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Causes of happiness in this world

Question

I know the hadith that mentions four (causes of happiness: house, neighbor, wife and vehicle) and also the hadith that says that the righteous wife is the best temporary joy. My disbelieving father even says that his disbelieving wife was his greatest joy. My friend who is Muslim says that faith is the best joy. My question is: what are some other hadiths about happiness?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) is His slave and Messenger.

Among the ahaadeeth about happiness is what at-Tirmithi  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him reported; that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said, “Whoever among you wakes up in the morning secured in his dwelling, healthy in his body, having his food for the day, then it is as if he has acquired the whole world (with all that it contains).

Also, there is the hadeeth reported by Muslim from ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him in which the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said, “He is indeed successful who has accepted Islam, has been provided sufficiently for his needs, and has been made content by Allaah with what He has given him.

There is no doubt that one of the greatest reasons of happiness is faith and good deeds. It is in faith and good deeds that there is the happiness of this world and the Hereafter; Allaah says (what means): {Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer - We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.} [Quran 16:97]

For more benefit, please refer to fatwa 102241.

This is the true happiness which the non-Muslim is deprived of, because in this world, there is comfort of the heart and tranquility with Allaah and with remembering Him.

Allaah says (what means): {Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allaah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allaah hearts are assured.”} [Quran 13:28]

The happiness of faith is the Paradise of this world, about which Ibn Taymiyyah  may  Allaah  have  mercy  upon  him said, “There is in this world a paradise, and he who does not enter it, he does not enter the Paradise of the Hereafter.

The happiness in the Hereafter is eternal bliss in Paradise, which is as wide as the heavens and the earth; there is neither fatigue nor misery in it; Allaah says (what means): {For them will be the Home of Peace with their Lord. And He will be their protecting friend because of what they used to do.} [Quran 6:127]

A non-Muslim may get some happiness in this world, with his wife or with other temporary pleasures of this world; but this happiness is incomplete due to the lack of faith, and it is full of distress due to the darkness of disbelief and sin in the heart. It is for this reason that we find that such people need alcohol, nightclubs, and partying to relieve themselves of that distress. Allaah says (what means): {Indeed, Allaah will admit those who have believed and done righteous deeds to gardens beneath which rivers flow, but those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as grazing livestock eat, and the Fire will be a residence for them.} [Quran 47:12]

Are they equal?

The happiness of the believer with his wife while being a believer (having faith) cannot be compared to the happiness of the non-Muslim with his wife. Where will the non-Muslim couple find this happiness that is mentioned in the hadeeth that was reported by Abu Daawood and Ibn Maajah and which was narrated by Abu Sa’eed and Abu Hurayrah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  them and says that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said, “If a man wakes up by night and he awakens his wife, and they pray two Rak'ahs (units of prayer), they will be written among the men and women who remember Allaah much.

Abu Hurayrah  may  Allaah  be  pleased  with  him also narrated that the Prophet  sallallaahu  `alayhi  wa  sallam ( may  Allaah exalt his mention ) said, “May Allaah have mercy upon a man who wakes up at night and prays and he awakens his wife and she prays, and if she does not wake up, he splashes water on her face; and may Allaah have mercy upon a woman who wakes up at night and she prays and she awakens her husband and he prays, and if he does not wake up, she splashes water on his face.” [Ahmad, Abu Daawood, An-Nasaa’i and Ibn Maajah]

Allaah knows best.

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