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All praises are due unto Allah alone. Durood and Salaams be upon
Sayyiduna Muhammed Sallallahu alayhi wasallam.
People die out of grief in their quest to obtain happiness. Many perceive happiness
to be mansions, sports cars, holidays, power and fame.
If not whilst living, then most certainly at the time of death they discover that
their perceptions were illusions.
Like a shadow, we all know that happiness and success exist. So how do we
catch a shadow? Simple: Catch the object!
Hearts are in Allah Ta`ala’s Hands!
The object is the heart and the seat of happiness is the heart. A person can
have less but if his heart is happy, he has plenty. On the other hand, a person
who has plenty but whose heart is angry and unhappy, he is a poor person.
Nabi Sallallahu alayhi wasallam made Du’a:
“O Allah, verily our hearts are in Your Hands…”
“O Allah, grant barkat in our hearts…”
Since our hearts are in the Hands of Allah, it is logical that if we please Him,
he will infuse in our hearts happiness and contentment.
Understanding ourselves — The nafs versus the rooh…
Men is very easily influenced by what he sees and what he hears. Good news
makes his heart jump with joy, bad news depresses him. Just as clay accepts
impressions easily, so too does the heart of men. After all, has Allah, Most
High not created men from clay?
There is a constant clash between our Nafs and our Rooh. This is where the
greatest clash of civilisation takes place. The Nafs is inclined to Shaytaan and
evil, the Rooh towards Allah and virtue. The Nafs loves negligence in Allah’s
affairs, the Rooh thrives on the remembrance of Allah, Most High. The Nafs
adores itself, the Rooh has no time for such nonsense — it’s too busy contemplating
the Greatness of Allah, Most High. The Nafs blooms with deception
and hypocrisy, the Rooh blossoms with Ikhlaas (sincerity). The Nafs loves
haste, the Rooh loves contemplation. The Nafs prospers with false excuses
and self-pity to cover its shortcomings, the Rooh flourishes with humility and
is strengthened with Taubah.
The problem
Once, a group of travellers stopped over for the night at an inn. The horses
and donkeys were being attended to by the staff of the inn. The workers took
one of the donkeys and decided to sell it and throw a party.
They invited all the travellers. Much merrymaking took place. At the end of
the party, all the workers started dancing and singing “The donkey is sold, the
donkey is sold.” The travellers, including the owner of the donkey, clapping
hands jovially joined in.
Came the morning, one traveller found himself without his donkey. On inquiring
where it was, the workers told him that it was sold and that the proceeds
went towards the party. Did he himself not merrily join in all the eating, dancing
and singing? Not only did the poor traveller lose his donkey, he actually
partook in the celebrations!
One of the major reasons why our Imaan is stagnating is the problem of following
crowds and majorities. The consequences of our actions we ignore.
If someone sings “gender equality, gender equality, gender equality”, we join
in. If someone sings “it’s Islam, it’s Islam, it’s Islam”, we join in.
Whether it is in accordance to the Shariah or not — we do not think!
Whether it pleases Allah and His Nabi Salallahu alayhi wasallam or not — we
do not reflect! Though we know that Allah alone is worthy of being pleased,
we prefer the pleasure of the creation.
Are we under the impression that Allah does not watch …or that He does not
care…or that He does not mind when He is disobeyed?
Or are we under the impression that Allah does not reward…that He does not
appreciate sacrifices…that He does not get happy with obedience?
The consequences
Happiness does not mean that one will not get sick or have no problems or
experience no difficulties. Happiness means that we will find Allah at our
side, “holding” our hands and guiding us gradually towards solutions. This
special Ta-alluq (relationship) with Allah is what true happiness is all about.
Most certainly, Allah Ta’ala does get happy just as He does get angry. If we
remember Allah Ta’ala, He has Promised to remember us. The more we remember
Him, the more He remembers us. The more obedient we are, the
greater He cares for us. This remembrance and obedience is the root of
happiness.
Thus, we displease Allah at our own peril. If He is displeased, can
wealth exonerate us from divine displeasure and buy us happiness.
Article from “The Shari’ah” newspaper
