How to Live a Happy Life
Out of the several things that are relative in this world and that very vary from person to person, Happiness is one of the most crucial and commonly pursued one. Every one of us has his or her idea of happiness and we try to achieve and incorporate that notion of happiness in our life in order to make ourselves feel better.
There are numerous how-to guides available that tell different guidelines to people by following which they could achieve happiness. Some of these guides tell to change our life style, while others focus on changing our mentality and the way we approach life. Regardless of whatever method we chose in the pursuit of happiness, the achievement of it is still relative and one method cannot guarantee achievement of happiness by all those who follow it.
The achievement of happiness is comparatively an easy thing for a Muslim because in the form of Islam Allah Almighty has given the perfect code of life to a Muslim by practicing which a Muslim can achieve happiness in this life and the eternal happiness of the life hereafter.
The lines below discuss some tips that Muslims can use as a means of achieving happiness in their lives.
Have Faith:
The Islamic faith in itself is the best way of achieving happiness. In the form of Islam Allah has given the right frame of work which a Muslim has to follow in order to live life in a peaceful and happy manner. Muslims who learn Quran find meanings from it, and when they incorporate those meanings in their lives, they achieve happiness, regardless of whatever their idea of happiness is to them. Allah says in Quran:
“Whoever works righteousness – whether male or female – while he (or she) is a true believer, verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in hereafter).” (16:97)
So, if respect, lawful provision or contentment is what is your notion of happiness, then this will be given to you as a reward from Allah once you believe in him and do the deeds of righteousness as prescribed in Islam. Thus, following Islam is actually in itself happiness and its pursuit at the same time.
Spread Kindness And Good:
One cannot expect to remain happy or achieve happiness whilst one is on the path of evil and always produces harms for other people. Rather, the strange thing with happiness is that sometimes it spurs by making others happy. The kind of satisfaction that helping another person or making the life of someone easy brings cannot be bought by all the money and all the professional success. Therefore, in order to achieve happiness, a Muslim needs to do good and be kind towards other and spread this message of kindness and goodness wherever he or she goes. As Allah says in Quran:
“There is no good in most of their secret talks save (in) him who orders Sadaqah or Ma’roof, or conciliation between mankind; and he who does this, seeking the good pleasure of Allah, we shall give him a great reward.” (4:114)
Thus, by giving charity, conciliating between mankind and doing good in general a Muslim seeks the pleasure of Allah and there is nothing in this universe that could bring better happiness to a Muslim other than the pleasure of Allah.
Always Keep A Positive Frame Of Mind:
Everyone of us constructs his or her version of happiness. Therefore, above everything, happiness is a mental construct and if the mind of a person is able to create happiness then the most adverse of the situations can bring joy. On the contrary if the mind of a person is unable to construct happiness, then all the glory and material of this world cannot bring happiness to a person. Therefore, a Muslim must always have a positive frame of mind in all the situations, which will help in achievement of happiness. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said in a hadith:
“Strive for that which will benefit you and seek the help of Allah, and do not be helpless. If anything (bad) happens to you, do not say, ‘If only I had done such and such, then such and such would have happened.’ Rather you should say, ‘Allah decrees, and what He wills He does’, for ‘if only’ open the door to Shaytaan.” (Muslim)
Therefore, instead of opting for lamentation and fretting about the past, a Muslim must consider having faith in Allah and His will. This submission to His will is what will bring happiness to a Muslim.
Take Guidance From Quran:
In Quran there are instructions for a Muslim. These instructions are not limited to a certain aspect of life, rather the instructions comprise all areas of life whether it is spirituality, social life, political concepts, law and ethical values. Thus, when a Muslim believes that Quran is the word of Allah and is also agrees to the fact that whatever he or she does in life will bring happiness to him or her, then following the instructions of Allah is the best shot that a Muslim has at achieving happiness. Ergo, a Muslim must learn Quran and try to develop an understanding of it and once one understands it, try to implement in life, which h will lay the foundation for happiness.
Follow The Sunnah:
Every Muslim knows that the life of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the best example, which any person in this world can set as an ideal. The Prophet (PBUH)lived every situation and every occupation of His life with dignity and happiness. He faced bad times in His life as well, but in those bad times too He never lost hope rather, He found contentment in those times and lived them through with happiness. And then there were good times in His life as well, but He did not let those times get onto His head, rather in those times He became grateful to Allah and spread the happiness with others. Therefore, following the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and seeing the way He conducted the businesses of His life can help a Muslim walk on the path of happiness and make it more achievable.
Share It:
Islam makes it obligatory upon its followers to give charity in the form of Zakat and share their wealth, at the same time, Islam also makes it obligatory upon its followers to keep fast and leave everything from sunrise to sunset. Both these activities in themselves tell the notion of sharing and prepare a Muslim for sharing. A person loves his or her wealth and knows that it is not an easy thing to come by, thus, when he or she shares it with others in the form of Zakat, they are actually aware that this wealth will bring a chance of happiness to whoever is receiving it. Similarly, when one fasts, it is only at the time of breaking the fast that a person realizes the kind of happiness the availability of food brings to a person. Ergo, the essence or the achievement of happiness lies in sharing it with others.
In a nutshell, no matter whatever your definition of happiness is, if you adopt the instructions of Islam by truly believing in them, then happiness is quite achievable and you as a Muslim will be able to live life happily.
