H.A.P.P.I.N.E.S.S =)

Contentment and happiness is actually a gift from Allah.
Its a gift. it has no condition.
You can be content and happy regardless of what your circumstances are because it is what you feel inside.

From the world’s eye view, success, power, being rich, famous, beautiful and handsome should make any person happy and content and being the total opposite would make any person feels miserable and all out stressed but Islam teaches us differently. No wonder we are branded as ‘the strangers’.

"Strange is the affair of a Muslim. Verily all his affairs are good for him. If something pleasing befalls him he thanks Allah and it becomes better for him. And if something harmful befalls him he is patient and it becomes better for him. And this is only for the Mu’minin. "

Yes, sounds simple enough to read, but to practice it?

It is somewhat a normal reaction for us human to be upset when something bad happens, and happy when something good happens. Very rare to find it the other way round. The reason we think we are happy is because we get what is pleasing to us, and the reason we think we are upset is because we get what is distressing to us.

Notice the word ‘think’.

But here, Allah wants to bring another paradigm into the picture. It's not what you think. Because of your nature as human, who has limited faculties and knowledge, you might not know for sure what you want to make you happy. It might be you think this will make you happy but actually, in the long run, it will make you miserable!

" …it may be that you dislike a thing which is good for you, and that you like a thing which is bad for you. Allah knows but you do not know." [2:216]

But Allah did give us the capacity to work and pursue our goals and dreams. Allah commands us to try our utmost best to achieve it. And naturally, of course you would like to achieve what you worked hard for. That’s the whole point for working hard for it in the first place isn’t it?

But Allah is so Merciful towards His servants, that He only wanted to give the very best of results to His servants. Only the best. Nothing less than that, and Allah knows what would be the best for His servants, in the long run, in the bigger picture, because Allah is all Knowing, His Knowledge encompasses over every single detail.

“..and He Has the keys of the unseen, none knows it but He, and He Knows what on the land and in the sea, not a leaf falls but He Knows about it, and not a grain in the darkness (depth) of the earth nor any thing wet or dry but in a very comprehensive book (record)”. [6:59]

So the conclusion of this whole ranting?

Find happiness by strengthening your bond with Allah. It is difficult, easier said than done. But this is the only medication that works.

A sweet invitation from the Almighty to all of us.

So its worth it.
May we all find happiness in both this world and the hereafter…Ameen…