for
the seventh time to Larry Fortensky, 39 years old, a construction worker. She
said after the marriage ceremony I hope this is for life’. Like most
celebrities, she is apparently still looking for happiness which her fame
failed to provide for her during the peak of her career. But now she wants to
evade her fame" which deprived her of true happiness. She added: ‘I’ve
done everything I can to give me up’....
A pathologist who helped perform the autopsy on Elvis Presly says
the king of rock n roll died of DRUGS and not heart disease....’it was a deadly
mix of drugs that killed him...."
"Twice-divorced Dyan Cannon says, ‘I’ll keep on trying
marriage until I get it right’.
"Screen siren, Kim Basinger, says she can be wild without
drugs and alcohol. The 37 years old actress admits in the February issue of
Cosmopolitan magazine in
"Actor-singer, Larry Kert, died Wednesday night of
AIDS...."
"Pop singer, Billy Preston, was arrested at his Malibu home
Sunday after a I6 year old boy complained that he bad been sexually assaulted
by the singer....’
The list is inexhaustible and that is the life rampant in the
entertainment and fun industry. Do these cases, therefore, portray the lives of
men and women enjoying any sort of real happiness?
NEVER! INDEED.
Yet, people continue to believe that the next, more glamorous
party, more expensive car, more luxurious vacation, fancier home would do what
all the other parties; cars, vacations and homes have not been able to do. The
way people are inclined to believe that a funfilled, painfree and carefree life
is equal to happiness actually diminishes their chances of ever attaining true
happiness.
While discussing fun and entertainment a subject matter which, we
feel, must not go unmentioned is the product which these men and Women of stage
and screen have for their "fans" and "Viewers" the
substance, the quality, the values and the effects on popular culture and
standards And in this regard, we have reproduced, here below, some excerpts
from two thought provoking articles from some international U.S. Publications
discussing different aspects of the problem.
The writers of the reports were, of course, discussing the extent and
seriousness of the matter with reference to and in the context of the U.S., but
the problem is global and all over.
ARTICLE ONE BY: Michael Medved
The value of self-discipline so essential to normal family life is
portrayed only rarely in the popular culture. Nearly two-thirds of all American
adults are married, but movies today focus overwhelmly big on single people.
And those few flints that do show a family most often depict a marriage that is
radically dysfunctional (completely abnormal) with a husband accused of
attempting to murder his wife (as in Reversal of Fortune) or a wife sleeping
with her husband’s female friend (as in Henry & June) or the married pair
killing each other (as in The War of the Roses). When I complained about the
destructive product of the entertainment industry, colleagues urged me to stop
worrying; it’s a simple matter to tune out. An incident last spring reminded me
it was not so easy to do that. My family and I went on an outing to a public
park on a mountain lake near
But soon a group of teenagers carrying a ‘boom box’ arrived at the
lake shore.
Coming out of their shiny chrome machine was a rape song full of
four-letter words describing rape and feces and oral volume. Our girls had
never heard those particular words before.
They were frightened by the noise and started to cry. I suppose we
could have stayed and made a scene, but I don’t carry assault weapons in my
trunk. Instead we abandoned the beautiful scene to those brutish kids.
The point is that you can’t just tune out the popular culture
today. The messages, the images, are everywhere. Is it a coincidence that the
war on standards in art, music, television and film corresponds with
increasingly destructive behaviour on the part of the young people who are the
most devoted consumers of these media? Is there no connection between the
media’s obsession with crime and violence and the fact that the number of kids
under 19 who are arrested has increased by 120 percent since l963? Is there no
connection between the sex-crazed popular culture and the fact that
out-of-wedlock births have increased 350 percent since 1960?
Ironically, media moguls downplay the significance of their work,
insisting that sex and violence on screen do not encourage sex and violence in
real life. But the same industry then turns around and asks advertisers to pay
tens of thousands of dollars for 30 seconds of airtime in the hope that this
fleeting exposure would directly alter the public’s buying behaviour.
The war on standards in the popular culture would be the issue on
the l990s. Expanded censorships are not the way to win it. However, attempts to
move in that direction would only prove to be counter-productive boycotts of
sponsors, direct protests, letter-writting campaigns and other forms of
private-sector pressures are far more effective than new government
regulations.
While we are working to prevent the further pollution of our
culture, we should do more than protest the bad. We should also remember to
promote the good which is indubitably beneficial to us.
ARTICLE TWO: By: Bob Grene
Millions of families sat down in their living rooms one evening
last August to watch a live Madonna concert from
Since Madonna is such a huge international star, and since the
telecast was heavily promoted and aired in prime time on a weekend, millions of
children certainty watched with their parents.
What happened on all those screens was that Madona repeatedly used
the one obscene word that has been routinely barred from the public airways.
Later in the show she writhed on a bed and simulated masturbation. She also
laughingly used common street terms for male genitals.
We live in an anything-goes-age, so that shows witless, and
purposely vulgar content was not surprising. The language itself was nothing
that has not been heard in movies or on cableTV comedy specials. The surprising
thing was that so few parents called HBO to object. A spokesperson for the
network said the complaints "were not by any stretch of the imagination
overwhelming" and that the Madona concert was the highes rated original
entertainment program in the network’s history. Apparently,
What is most disturbing is that products appeared in
It’s valid but there was no warning before Madonna launched into
her first rapid fire round of obscenities. Although the telecast was promoted
as being live, it actually was taped hours before. The network knew what it was
sending out. Yet it did so without deletions or an advisory notice at the
beginning of the show. This was "a creative decision," HBO says.
HBO, as a cable network, is not bound by the same restrictions
placed on the over the air networks. But this nicely is undoubtedly lost on
children who have grown up with cable TV in their homes. To them, HBO is just
another stop on the dial.
Those children would hear worse in their lifetimes they probably
already have. To telecast a concert like Madonna’s is no longer considered
particularly controversial. But to wonder publicly about the wisdom of it to
say that delivering such a performance to the nation’s children is wrong that
is considered controversial. To say it is wrong is to seem am of step with the
rest of the world. But it is wrong. It is dead wrong.
The cry is loud but are there listeners?
So, the men and Women of fun and entertainment industry do not
enjoy real happiness, nor do they present valuable things to the society, but
most of what they produce are destructive materials. As mentioned several times
during the discussion, happiness is an inner motive and a goal which could not
be acquired alone by the mere fulfilment of external or material needs.
Enrichment and nourishment of our inner being make an essential requirement to
a morally sound development of ourselves
The foregoing stones and examples prove one thing in common: that
true happiness does not emanate from wealth fame, academic degrees and titles,
high rankor Position in society. What are therefore, those factors that maycon
stitute sources of both physical arid spiritual well being for man? Where does happiness
originate? And what are the qualities of those who are truly happy?
Before answering these questions, let us first discuss in brief the
barriers to real happiness.
BARRIERS TO REAL HAPPINESS
1.Disbelief In Allah And Lack Of The True Faith.
Since the true faith fills the heart with comfort, security,
reassurance and contentment, and makes man feel that he has strong relationship
with Almighty Allah, Who alone is the Creator of man and everything visible and
invisible and knows best what achieves man’s well-being and happiness.
Therefore, one of the biggest barriers to real happiness both in this world and
the Hereafter is the rejection of Allah’s true religion (i.e., Islam).
Those who lack correct belief and stray from Divine Guidance revealed
to mankind through the Universal and Last Messenger of Allah, Muhammad, will
suffer from spiritual void and deprive themselves from real salvation and
mercy:
"Those whom God (in His Plan) willeth to guide, He openeth
their breast to Islam; those whom He willeth to leave straying, He maketh their
breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus
doth Allah lay abomination on those who refuse to follow His code of life, that
is Islam...." (Qur’an, 6:125)
2. Sin and Crime
Man has not realized well the serious consequences of sin as their
effects generally have no cure. Sins and crimes are barriers to real happiness.
Therefore, a criminal is always more unhappy than his victim, for a criminal
who is not punished could be among the most miserable people.
3. Envy and Jealousy
Envy and jealousy are sources of dissatisfaction and self-torture
for people. Therefore, we are advised in the Holy Qur’an to seek refuge from
the serious effects of such kinds of malignant social evils. In chapter 113 of
the Holy Qur'an, we are advised to seek refuge in Allah "from the mischief
of the envious one as he practises envy.... "Both envy and jealousy, when
translated into action, lead to the destruction of happiness and deprive people
of the good things they enjoy. The best refuge from evil is trust in Allah
Alone along with putty of heart.
4. Ill-will
True believers are described in the Holy Qur’an, verse 10 of
chapter 59, as saying when they pray to Allah: "And leave not, in our
hearts, rancour (or sense of injury) against those who have believed...."
Ill-will and rancour are barriers to the happiness of man. In fact,
ill-will is contrary to happiness; it belongs to a different domain on human
feelings. It is like a virus that kills the lofty sentiments and kind feelings
of man.
5. Anger
Anger connotes displeasure and hostility. Therefore, it is one of
the biggest threats that spoil man’s happiness. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),
stressed the importance of selfrestraint when he advised one of his companions:
"Do not be overpowered by anger..."
6. lnjustice
Injustice, no doubt will bring ruin to everybody who practises it.
This is proven by many examples that served as warnings and lessons to humanity
to shun this dangerous vice and maintain justice and equality. Injustice may
signify the trespassing and going beyond limits; it may also signify the
misplacement of things or denial of truth. In this context, incorrect concepts
on divinity, such as polytheism, idolatry and false worship, air one of the
forms of injustice as it is a distortion of true religion and trespassing
against divine commands. The following verse from the Holy Qur’an illustrates
this point:
"Behold, Luqman said to his son by way of instruction: ‘0 my
son! Join not in worship (others) with Allah: for false worship is indeed the
highest wrongdoing...," (Qur’an, 3 1:13)
Many a nation backed up, or refrained from resisting, unjust
tyrants and wrongdoers and brought thereby upon themselves devastation and
perdition.
The following quotation from the sayings of the Prophet (PBUH)
testifies to this proven fact very often noticed in human life. Abu Musa
AlAsh’ari, a companion of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), related that the Prophet
said (Bukhari and Muslim):
"Allah may give a wrongdoing tyrant respite, and thereafter
when He punishes him, He never lets him escape." Then, he recited this
Qur’anic
Verse:"Such is the chastisement of thy Lord when He chastises
communities in the midst of their wrong: grievous, indeed, and severe is His
chastisement." (Qur’an, 11:102)
In another verse from the Holy Qur’an, it is stated:"And how
many populations did I give respite, which were given to wrongdoing? In the end
I punished them. To Me is the destination (of all)." (Qur’an, 22:48)
7. Fear of Wordly Power
Fear of other than Allah is the cause of humility, insecurity and
unhappiness. Whereas, fear of Allah produces in man lofty ideals and drives him
to develop sound conduct and excellent moral behaviour. It frees him from all
fetters of human bondage and safeguards his dignity and freedom of will. Allah
says in the Holy Qur’an:
"It is only the Satan that suggests to you the fear of his
votaries: be you not afraid of them, but fear me, if you are true believers.
(Qur’an, 3:175)
8. Pessimism
Pessimism is synonymous with misery and trouble. It leads to a
stage of inertia and depression. A pessimistic person would hold back from
enjoying his normal life or achieving his objectives. Therefore, the Gracious
Prophet (PBUH) promoted and liked optimism but discouraged and disliked
pessimism. A pessimist, due to his defeatist tendencies, incurs several
troubles and difficulties the effects of which on his nerves are far heavier
than dilemmas and disasters.
9. Suspicion
Allah (GBTH) states in the Holy Qur’an:"0 ye who believe! Shun
suspicion as much (as possible): for suspicion in some cases is a sin...."
(Qur’an, 49:12)
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also says:"Shun suspicion, because
suspicion is the biggest lie." ( Bukhari and Muslim)
How can a suspicious person be happy? And how can a society
pervaded by suspicion and mistrust prosper or lead a collective life of
happiness.
10. Arrogance
An arrogant person leads a life of misery even though he treats
other people rudely and boastfully without due regard to established norms of
moral conduct. He oppresses them or turns his cheek in scorn toward them but he
is definitely haunted with guilty conscience which makes his life miserable.
"Turn not thy cheek in scorn toward folk, nor walk with
pertness in the land. Lo! Allah loveth not each braggart boaster."
(Qur’an, 31: I8)
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) gave his advice in this regard when he
said:"On the Day of Judgment Allah will not look towards him who trails
his lower garment out of pride " ( Bukhari and Muslim)
11. Devotion to other than Allah
It is a part of man’s character to love and hate, but carrying the
passions of love and hate to extremes is precarious. Take for example the story
of Romeo and Juliet in English Literature or Qays and Layla in Arabic
Literature. Qays, who was known in the story as Layla’s mad lover, had suffered
tremendously from this love until he lost his senses and later died in a
wretched piteous state.
When your heart is wholly devoted to your Creator (Allah), your
love is holy and you thereby enjoy an elevated emotion which fills your heart
with peace and happiness.
This kind of emotion is not in contradiction with love for parents,
wife or children . In fact, they are harmonious and complementary. But, extreme
emotions, when not controlled by reason or logic, are in fact detrimental to
our life and happiness.
12. Alcohol. Drugs and Drug Addiction
Many people imagine that happiness can be attained through alcohol
or drug addiction. Therefore, they resort to drugs escaping thereby from the
troubles and worries of life. In fact, they are like one who escapes from a
small fire to a hell, Drugs may throw one, for a short while, into a dreamy
illusive world of happiness; but in fact they lead both to disintegration and
destruction. We nowadays witness many examples of such social disintegration
and chaos due to the worldwide surge of drug addiction besides other causes
related to corruption and the absence of real religious sanctions and sound
creed.
LAND MARKS ON THE WAY TO HAPPY LIFE (The Factors & Prerequisites
of Happiness)
1. Sound Belief
To build a happy life, you have to first lay a solid foundation for
it, otherwise, it will subside. Therefore, we should seek such a solid
unshakeable foundation on which we could build our wholesome life. There must
be also a scheme by which the course of our life is to be guided and control
led.
Man possesses impulses, drives, feelings, desires and whims which
may influence his character and way of life. He is endowed with the ability to
think, reason and perceive so that he could be able to control his will and
emotions and direct himself into the course of action he believes to be
suitable However, man’s mind and emotions may lapse and lead him away from the
right path. lute may stray unknowingly from the way to success and happiness
and take the course to chaos and misery, thereby bringing suffering and
destruction upon himself arid upon others.
Hence tile necessity for man to achieve a profound understanding of
the Divine Guidance which leads his way to the plain truth about his existence
in this world, his relation to the universe and to other creatures, the purpose
of his creation, how he has come into existence, the Divine Will that controls
him and directs his life, and the correct course and way that leads him to
salvation and real happiness
Islam is the last and only universal religion and system or code of
life revealed to mankind through the last Prophet (Peace and blessings be upon
him) and the only faith with the Divine Revelation still kept intact in its
orginal form,
unlike the earlier revelations which were already lost,
adulterated, interpolated changed and corrupted. Thus, the Islamic Faith proves
to be the only correct foundation for man’s character and behaviour and a mode
of life necessary for building a sound and progressive society characterized by
justice and peace which is in harmony with Allah’s will.
If we think of the backwardness of Muslim societies, we will find
that the reason for such condition is mainly due to the deviation from this
divine way of life. The calamities that caused the downfall of Muslim societies
are by no means merely due to lack of scientific knowledge but rather to their
deviation from Islam. In fact, when
So the Islamic belief, when put into practice, leads man to the
right direction and channels all his energies and efforts into a constructive
scheme of life. To begin with, faith is complementary to reason. Therefore,
reason is not the antithesis of faith as is the case in some other human
beliefs and religions. Islamic faith helps to develop the human mind and does
not impose any kind of illogical concept or undue restrictions on it. It leads
man in the way of truth since he is guided by words and commandments of his
Creator, Who knows what is best for him.
A basic Islamic principle of faith is related to harmony in this
universe. Many scientists and thinkers believe that there is a conflict between
man and nature and that man is struggling to overcome the powers of nature.
Islam corrects this shortsighted notion. It states that everything in this
world has been created to serve man, and man has been created to serve Allah.
Therefore, the relationship between man and the universe is one of harmony and
friendliness. This fact imbues man with peace of mind, satisfaction and
happiness. It also frees his mind from worries, fears and feeling of hostility.
His life would become inspired with love, hope, optimism, contentment and
happiness that would enable him to face hardships with confidence and right
discretion.
Belief in Allah and in His perfect attributes would deeply
influence the Muslim’s character and his whole outlook on life. It brings him
to acquire good qualities and aim for human perfection. This will undoubtedly
achieve, for both the individual and the society, a life of ideal values and
collective happiness.
Belief in the angels of Allah makes man feel that he is not alone
in this universe and that it abounds with righteous friendly creatures. This
would make life pleasant for him and enable him to achieve success and
happiness.
Belief in the Day of Judgment drives man to control his behavior
and life according to the Divine Laws of justice and righteousness.
Without belief in this Day on which everyone will receive his just
deserts (when the wrongdoers are justly punished and the righteous are rewarded
bountifully), man would lose the impetus to behave fairly towards others and
the oppressed would grow hopeless and miserable.
Belief in the Hereafter is an essential element that helps to
control human delinquency and establish collective happiness and virtues in
society.
Belief in Divine Destiny is a major element of a stable and
composed personality. When you submit yourself to the Divine Decree and Will
and feel positively certain that ‘What befalls you would not have missed you
and what misses you would not have befallen you", you would certainly grow
stronger in the face of calamities, face them with patience and courage and not
succumb to them or be paralyzed with shock or despair.
Lack of such element of faith creates a vacuum in man’s heart and
life that cannot be filled up with all the riches and pleasures of the world.
It is this kind of emptiness that drives many, even the wealthy and the
pleasure seekers of the world to collapse or even commit suicide.
2. Worship and Devotion to Allah
"Not for (idle) sport did We create the heavens and the earth
and all that is between"(Qur’an,
So creation is not for idle sport or play, Allah has a serious
purpose behind it. What is it? Allah has revealed to us His purpose in the Holy
Qur’an: "I have only created Jinns (i.e., genies) and men, that they may
serve Me!" (Qur’an, 51:56)
Everything and everyone in the Universe am created by Almighty
Allah, and all submit to His Will. Have a glance at the physical world. You
will find everything controlled and directed in accordance with Divine Order
and Laws. There are laws that govern every area or domain of nature, such as
the laws of gravity, motion, relativity, etc. These prevailing laws testify to
the fact that the universe is in total submission to its Creator, Almighty
Allah, Who has originated its laws. But man has been endowed with Free Will, a
privilege not given to the lower forms of creation, so that his obedience to
the laws of his Creator should be more sensible and not a kind of blind
obedience like a robot following the commands of the computer operator.
Besides, he is also endowed with the faculty of thinking and
reasoning so that he could be able to decide and shoulder responsibility.
Therefore, man will be able to achieve full harmony in his life if the
intellectual and spiritual side of his character comes to coincide with the
physical side which is already ruled by natural or physical laws ordained and
fulfilled by Allah(GBTH)!
Thus, he would abide by the Divine Law, listen to the commandments
of his Lord and respond willingly, and worship in all humility and reverence
the only true deity, Allah, Who alone is worthy of worship.
Obedience and worship of Allah are a major and comprehensive source
of contentment and happiness for man. On the personal level, it gives man the
feeling that he is close to Allah and such nearness to his Lord, consequently,
provides him with guidance, wisdom, strength, confidence, steadfastness,
security, joy and satisfaction. Acts of worship have many positive aspects in
human life. In prayer, man communicates with his Lord directly and establishes
the most exalted relationship that infuses him with satisfaction and peace of
mind. He feels that Allah is with him: He hears him, responds to him, accepts
his prayers and good deeds and forgives his sins.
This would elevate his spirit to perfection. He would contemplate
the verses of the Glorious Qur’an that are recited and realize their
implications as well as the general aims of the prayer. He would be moved to
comply with their injunctions and commandments. He would feel the power of
Allah dominating him as well as the whole universe.
This would make him humble and cause him to abstain from wronging
or trespassing against others. When he acquires such traits, he would become
the epitome of love, mercy, justice and guidance. He would become a man of good
manners and refinement, in full control of his desires and whims. Further, he
would be able to channel all his feelings, efforts and actions in the proper
constructive way.
Prayer purifies the soul of error and the gloominess of sins as
water purifies and refreshes the body. It refines mans character and inculcates
in him the excellent virtues of truthfulness, honesty, modesty and humility. It
keeps man away from falsehood and from all forbidden actions and evil deeds.
On the collective level, prayer achieves for the community a high
degree of perfection and leads it through the way to collective happiness and
success, as it has realized for the individual a feeling of happiness as well
as consistency, dignity and integrity.
This act of worship contains many elements of success and social
welfare. Congregational prayer is, in fact, a school for social enlistment,
where man can exercise order and unity, and equality is fully realized with no
traces of discrimination whatsoever. Those who perform prayer in the right way
shall find their way to salvation, success and eternal happiness.
What applies to prayer also applies to other acts of worship which,
together, contribute to the building of spiritual, social, political, economic
welfare and solidarity.
In fact, that is the secret behind the standard of superiority
achieved by the Muslim society at the Zenith of its development, power, and
prosperity.
A final word on worship as a source of success and happiness is
that worship in islam includes every action a Muslim performs only for the sake
of Allah (Glory be to Him) and in accordance with His commandments. This not
only covers ritual acts like prayers performed in the Mosque, fasting during
the month of Ramadan or the performance of Hajj; it also includes all human
activities, such as learning, training, eating, sleeping, working to earn a
living for the sustenance of the family and all other constructive activities
necessary for the improvement of human life. This provides the Muslim with a
treasure of good deeds tat contribute to the realization of an integral and
righteous character and enhances his chances of attaining an everlasting
blissful life in the Hereafter. The following verse from the Holy Qur’an guides
man to the way of prosperity and success: "0 ye who believe! Do your duty
to Allah, seek the means of approach unto Him, and strive (with might and main)
in His cause: that ye may prosper." (Qur’an, 5:35)
"Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has Faith,
verily, to him will We give a new life, a life that is good and pure, and We will
bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions. (Qur’an,
16:97)
Faith, if sincere, means right conduct. When these two confirm each
other, Allah’s grace transforms our life. Instead of being troubled and
worried, we have peace and contentment; instead of being assailed at every turn
by false alarms and the assaults of evil, we enjoy calm and attain purity. The
transformation is visible in this life itself, but the "reward" in
terms of the Hereafter will be far beyond our deserts.
The Prophet (PBUH) said: "Happiness, all happiness, is long
life (full) of obedience to Allah." (Quda’i and Daylami )
It is worth mentioning that obedience must be based on sound
knowledge; for ignorance may distort the spirit of godliness and deprive worship
of its meaning, and render it fruitless and almost futile.
There is a common saying which runs as follows, "I do not feel
that happiness consists in the amassment of a fortune; it is the righteous and
godly who are happy!
3. Closely akin to the above
in spiritual and devotional aspect is the remembrance of Allah
(GBTH), Lord and Sustainer of the Universe. Associated with it are
supplications, prayers, celebration of Allah’s praises and recitation of the
Glorious Qur’an. Having seen the influence of faith and righteousness on man’s
character and life, we find it relevant here to cite two Qur’anic verses which
combine in the same context the elements of faith and righteousness with that
of remembrance of Allah, "Those who believe, and whose hearts find
satisfaction in the remembrance of Al]ah: for without doubt in the remembrance
of Allah do hearts find satisfaction. For those who believe and work
righteousness, is (every) blessedness and a beautiful place of (final) return."(Qur’an,13:2829)
When man becomes conscious of the bounties and favours bestowed by
Allah upon him and feels that his very existence, body, spirit, intellects and
faculties am granted to him out of generosity, he will naturally be moved to
celebrate his Creator’s praises and be grateful to Him. He acquires this
satisfaction and blessedness and inward joy which is difficult to describe in
words. This blessedness and satisfaction is also felt on reciting or listening
to the words of Allah (GBTH). Receiving and reading a letter from a person you
love and respect would fill your heart with comfort and happiness which could
not compare to the level of comfort, happiness and spiritual bliss that one
would feel in the words and name of Allah (GBTH).
Shunning the remembrance of Allah and His revealed message to
humanity deprives man of that transcendent joy and satisfaction. It causes
constriction in the chest, a feeling of spiritual void and depression, a
desolate and desperate life full of worries, and ultimately wrath and eternal
punishment in the Hereafter.
"But whosoever turns away from My Message, Verily for him is a
life narrowed down, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of
Judgment." (Quran, 20:124)
4. Goodness and Kindness to Others:
This emanates from the very essence of faith. Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) said: "All creatures are dependants of Allah, and the most favoured
among them by Allah is the one who is most helpful to His dependants." (
Tabarani, Abu Naeem and Bayhaqi)
Thus, active faith turns man into a mercy to himself and to others.
There are many forms and manifestations of goodness that are based
on the Muslim’s being a mercy to humanity. This is represented by his natural
inclination and keenness to save other people from error and lead them to
salvation. However, this can only be achieved if he is a real embodiment of his
faith. The tendency towards kindness emanates from human reciprocal relations;
for man’s delight depends on the delight of others and vice versa, and this reciprocity
provides happiness for both the individual and the society as a whole.
A Muslim’s goodness is not only limited to brothers in faith; but,
it also extends to cover every being, human or otherwise.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: "Every Muslim should do an act
of charity.” “Suppose he couldn’t afford tat? people said. "Let him work
with his hands and give out charity," he answered. "Suppose he
couldn’t afford it? they said. "Let him help the grieved and needy,’ he
answered. "Suppose he couldn’t affort it," they said. "Let him
do good and avoid evil, it is an act of charity for him." ( Bukhari)
But such charity must be based on sincerity and be free from any
kind of hyprocrisy, bad intention or ulterior motives, "0 ye who believe!
Cancel not your charity by reminders of your generosity or by injury."
(Qur’an, 2:264)
5. Renunciation of Too LongTerm Hopes and Griefs of the Past:
Many people spend most of their time worrying about their future
life and keep regretting past mishaps. They live in continuous worry and
misery.
A good solution to this source of worries is to live within the
limits of today. This does not mean to neglect the future and stop planning for
it, nor does it involve failure to draw lessons from past experiences. It aims
at ridding our life of obsession with futile cares that lead us only to stress
and frustrations.
According to one thinker,
"We should not look forward to a goal that looks faint in the
distance; in fact, we have to complete the clear works that we have in
hand."
Another says: "Life is short, we must not make it shorter by
care and troubles."
Living within the limits of today is consistent with the sayings of
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), "He who is safe (in his home), healthy (in his body),
with enough provisions for the day, is like one who possesses everything in the
world."
You will possess the basic elements of happy life in this world if
you acquire the requirements of safe and happy living such as:
1. Physical (residential, social, political and military)
security;
2. Health security; and
3. Food security.
So why worry? If you let yourself be haunted with fears and worries
about the future all the time, you will not be able to enjoy the present.
Plan for the future, no problem, and draw lessons from the past,
but never be too absorbed in worrying about your future life or dwell too much
on your past glories or shortcomings.
Some people underestimate the safety and peace they enjoy. They may
even scorn these great favors and exaggerate the effects of their misfortunes.
This contempt is a denial of reality and a major factor that spoils the life of
the individual. Happiness is relative and is not dependent on the degree of
wealth. A wealthy man who is deprived of contentment leads a life of misery,
while a man of average or low means will lead his life happily if he is
Contented and has a realistic View in life. What helps man to get rid of frets
and worries is a complete trust in his
The Holy Quran point out the benefits of faith and trust in Allah
(GBTH). ‘And for him who fears Allah (and observes his duty to Allah), He
(ever) Prepares a way out, and He provides for him from (sources) he never
could expect And whoever puts his trust in Allah lie wilt Suffice him. For
Allah will surely accomplish His Purpose. Verily for all things has Allah
appointed a due promotion. "(Quran 65:023)
It is this kind of trust that, at once, fills one with peace of
mind and contentment along with the realization that everything is within the
Power of Allah (the Creator) and drives One to be more optimistic about life,
active and hardworking, not idle or suffering from inertia.
Speaking of Softer hopes and aspirations, let’s cite the following
invaluable words of the holy Prophet (PBUH), "When you pass the day and
arrive at the evening, do not expect that you will pass night and hope to reach
morning, and when you arrive in the morning do not look forward to the evening.
While in health, be ready for illness, and while alive, prepare for death.’
( Bukhari)
On the transience of human life, the Prophet (PBUH) said, "I am in this world like a rider who
halts in the shade of a tree for a short time, and after taking some rest
resumes his journey and leaves the tree behind." ( Tirmidhi)
You would appreciate the real meaning of the above words if you
meditate on the reality of life and conceive of it as a film that lasts for
some time presenting a whole life or episode of life. The similitude of human
life is as follows, Days go by like a film and when you grow old and took back
on your past life, you review it like watching an exciting movie . Yet , this
does not imply that man should be distracted from leading an active life or
entertaining legitimate aspirations of life for the future. It simply means
that you can always live your life and plan for the future with confidence and
persistence, but let everything be in your hand and do not allow anything in
the world to Possess your heart and dominate you like a slave. Be a master of
yourself by Controlling Your desires but not the other way round.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was quoted as saying: "May he perish
who is the slave of dinar and dirham* of black and striped sheets of cloth ** (
Bukhari)
An essential Prerequisite of happiness is the understanding of the
role of man in this world and his position and function as a servant of Allah
on the one hand and a trustee of Allah on earth on the other hand. Thus, man
would be ruled and guided by divine light and would behave with a sense of
responsibility So a Muslim strives to make the best of his time to produce for
himself and other people what is useful for them and to prepare himself for the
future both in this life.
*Dinar and Dirham currency used during the time of the Prophet
(PBUH), which resembles the dollar and Cents’ or the pound and pence.
** Black and and striped sheets of cloth: precious cloth,
symbolizing luxury clothes and costumes.
Listen to this golden rule of happiness in the words of Allah’s
Messenger (PBUH), "Take advantage of five before five: your youth before
your senility; your health before your sickness; your wealth before your
poverty; your leisure before your occupation; and, your life before your
death.( Ahmad, Baihaqi and Hakim)
Youth, which is the prime of man, should be used in fruitful and
constructive competition strife; health, the golden opportunity in life, should
used for the prevention of diseases; wealth, is also an opportunity which must
be used for protection from poverty; leisure, which is a major problem of our
contemporary world, must he treated wit a sense of responsibility and must be
used only for activities which are constructive and worthwhile; and, finally,
the whole life is the greatest opportunity for man to make provision for the
final journey into the future world, in the Hereafter in accordance with the
Divine Will.
Preparation for the Day of Judgment and the attainment of eternal
happiness does not involve the neglect of this worldly life. It requires the
full exploitation and improvement of our Society as well as the building of a
lofty civilization based on the Divine Guidance as revealed by Allah unto His
Messenger, Muhammad (PBUH).
6. A major source of discontent
and unhappiness ss the feeling of inadequacy and incapability,
while opulent people enjoy the pleasures and luxury of life. The most effective
solution to such a source of uneasiness and suffering is to forget about people
with higher standard of living; for if you compare yourself with such people
you will only incur misery. You would find solace when you dicover that you are
endowed with more blessings by Allah than many others. We have already been
guided to this golden rule given by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in the following
words: "Look at those inferior to you, and do not look at those superior
to you. Thereby, you would be able to appreciate better the benevolence of
Allah bestowed upon you." ( Bukhari and Muslim)
On another occasion the Messenger of Allah (PBUH ) said, "When
any of you happens to see one on whom Allah has bestowed more riches and a
finer physique, he should look at one who is inferior to him (in this
respect)." (Bukhari)
A Muslim is generally satisfied with his lot from Allah regarding
such matters which fall outside and beyond his means and ability. This,
however, does not indicate any defeatist attitude or fatalism In its passive
denotation; rather, a Muslim exercises his free will actively and enjoys a
dynamic personality. As part of his faith, a Muslim believes in the Day of
Judgment and in the Divine Justice which gives him relief in cases where he
finds no way to the fulfillment of justice. After all, everything in this world
is ephemeral and What matters is not the worldly possessions one may hold but
the right preparation for the Hereafter, in which the faithful and guided
believer enters into the Eternal Abode of Bliss, where there shall be no
bitterness or misery. This fact gives him a complete consolation and relieves him
of his suffering For he is conscious of the fact that on that day justice will
prevail and everybody will be able to receive his due, and no one will trespass
on him, wrong him or boast over him. This awareness helps a lot to protect man
from much anxiety and uneasiness.
In matters of religion, piety and acquisition of knowledge, we had
better look at those superior to us In good deeds, upright behavior and in the
pursuit of useful knowledge.
7. Building of better understanding
of things and getting rid of misconceptions and superstitions
deliver man from ignorance, illusions and baseless worries that spoil his
tranquility and happiness. On the contrary, ignorance of realities entices
people to take wrong avenues and draw them into troubles, ridicules and undue
sufferings. Take, for instance, the case of a child who develops fear of
certain tame animals, or the case of some women who get scared of harmless
creatures or even the case of some men who are haunted by fear of bad omens or
by the belief that men are intrinsically evil. Such notions would undoubtedly
cause the individual to behave erroneously and lead a very miserable life which
may have unwelcome effects on his character and environment. They may lead to
the development of such abnormalities as depression, anxiety, hallucination,
schizophrenia, neurosis, psychosis, etc.
8. One important step on the way to happiness is
to work towards harmony within oneself and with the outward world: in
the family, at school, in the office, in society and more generally, in
humanity. The achievement of such harmony requires the building up of one’s
personality so as to become stable, confident. Consistent, flexible and
adaptable. Character building could be achieved by adopting the Islamic
educational system which helps man to acquire a balanced and sound personality
and coexist and adapt himself easily to other people and things around him so
that he could help to create a happy environment.
9. Access to happiness can also be obtained
through several factors necessary for a successful and happy life,
namely: good health, time, affluence and sound (constructive) reasoning
provided, however, that these are supplemented with inner wealth through spiritual
guidance without which such elements would be only a source of evil and
destruction. Without the inner wealth and contentment, all riches and treasures
of this world would not suffice to make a man happy.
Islam takes a positive view of life with virtue lying not in
shunning the bounties of Allah but in enjoying them within the framework of
"righteous living" through which Islam seeks to promote human
welfare: "0 ye who believe! Make not unlawful the good things which Allah
hath made lawful for you, but commit no excess: for Allah loves not those given
to excess. "Eat of the things which Allah hath provided for you, lawful
and good; but fear Allah, in Whom you believe." (Qur’an,5:87-88)
Islam also lays a lot of stress and emphasis on the need for simultaneous
enrichment of both material and spiritual values to be deeply infused into the
individuals life.
10. Social solidarity is based
on cooperation and the presence of altruism and civil spirit. Such
elements were never deep-rooted and in full force anywhere in the world as they
were in the early ideal Muslim society. That civilized and lofty society was a
living reflection of the active faith of Muslim believers and of the
commandments revealed by Allah and preached by His last Prophet to humanity,
Muhammad (PBUH); the result, of course, was collective prosperity and
happiness.
Read with me:
"Help ye one another in righteousness and piety, but help ye
not one another in sin and rancor." (Qur’an, 5:3)
‘A believer is like a brick for another believer, the one
supporting the other." (Bukhari and Muslim)
‘The similitude of believers in regard to mutual love, affection,
and fellow feeling is that of one body; when any limb of it aches, the whole
body aches, because of sleeplessness and fever." (Bukhari and Muslim)
"None of you is a perfect believer until he desires for his
brother believer that which he desires for himself." ( Bukhari and Muslim)
"A Muslim owes six obligations towards another Muslim. namely:
1. When you meet him, greet him by saying: Peace be on you;
2. When he invites you, you should accept his invitation;
3. When he solicits your advice, advise him sincerely;
4. When he sneezes and praises Allah, respond with supplication:
May
Allah have mercy on you;
5. When he falls sick, you should visit him; and,
6. When he dies, join his funeral."
"One who believes in
Allah and the Day of Judgment must not cause hardship and inconvenience to his
neighbor; and he who believes in Allah and the Last Day must honour his guest,
and he who believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment must speak well or keep
quiet!" ( Muslim)
Omar bin AlKhattab, the second Caliph after the death of Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH), refused to eat fat and meat until all people have had enough
to eat. ( Bukhari and Muslim)
A society with such standards of education and altruistic spirit,
with such solidarity and harmonious relations, with such excellent manners and
self-sacrifice, such a society is really a very happy one.
11. Stability of the human Personality
is one of the essential elements of happiness both or the
individual and the collective levels. How could we attain a stable, well
balanced personality? Let’s refer to the words of Allah in the Glorious Qur’an
and trace some of the important constituents of such character:
* Seeking guidance from the Holy Qur’an: "Verily this
Qur’an doth guide to that which is most right (or stable)...."(Qura’n.
17:9)
* Forbearance and deliberation: Haste is a danger to the
stability of human character. Man in his haste may unwittingly mistake evil for
good. Haste and impatience, due to failure to attain one’s ambitions or
desires, may move one to pray for evil instead of good or be contented with the
immediate little gain and give up the greater future gain.
* A child is born with an intact nature that grows in a stable
upright manner until he/she reaches maturity. Deviation of the character takes
place as a result of external factors. Therefore, the Qur’an provides remedial
doses for the achievement of character stability and virtuousness, and the
treatment of evils of deviation and corruption before they become out of
control. It has made clear the straight path of righteousness and warned
against the ways of error. Moreover, it has also pointed out that man is
endowed with the faculty of distinguishing right from wrong.
"By the soul, and the proportion and order given to it; And
its enlightenment as to its wrong and its right; Truly he succeeds that
purifies it, And he fails that corrupts it!"(Qur’an 91:710)
The above passage draws the attention of man to the role of self
purification and stabilization in the achievement of success and happiness. Man
should learn and understand that his success, prosperity and salvation depend on
himself, on his keeping his soul as pure as Allah has made it on the other
hand, his failure, decline and perdition depend on his soiling his soul by
choosing evil.
* An outstanding feature of a well-balanced personality is
moderation in all fields of life in general and in the financial field in
particular.
"And render to the kindred their due rights, as (also) to
those in want, and to the wayfarer: but squander not (your wealth) in the
manner of a spendthrift." (Qur’an, 17:26)
"Make not thy hand tied (like a niggard’s) to thy neck, nor
stretch it forth to its utmost reach, so that thou become blameworthy and
destitute.’ (Ibid,
We are not to be so lavish as to make ourselves destitute and incur
the just censure of wise men, nor is it becoming to keep back our resources
from the just needs of those who have a right to our help.
* A stable character keeps man away from degradation and crimes,
such as lying, murder, suicide, adultery, drug addiction, fraud, rape, robbery,
theft, usury and other sins which are in contradiction with a stable
personality and ‘deprive the society of its stability and peace.
12. The feeling of peace and security or freedom from fear and
anxiety.
Happiness springs from inside the human mind and heart. Therefore,
peace of the mind and psychological security play a major role in the
attainment of happiness. Many wealthy people could not find the way to
happiness despite the luxury they enjoy. That is due to their lack of the
aforesaid factor. At the same time, many people who lack the luxury of life
enjoy such inner security and through this they experience a great deal of
happiness.
Peace of mind and the feeling of security could be achieved by
getting rid of fear and anxiety, and observance by people of their duties to
their Almighty Lord, moved simultaneously by fear of Allah and love for Him.
This would make them keep away from all forms of aggressions and harm, thus
causing peace and security to prevail in society. The feeling of security is
boosted by the awareness that Allah continuously watches over every human act
and behavior.
"Allah ever watches over you."(Qur’an, 4:1)
Security may also be established and strengthened by mutual mercy
and sympathy and caring for sectors of society badly in need of protection and
patronage such as orphans. Organization of family affairs helps also to remove
the causes of anxiety. Read the following verse from the holy Qur’an on the
wife-husband relationship:
‘...and among His (Allah’s) signs is this, that He created for you
mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them, and He
has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are Signs for
those who reflect." (Qur’an, 30:21)
It is this mutual relationship of love, mercy and affection that
gives the sense of security to the whole family, including children who enjoy
this sense under the protection of their parents. This relationship is
well-organized in Islamic society, including the prescription of rights and
obligations for every member of the family so that stability may prevail in
their lives.
On a larger scope, Islam laid down the foundations of security and
peace in society by establishing comprehensive and fair rules and regulations
for all human affairs: moral, social, political, military, economic and other
fields of human endeavourer.
13. Repentance purifies
the soul and relieves the human mind of the burden of sin and
guilt. The aim of penitence is twofold: Peace of mind and carefree life in this
world and everlasting bliss in the Hereafter. Repentance, in its Islamic
import, does not involve, as in Christianity, any kind of confession of sins to
a priest or to any man. Islam teaches that there are no mediators or
intercessors in the relationship between Allah and His servants. In fact,
anyone could always turn directly to Allah for help and forgiveness, for He is
too Generous and Kind to turn you down. The Holy Qur’an explains to us how
Merciful is Allah to us:
‘When My servants ask thee concerning Me, I am indeed close (to
them): I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he cullet on Me: Let them
also, with a will, listen to My call, and believe in Me: that they may walk in
the right way." (Qur’an, 2:186)
"0 ye Believers! Turn ye all together toward Allah, that ye
may attain Bliss." (Qur’an, 24:31)
14. Learning and Pursuit
of Knowledge open for man the gateway to success and happiness.
Have a look at human civilization throughout history and see how knowledge
improved man’s life and introduced many innovations and facilities for the
service of man. But knowledge and science are twoedged weapon: they could raise
lofty towers but could also destroy. So knowledge must be channeled into the
right way that leads to the happiness and welfare of mankind. Despite of the
tremendous advancement in human knowledge, particularly in science and
technology, it is sad that their lull utilization is generally geared towards
oppression trespassing on human resources violation and suppression of basic human
rights international terrorism and blackmail, and the like.
Constructive knowledge in general, and the knowledge of Divine
Guidance and Law in particular, pave the way for human betterment and
happiness.
Guided by such kind of knowledge, Muslims over many centuries, were
able to build a civilization that covered every aspect of human advancement
(both material and Spiritual) rarely attained by any other civilizations in
history. Nowadays, the Muslim nation is badly in need of a revival in order to
lead humanity again to a civilization of justice, peace, prosperity and
happiness based on constructive knowledge and Divine Guidance On the Pursuit of
knowledge and learning we read in the Holy Qur’an:
"..but say, O my Lord! advance me in knowledge!’. (Qur’an,
20:114)
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH ) stressed the importance of the pursuit of
knowledge as a way to eternal happiness. “If a person follows a path for
acquiring knowledge Allah will make easy the passage to paradise for hint” (
Muslim). Pursuit of knowledge provides man with a feeling of enjoyment and
pleasure If man enjoys having delicious meals for his body, he would also enjoy
more delicious meals (of knowledge) for his mind and soul.
15 "Tell me who your friends and companions are, then I can
tell you who you are."
To draw the above saying Closer to our subject matter, we may say:
"Keep a happy man company and you will become happy."
It seems like contagious happiness that infects the environment of
man and influences other This is true because a happy man is an optimistic and
confident person who enjoys peace and assurance and tries to transmit his
optimism and cheerfulness wherever he goes, thereby spreading an impression of
delight and happiness. Moreover, when you have righteous friends you will
acquire good qualities from them and become equally righteous Righteousness,
you know , is an Entry Visa for the abode of happiness and Allah’s bounty.
16. Strong will
And self-confidence are decisive factors for the attainment of happiness.
These factors could develop and direct the life of the individual toward
success and happiness. They are also essential to overcome the hardships of
life and withstand all odds that obstruct man’s way towards the achievement of
his goals in life.
17. To form a happy social life
You should be on good and intimate terms with your family, friends
and colleagues. The building of a happy house depends on the right choice of
your spouse, maintenance of intimate and good relationship and familiarity with
the best ways of bringing up the
children. Friends should be selected carefully as mentioned earlier. As for
your colleagues, you should treat them with tolerance, affection and mutual
respect.
‘Whoever works any act of righteousness and has faith his endeavour
will not be rejected and We shall record it in his favour" (Qur’an,
21:94).
CONCLUSION
A timely reminder to every one appeared in a recent issue of the
Reader’s Digest sorrowful words as those of a certain top member of the U.S.
Republican National Committee. lie is now dead, and in his prime, he was
blessed with material wealth, power and prestige but not with spiritual wealth.
Unfortunately, our message is late for him but for the many still alive who may
be undergoing similar conditions, the words of the honorable gentleman of the
I know I acquired more than most. But you can acquire all you want
and still feel empty. What power wouldn’t I trade for a little more time with
my family? What price wouldn’t I pay for an evening with friends? It took a
deadly illness to put me eye to eye with that truth, but it is a truth the
country can learn on my dime.... I was never a religious man. All you have is
your time on this earth, I used to say. Confronted with the prospect of my own
end, I reevaluated. I did not even know what I believed. I welcome anyone who
could tell me about his faith....!’
His last words were very revealing but it was completely a dismal
failure full of emptiness without a trace of hope of spiritual fulfillment. It
was tragic indeed, without a trace of hope all his times were spent solely for
material wealth and leaving not an iota of spiritual nourishment. Try ISLAM the
only recourse of humanity for a "real’ happiness.
Welcome to your own religion!
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said:
"Every child is born in a state off ‘lslam’,
then, his parents make him a jew, a Christian or a Magian"
REMINDER ALL THOSE WHO EMBRACE ISLAM ACTUALLY
"REVERT” TO THEIR OWN ORIGINAL RELIGION (ISLAM).