The Oasis of Happiness
Happiness has multiple sources. It has many gardens among which some are mentioned in this article.
- Categories: Hereafter - Tazkiah -
In the name of Allah the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
All the praises and thanks be to Allah Alone, and prayers and peace of Allah be upon the last and seal of the Prophets.
Happiness has multiple sources. It has many gardens among which are:
1- Guidance, faith, straightly following the commands of the Most Merciful, disagreeing with lustrous desires and Satan, in addition to avoiding disbelief, wickedness and disobedience (to Allah and His Messenger).
2- Beneficial science (knowledge) as it relieves the heart, magnifies the reward, raises high the fame, and eliminates sins. It is the best thing to be treasured. Its bliss is represented in believing in Faith, the forbidden things, and the commands.
3- Frequently asking Allah for forgiveness, and returning unto Him in repentance. Being addicted to knocking at the Door of the All-Knower of all that is hidden (or unseen), asking Him to make our hearts receptive to guidance, as He is the One Who accepts the repentance of those who repent.
4- Always mentioning Him in all states and conditions, in settling and travelling. Uttering yâ dhaj-jalâli (O Full of Majesty), with the heart believing in these words while the tongue is uttering them.
5- Being good to all the slaves of Allah and treating them kindly, being beneficial, looking after the needy and the poor, supplying them with their needs, and bringing happiness unto their hearts.
6- Having a brave heart during crisis, a steady one during calamities, and a strong one in hardships. A heart that is not upset by new issues, or worried during misfortunes.
7- Purifying the heart from envy, corruption, malice, and grudges. Avoiding vengeance towards the slaves of Allah and being lenient towards the stubborn.
8- Leaving vain looks and talks, and intermingling. Being moderate in all matters and issues. Avoiding extravagance and excessiveness in any important matter.
9- Fighting leisure, being content -from this worldly life- with subsistence. Never to elude with the eluders, and to declare enmity to all tyrants and oppressors.
10-Living the present day, forgetting the past yesterday, and not to be preoccupied by the coming tomorrow. Yesterday is dead. Today is a newborn. Tomorrow is still to come.
11-Looking at the less fortunate in health, knowledge, and wealth. You are better than they are, by the grace of the Bestower. You have what they do not have.
12-Forgetting the past misfortunes, dangers, and accidents. Do not think about them, during the day or at night. They are like broken glass (it is in vain crying over it).
13-If a calamity happens, perceive the worst to come, and then set your heart in bearing it, with serenity. Put your trust in Allah, as He has sufficed you previous incidents, and will suffice you what yet to come.
14-Do not expect troubles. Do not be upset by what you fear. Whoever is sincere with his lord, He will suffice him his worries. After all, you may not survive the day.
15-Know that life is short. Do not make it shorter by much negative and dangerous thoughts and sorrows. Life is bitter and sweet, and Allah is the One Who decides.
16-If anything befalls you, compare what is remaining to what you have lost. You will find that you are living in bliss. Happiness is remaining for you. What you have exceeds, by degrees, what you have lost.
17-Do not be afraid of the words of the envious, even if they are extremely mean and corrupt. Only the masters are being envied. No harm will befall you; rather, it will befall those malicious people. Allah will suffice you, for Allah ever watches over His Servants.
18-Make your ideas beneficial. Set your mind towards all the good. In fact, when your ideas are good, you will be happy, as you have made them as solid as iron.
19-Never put off till tomorrow what can be done today. Otherwise, chores will accumulate and you will burden yourself. Each day has its business, therefore, be like a newborn every day.
20-Start with the most important matters, and accomplish them perfectly. Give priority to quality not quantity. Moreover, ask Allah for guidance before you start, thus, His care will encompass you.
21-Choose the suitable work for you. Accompany who would help you to piety, as man follows the creed of his close friends. Moreover, know that there is a Watcher Who will hold you accountable for your actions.
22-Speak about the hidden and apparent bliss of Allah, talking about them expels persistent worries and brings back happiness.
23-Treat your wife, children, and relatives by seeing their virtues and neglecting their defects. No one is flawless. However, if you abandon all those with flaws, you will find no one to accompany. Some attribute of a person is good while the other is bad.
24-Increase your supplications, hope, and good thinking of Allah. No matter how the distress is great, how dark the time is, and how many the enemies are, do not despair. All matters are in the Hands of the Lord of earth and heavens.
25-Do not fear the two classes (jinn and men), even if they filled the heavens and earth. They will not harm you but by the permission of the Lord of the ‘Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists). Their forelocks are in His grip. He is Steadfast in His plots.
26-Everything is predestined. Therefore, be patient upon calamities, as everything is prerecorded in the Mother of the Book (Al-Lauh Al-Mahfûz). Whenever fate happens, the mind gets confused and the sight is blinded.
27-You may hate something while it is bliss, by which Allah has saved you from a misfortune. Therefore, do not hate what Allah has preordained and fulfilled.
28-Take solace from the distressed, as there are thousands of them. People are befallen with catastrophes; they are deprived of bliss, and overtaken by fate.
29-Nevertheless, people are complaining from fate, they are crying because of their times, and they are lamenting their conditions. They spend their life in worries. However, you should know that there is no sweet without fire.
30-However, you should know that with every difficulty there is relief, that patience brings victory, that richness comes after poverty, and that health comes after illness. Moreover, life is both sweet and sour.
31-You should abide by fitting patience. Trust all your matters to Allah. Be content with little. Act according to the sent religion. Furthermore, prepare yourself for the day of departure, death.
32-Know that the surplus of life is worries; a lot of money is shackles, an openhanded worldly life is cares and concerns. The best bliss is the peace of mind.
33-However, a sip of water with a loaf of bread on a clean rug with the holy Book is better than vast kingdoms. It is more comfortable than living in a spacious mansion. Where are kings and kingdoms?
34-Ignore whoever abuses your honor by words; neglect him till he is defeated. Dogs bark and nothing fills their mouth but stones.
35-I have not seen anything like solitude where the slave of Allah can get hold of his religion and mind, where he can get rid of every foolish and silly. In fact, most people are not worth a grain; so, cling to your abode, as you will not find anything like it.
36-Do not be flattered by people coming into you, they are against you. They have not come but for their desires from you. Previous experience is enough for you.
37-Wear clean pure garments. Put on sweet-smelling fragrances and work out. Decrease abusing stimulants. Addict to the remembrances.
38-Repeat the supplication of Dhun-Nûn (Jonah) when he said, “la ilaha illa anta subhanaka innee kuntu mina alththalimeen [none has the right to be worshipped but You (O, Allâh)], Glorified (and Exalted) be You [above all that (evil) they associate with You]! Truly, I have been of the wrong-doers.” Increase mentioning death. Take matters easy so that they will be easy. Do not accept your religion to be humiliated. Be content with little of this worldly life.
Glorified be your Lord, the Lord of Honor and Power! (He is free) from what they attribute unto Him!
Dr. ‘A’id Al-Qarni
Madar Al-Watan