1- Seek the Pleasure of Allah
Nothing can make us more happier than seeking the pleasure of Allah . Allah tells us in Quran about what is the greatest happiness in Islam, calling it a ‘supreme success’ and about the people who deserve this supreme success.
The believers, men and women, are Awliya’ (helpers, supporters, friends) of one another; they enjoin (on people) Al-Ma’rûf (good), and forbid (people) from Al-Munkar (evil); they perform As-Salât (prayer), and give the Zakât (charity), and obey Allah and His Messenger. Allah will have His Mercy on them. (9:71, 72)
2- Be Thankful
The more Thankful we are to Allah, the more He will shower His bounties upon us. Appreciation of what Allah has blessed you with is vital for this step to be achieved. This is indeed an act of worship.
And (remember) when your Lord proclaimed: “If you give thanks, I will give you more (of My Blessings), but if you are thankless, verily! My Punishment is indeed severe.” (14:7)
O you who believe! Eat of the good things that We have provided for you, and be grateful to Allah, if it is Him you worship. (2:172)
3- Satisfy Your Soul
Work on activities that result in internal happiness that satisfy and bring a smile to the heart, not merely a smile on the face by doing meaningful work; strive to partake in activities like feeding the poor, assisting the distressed and helping others rather than killing your resources like time and money.
True enrichment does not come through possessing a lot of wealth, but true enrichment is the enrichment of the soul. (Al-Bukhari)
4- Avoid Worldly Comparisons
Do not look at the celebrities, rich or affluent people above you in worldly matters. The lives of such individuals is not ‘ideal’ in the eyes of Allah. Admire the lives of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and Khadija (may Allah be pleased with her) who are our role models.
5- Expect Only From Allah
Any sustenance, provision and reward we expect is from Allah alone.
O Allah, give me enough of what You have made lawful to suffice me from what You have made unlawful, and enrich me by Your bounty giving me independence from all other than You. (Al-Tirmidhi)
And so many a moving (living) creature there is, that carries not its own provision! Allah provides for it and for you. And He is the All-Hearer, the All-Knower. [60 Al Ankabūt]
6- Serve Others and Maintain Relations
The Messenger (peace and blessing be upon him) strongly advised to maintain family ties, keep strong relations and taught us the etiquettes of social relations.
“All created beings are the dependents of Allah, and the most beloved of creation to Allah is the one who is good to His dependants” [Bayhaqi]
7- Get Adequate Rest and Organize Your Life
A very important step to ensure better productivity. The Messenger chose a simple life over a glamorous one, and he was always content. A person who plans their day is much more productive than a person who does not. The Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) used to carefully apportioned his time according to the demands on him for: Worshiping Allah, Public affairs and Personal matters.
On the authority of Ali , Tirmizi has recorded that the Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) had carefully apportioned his time according to the demands on him for offering worship to Allah in and his personal matters. After the early morning prayers he would remain sitting in the mosque reciting praises of Allah till the sun rose and more people collected. He would then preach to them. After the sermons were over, he would talk genially with the people, enquire about their welfare and even exchange jokes with them. Taxes and revenues were also disrtibuted at this time. [Sahih Muslim, Tirmizi]
He would then offer chaste prayers and go home and get busy with household work. [Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmizi]
8- Build a Support Group
Feeling a part of a larger group gives one a sense of security and a safety net to fall into on occasions of happiness and hardships. The concept of brotherhood and sisterhood is one of the central themes of Islam.
“The (example of) believers (in their mutual love, care and concern) is like a single person: if his eye complains of pain his whole body complains of pain, and if his head complains of pain his whole body complains of pain.” [Muslim]
9- Eat Halal
Consuming halal is an order of Allah and an essential part of the Islamic faith. Allah has repeatedly emphasized the consumption of halal in His book.
Abu Hurairah related,” Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessing be upon him) said: Verily Allah is pure and He accepts only what is pure and indeed Allah has given those orders to the believers, which he has given to the Messengers. He has said, “O Messenger, eat from the pure foods and work righteous”. He -also- has said: “O you who have believed, eat from the pure things which we have provided you.” Then (the Prophet PBUH) made mention of a man who undergoes a lengthy journey in a state that he is disheveled and dusty. He spreads his hands towards the sky (calling), “O my lord, O my lord”, however his food is haram, his drink is haram, his clothes are haram and he has been nourished with haram! So how will his call be answered?” [Muslim]
10- Keep Fit
Scientists claim that one of the benefits of exercise is that it makes us feel happy. Exercise is described by many doctors as an anti-depressant. The presence of certain chemicals like endorphins and phenyl acetic acid increases drastically after a good work out and it is this that contributes to that ‘feel good’ feeling afterwards.
Prophet (peace and blessing be upon him) said: “The strong believer is better and more beloved to Allah than the weak believer, while there is good in both.” [Muslim]
These are the ten steps for Happiness and with the divine assistance of Allah it is hoped we can all live happier lives to transport us to our final abode – PARADISE. May Allah be pleased with us always – and that’s the eternal happiness. Ameen.
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