✨What is true happiness?

By Muhammad Marsa

Brothers and sisters in Islam, the title of this khutba is " What is true happiness?" Everyone is doing his best to look for happiness, so what is happiness? And where is it ? Is happiness found in gathering money? Or in a position of high status? Is happiness found in being healthy? Or in being safe from evil people.

Allah gives us examples of people who enjoyed temporary happiness, but they transgressed and were corrupt. So the result was that these people were destroyed for their wicked deeds.

Pharaoh - one whom Allah gave power and authority - used to say, "O my people! Is not mine the dominion of Egypt, and these rivers flowing underneath me " And he forgot that the one who fed and clothed him was Allah; he was so evil that he once said, "I know not that you have a god other than me."

So, because of his rebelliousness to Allah, Allah destroyed him.

"So Allah seized him with punishment for his transgression. "The fire, they are exposed to it, morning and afternoon. And on the Day when the Hour will be established ( it will be said to the angels) : " Cause Pharaoh's people to enter the severest torment!".

So where's his happiness now? What did his temporary happiness get him?

Another example is Qaroon, Allah blessed him with treasures the size of hills without any effort on his part! He thought he had true happiness, but his happiness was superficial...so he insisted to go against Allah's commands on earth, and so the bitter punishment occurred; Allah says, " So We caused the earth to swallow him"

Alwaleed ibn Almogheera looked for happiness, and Allah gave him ten sons, he used to attend parties with them putting five on the right and five on the left and forgot that at first he had no son ! "Leave Me Alone (to deal) with whom I created lonely ( without any wealth or children * And then granted him resources in abundance. * And children to be by his side. * And made life smooth and comfortable for him * After all that he desires that I should give more: Nay!"

So , what did he do ? He made them soldiers to fight Allah ! So Allah said to him " I will cast him into Hell-fire* and what will make you know ( exactly) what Hell-fire is? * It spares not (any sinner) nor does it leave ( anything unburnt)! * Burning and blackening the skins * Over it are nineteen ( angels as guardians and keepers of Hell)

So, where is true happiness? These people had it all…….power, wealth, children...but what did they get in the end? Destruction. For those who disobey Allah and His Messenger...their end will be doom and they will have no happiness.

True happiness is through belief in Allah; true happiness is found in Islam. It is only one's belief in Allah and following the teachings of Islam that gives the heart true happiness and true satisfaction.

Prophet Mohammad (saaws) had true happiness; once he said to belal, "let us relax by performing salat" His satisfaction was in Salat...his happiness was through Allah!

Yousef had true happiness; he once said, "Oh my Lord, prison is more beloved to me than that which they call me to" He was referring to doing the haram with the wife of his master! He preferred going to prison rather than disobeying Allah. Because he knew where true happiness was - it was in obeying Allah

Ibn Taymia had true happiness; eventhough he was enchained and the jailer was closing the door of jail in a dark small room, Ibn Taimah said " So a wall will be put up between them , with a gate therein . Inside it will be mercy, and outside it will be torment." and turned to those out of the jail and send them a message and say " what can my enemies do to me? My paradise is inside myself , where I go, it is with me! My killing is a martyrdom, and my exile is tourism and my imprisonment is a time for me to be alone with Allah!

This is true happiness and these are the states of the happy people! And this can't be achieved without sincere belief and following Islam

The one who lives in a palace without belief , Allah wrote on him.

" Verily, for him is a life hardship" and the one who gathered wealth without belief, Allah said to him " Verily, for him is a life hardship "

And the one who got a high position without belief, Allah will make his end " Verily, for him is a life hardship"

O people , if you look for happiness, look for it in the mosque , in the quran , in sunna, in following the prophet Mohammad PBUH. And if we look for happiness in this way, Allah will grant us with the ultimate happiness, the happiness that never fades - Paradise.