Moment of Quietness: Happiness What It Is… How and When is Real Happiness is Attained

Assalamu ‘alaykum,

Something that no two people disagree about is that, happiness is the end gaol for which everyone is striving. The criminal does what he does because he believes it’s the shortest path to happiness…

The prostitute does what she does, unless she’s forced to, because she assumes that will grant her happiness…

In fact, the tyrant and the oppressor ride on people’s necks, for nothing other than to fill their empty selves with happiness…

And a believer also chooses to believe and submit, simply because he’s certain that his choice of the correct faith is the only path, that leads to happiness. Regardless, whether it happens to be an alleyway, a byway, a causeway, or a highway.

As much as the word happiness needs no definition, it’s easily mistaken with illusion and misguidance.

What is happiness… and how is happiness attained?

Happiness… as Perceived by the Fitness Minded

For the fitness-minded, happiness can be when you push yourself out of your room, to hit the road to jog, to hit the field to exercise, or to hit the gym to workout.  After which the scent of a drop of perfume lifts your heart to gardens of lavender and roses.. And after which the feel of natural touch means reassurance.

However,  real happiness is, when besides securing greater rewards, your soul brights up, and your body lightens.. and there you go.. active.. optimistic.. and productive Muslim.  This is achieved when you carry yourself out of your bed… for fajr prayer.

رَكْعَتَا الْفَجْرِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَمَا فِيهَا

“The two rak’ahs at dawn are better than this world and what it contains.” (Muslim (752a/6:118) from the narration of Sayyidah ‘Aishah).

الصَّلاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ
الصَّلاةُ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّوْمِ

“Prayer is better than sleeping…  Prayer is better than sleeping.”

Happiness… as Perceived by the Hard Working

To the hard-working, happiness is when you succeed in solving a mystery or meeting an unexpected deadline. Upon which you feel worthwhile and self-accomplished.

However, real happiness is when you put aside everything in your hands and get yourself ready to respond to the call to real success…

حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلاةِ… حَيَّ عَلَى الصَّلاةِ
حَيَّ عَلَى الفَلاحِ… حَيَّ عَلَى الفَلاحِ

“come for prayer… come for prayer
come to success… come to success.”

Anytime you successfully achieve this, you can’t help, but to feel successful indeed. Yes… you feel truly successful, because it’s promised and secured for those who respond… You feel truly successful because you’ve submitted to that which Allah loves the most.

وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَا ۖ لَا نَسْـَٔلُكَ رِزْقًا ۖ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكَ ۗ وَٱلْعَٰقِبَةُ لِلتَّقْوَىٰ.ـ

“And enjoin prayer upon your family and be steadfast therein. We ask you not for provision; We provide for you, and the [best] outcome is for [those of] righteousness.” (Tāhā, 20:132).

Happiness… as Perceived by the Materialistic

To the materialistic, happiness may be when he achieves all his heart desires. Most of which can be nothing but delusion. Some of which may be evil. And many of which could be whispered by the Devil and his agents.

However, real happiness is when one gives up on those heart desires in an exchange for that which Allah loves and has commanded.

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ ‎﴿١٦٢﴾‏ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ ۖ وَبِذَٰلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ.ـ

Say, “My prayer, my sacrifice, my life, my death are all for Allah, the Lord of the worlds; He has no partner. So am I commanded, and I am the first of those who submit.” (Al-An’ām, 6:162-163).

Happiness… as Perceived by the Deluded Freedom Fighter

To the one who wants to lead a life without responsibilities, happiness is when he redeems freedom. The type of freedom defined by man… man who can’t prevent himself from slumber nor urinating. The type of freedom that is said to be when you can do whatever you desire. The type of freedom, which the wise is certain that it exists not. “Which freedom exists then?” you may ask.

The only one who has an absolute freedom is the One who made the first creation… And you can attain freedom only when you become in good terms with Him.

Therefore, happiness is when you succeed in driving yourself to submit to Allah, and hence be free from slavery in the hands of fellow creatures.

وَمَا أُمِرُوا إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ حُنَفَاءَ وَيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُوا الزَّكَاةَ ۚ وَذَٰلِكَ دِينُ الْقَيِّمَةِ.ـ‏

“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion.” (Sūrah al-Bayyinah, 98:5).

Happiness… Perceived by the Mind Your Own Business Minded

To the one who runs away from taking part in the collective responsibilities in the society, happiness is when every one closes his eyes when situations require intervention for encouragement or to warn against a disaster. A moral disaster. They call this minding one’s own business.

However, happiness is when one enjoins to good or warns against wrongdoing even in situations that may render him unpopular. This is because, besides the rewards one earns, it’s also a protection for generations to come.  For your children.. for his children. For your descendants.. for his descendants.. for our descendants. That’s if want to make this temporal world a better place to live while it lasts.

وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَتَأْمُرُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَلَتَنْهَوُنَّ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ أَوْ لَيُوشِكَنَّ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عِقَابًا مِنْهُ ثُمَّ تَدْعُونَهُ فَلاَ يُسْتَجَابُ لَكُمْ.ـ

“By the One in Whose Hand is my soul! Either you command good and forbid evil, or Allah will soon send upon you a punishment from Him, then you will call upon Him, but He will not respond to you. “ (Imām al-Tirmidhī from Hudhayfah ibn al-Yamān)

Happiness… as Perceived by the Smart

To the smart, happiness is when he succeeds in fooling everyone, to prove how genius he is. For good or for bad.

However, real happiness is when you go to bed, and upon looking back at your day, you were the hope for the hopeless, the help for the helpless, the saviour for the destitute and the God-sent for the confused and the lost.

لَا حَسَدَ إِلَّا فِي اثْنَتَيْنِ رَجُلٍ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ مَالًا فَسَلَّطَهُ عَلَى هَلَكَتِهِ فِي الْحَقِّ وَرَجُلٍ آتَاهُ اللَّهُ الْحِكْمَة فَهُوَ يقْضِي بهَا وَيعلمهَا.ـ

“Only two people may be envied: a man to whom Allah has given property, empowering him to dispose of it on what is right; and a man to whom Allah has given wisdom who acts according to it and teaches it.” (Bukhari and Muslim from Ibn Mas’ūd raḍiya Allāhu ’anhu).

Happiness… as Perceived by the Legend Maker

To the legend maker, happiness is when he accumulates lots and lots of worldly legacy. When he becomes the most famous of his time. When newborns are named after his name… and when the less secured feel secured or privileged when they get to take photos with him.

However, real happiness is when the heavens and earth shed tears for one’s death. Even though he was, to his follow mankind, a nobody.  Yes… real happiness is when you are saved from falling in Hell, and you make it to the Paradise of eternity.

كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ذَآئِقَةُ ٱلْمَوْتِ ۗ وَإِنَّمَا تُوَفَّوْنَ أُجُورَكُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَٰمَةِ ۖ فَمَن زُحْزِحَ عَنِ ٱلنَّارِ وَأُدْخِلَ ٱلْجَنَّةَ فَقَدْ فَازَ ۗ وَمَا ٱلْحَيَوٰةُ ٱلدُّنْيَآ إِلَّا مَتَٰعُ ٱلْغُرُورِ .ـ

“Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has succeeded. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.” (al-‘Imrān, 3:185).

Happiness: When Is It Attained to the Fullest

This set of random descriptions, or definition, if you may of happiness can be attained in this temporal life. And the ultimate part of it awaits you in the next life.

مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً ۖ وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ.ـ

“Whoever carries out good deeds, man or woman, and is a believer, to him, We shall assuredly give a good life; and We will bestow upon them their reward according to the best of their works.” (Sūrah al-Nahl, 16:97)

This is Baba Salam… from Al-Bushra by GSalam and GSalam.Net.. Signing out.

Wassalamu ‘alaykum warahmatullah.