Barriers to Real Happiness (1)

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, Peace and blessings be upon him, will suffer from spiritual void and deprive themselves from real salvation and mercy. Allah says:

{فَمَن يُرِ‌دِ اللَّـهُ أَن يَهْدِيَهُ يَشْرَ‌حْ صَدْرَ‌هُ لِلْإِسْلَامِ ۖ وَمَن يُرِ‌دْ أَن يُضِلَّهُ يَجْعَلْ صَدْرَ‌هُ ضَيِّقًا حَرَ‌جًا كَأَنَّمَا يَصَّعَّدُ فِي السَّمَاءِ}

‘Translation’ {Those whom God (in His Plan) wills to guide, He opens their breast to Islam; those whom He wills to leave straying, He makes their breast close and constricted, as if they had to climb up to the skies: thus does Allah lay abomination on those who refuse to follow His code of life, that is Islam…” [Al-An’am: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:

{وَمِن شَرِّ‌ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ}

‘Translation’ {from the mischief of the envious one as he practices 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 purity of heart.

4. Ill-will

True believers are described in the Qur’an as saying when they pray to Allah:

{وَلَا تَجْعَلْ فِي قُلُوبِنَا غِلًّا لِّلَّذِينَ آمَنُوا}

‘Translation’ {And leave not, in our hearts, rancor (or sense of injury) against those who have believed…” [Al-Hashr:10] 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, Peace and blessings be upon him, stressed the importance of self-restraint when he advised one of his companions: «Do not be overpowered by anger».

6. Injustice 

Injustice, no doubt will bring ruin to every-body who practices 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, are 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:

{وَإِذْ قَالَ لُقْمَانُ لِابْنِهِ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُ يَا بُنَيَّ لَا تُشْرِ‌كْ بِاللَّـهِ ۖ إِنَّ الشِّرْ‌كَ لَظُلْمٌ عَظِيمٌ}

‘Translation’ {Behold, Luqman said to his son by way of instruction: 'O my son! Join not in worship (others) with Allah: for false worship is indeed the highest wrong-doing'....} [Luqman:13].

Many a nation backed up, or refrained from resisting, unjust tyrants and wrong-doers and brought thereby upon themselves devastation and perdition.

The following quotation from the sayings of the Prophet, Peace and blessings be upon him, testifies to this proven fact very often noticed in human life. Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari companion of Prophet Muhammad, Peace and blessings be upon him, related that the Prophet said (as narrated by imams 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:

{وَكَذَٰلِكَ أَخْذُ رَ‌بِّكَ إِذَا أَخَذَ الْقُرَ‌ىٰ وَهِيَ ظَالِمَةٌ ۚ إِنَّ أَخْذَهُ أَلِيمٌ شَدِيدٌ}

‘Translation’ {Such is the chastisement of thy Lord when He chastises communities in the midst of their wrong: grievous, indeed, and severe is His chastisement} [Hood:102].

In another verse from the Holy Qur’an, it is stated:

{وَكَأَيِّن مِّن قَرْ‌يَةٍ أَمْلَيْتُ لَهَا وَهِيَ ظَالِمَةٌ ثُمَّ أَخَذْتُهَا وَإِلَيَّ الْمَصِيرُ‌}

‘Translation’ {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)} [Hajj:48].

Ghalib Ahmad Masri and Nathif Jama Adam