The Foundations of a Nation's Happiness

The Happiness of a Nation: That its minds be enlightened, its morals elevated, that it rejoices in the systems by which it is governed, approves of the way they are applied, feels at ease with their implementation, and feels secure that no foreign hand would reach for any of its rights.

As for the enlightenment of its minds, it lies in the establishment of sufficient educational institutions. For a nation composed of both the educated and uneducated, its leaders—whenever they seek to guide it toward righteous living—will find it difficult to lead, sluggish in its steps.

Proper education is that which follows the most advanced systems and the soundest methods. Receiving knowledge through crude approaches is the cause of the delay in scientific progress and the lack of discipline in methods of research and thinking.

There is no way for a people to take pride in their scientific revival unless their youth are raised to seek knowledge with the intention of uncovering truths and aspiring to the highest virtues. What prevents them from reaching the level of brilliance and innovation is that they pursue knowledge for material ends; once these are achieved, they cease their pursuit.

The education whose outcome is secure and whose fruit is blessed is that in which students are guided to critique and scrutinize opinions, so they do not accept any view unless they see its merit supported by evidence. We have seen firsthand that a group of our youth have deviated from the path of guidance, and had they been among those who subject opinions to the principles of sound inquiry, they would have remained on the path of Allah and would not have been among the deluded.

As for the elevation of morals, it is so that actions may be upright and transactions among people orderly. Grave tasks require perseverance and resolve, generosity and courage. Profitable dealings do not remain strong and pure unless they are preserved by truthfulness, honesty, forbearance, magnanimity, and emotional gentleness. This aspect of happiness falls under the responsibility of those who handle upbringing, such as mothers, fathers, and educators. There is no sufficiency in mothers, fathers, or teachers to produce a child or youth pure of heart and straight in conduct unless religious education spreads its light across all our schools, whether elementary or higher. If religious upbringing reaches souls through its proper path, one sees only modesty and chastity, truthfulness and trustworthiness, disdain for grave sins, jealousy for truths and interests, and—above all—dignity of spirit and loftiness of ambition. These qualities do not take root nor flourish except under the shade of divine guidance, leaning to the right and to the left.

As for the availability of wealth resources, it is so that the means of life are at its disposal, and so that every individual may live in comfort. How far is a nation from the happiness of life if it has many who beg with outstretched hands, and others who frequent cafés and clubs in the morning just as they do in the evening!

Among the rights of the nation is that its rulers provide the means for public works and consider the advancement of industry, agriculture, and trade, and the expansion thereof. They must care for it scientifically by opening schools to teach the sciences and arts relevant to these economic foundations, and practically by building factories, encouraging farmers, and devising means to promote national goods as much as they can. By such efforts, idle hands will find work, and the costs of our clothing, home goods, and life needs will not exit the borders of our homeland.

The economic burden is not upon the rulers alone. The wealthy bear a significant share of this responsibility, for they can form companies governed by the principles of the noble religion, thus yielding abundant, blessed profit and providing work for many.

I lived in the capital of Germany and some of its cities and villages for a considerable time, and I never once saw a beggar in sound health. In that time, I saw only a few who begged—either a man missing a hand or leg, or an elderly person weakened by age. I never saw a healthy-bodied person begging, for such a one would certainly find productive work there if they desired. Education—which is mandatory there—makes it disgraceful for its bearer to resort to begging.

Many Muslim rulers looked upon the nation with compassion and strove to lighten its burdens as much as they could.

Here is Ṭāhir ibn al-Ḥusayn in the letter he sent to his son ʿAbdullah when al-Maʾmūn appointed him over Egypt and al-Raqqah and what lay between:
"Take care of the afflicted, their orphans and widows. Allocate for them sustenance from the public treasury. Establish homes for the sick to shelter them, assign caretakers to be gentle with them, doctors to treat their ailments, and fulfill their desires as long as it does not lead to extravagance in the treasury."

Opening paths of work for the able-bodied and establishing hospitals and shelters for the sick and disabled is a means to protect the nation from having some of its sons driven—by need—toward clubs or hospitals opened by those aiming to corrupt their religious beliefs or extinguish their patriotic zeal.

As for delighting in civil systems, it leads the nation to sincerely respect them, to uphold them in private just as in public. Thus, in most disputes, people are satisfied to seek the truth through consultation. Those in authority are the ones who formulate civil systems and implement them. These authorities—despite their ranks and varying positions—are a group within the nation entrusted with its public affairs, and this trust is only realized when they act in ways that ensure the nation’s interests. Accordingly, the nation must be governed by systems it considers to be the most sound and beneficial. The Islamic nation only deems systems to be wise and in the interest of the public if they align with the foundations of its Sharīʿah and do not infringe upon its sanctities.

As for satisfaction with the state of implementation, that is because the validity of laws becomes evident through the hands of those entrusted with applying them. What value is there in a just law if applied by someone poorly educated in manners? The application of laws to incidents depends on the judge’s propriety, and his level of knowledge and understanding. It is a right of the nation that only one possessing sound knowledge and good application skills rules in its disputes—one who, through his uprightness, ensures that the strong and the weak are equal before him. This is the essence of the virtue of justice commanded in the verse: “And when you judge between people to judge with justice.” (An-Nisaʾ: 58)
and His saying: “And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed – then it is those who are the wrongdoers.” (Al-Maʾidah: 45)

As for being at ease with methods of enforcement, that refers to the executive authority—such as the police. The people’s right over them is that they be governed with mercy and feel that these authorities are but members of their own body.

I resided in some Eastern countries and often witnessed sharp estrangement between armed forces and fellow citizens, with tensions flaring over the smallest exchange. Then I moved to a European capital, visited its cities and villages, and found affection and harmony between the soldiers, police, and the rest of the population. The observer could hardly distinguish between them, save for the uniform or weapon carried by the former. I would see a carriage driver arguing with a police officer for a long time, both raising their voices equally, and then one would persuade the other and they would part peacefully.

We know that the spread of education among the people helps law enforcement and others to implement public systems with a mere word of warning to anyone intending to violate them. But those deprived of education need to be regarded with compassion and handled with gentleness—unless they breach the law rebelliously.

Muʿawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan said: “I do not use my sword when my whip suffices, and I do not use my whip when my tongue suffices.”

Applying systems to reality and implementing them justly is one of the rights the nation holds over its rulers. And if the implementation of this justice depends on something that falls within the responsibilities of some individuals among the nation—such as giving truthful testimony—then the accountability lies with those capable of bearing witness truthfully but who conceal the testimony while knowing it.

As for the nation's security from foreign hands seizing its rights, this security is essential for the nation to feel reassured about its dignity and honor, and to believe that its children will live free as do powerful nations. It should not fear the might of its enemies nor look toward its children’s future with anxiety, imagining it bright and hopeful only when the bond between the rulers and the people is filled with sincere counsel on one side and good obedience on the other.

Through sincere counsel, educational institutions flourish, and the nation becomes self-reliant—drawing upon the knowledge and capabilities of its own children instead of depending on foreign countries for means of defense and strength. And through proper obedience, the military becomes organized, and financial power reaches its full potential.

Islam, among the many things it has emphasized, gives particular attention to these two great virtues: the sincerity of rulers toward their people and the obedience of the people to their rulers. It made it obligatory upon the rulers to base their governance on safeguarding rights and interests. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Anyone who is asked by God to take charge of subjects and does not protect them with good counsel will not smell the fragrance of paradise.” (Bukhari and Muslim.)
Then he turned to the people and commanded them with good obedience. One of the proofs of this is his saying ﷺ: “Listening and Obedience are binding on a Muslim whether he likes or dislikes, so long as he is not commanded for disobedience (to Allaah). If he is commanded to disobedience (to Allaah), no listening and disobedience are binding (on him).” (Al-Albani)

The truth is, the happiness of the nation lies in the hands of its leaders. If they remain upright upon the right path and govern with gentleness and true concern for the interests and dignity of the nation, the people will follow them in uprightness—and it won’t be long before they succeed in their journey and attain their goals.

“Those who believed and were fearing Allah – for them are good tidings in the worldly life and in the Hereafter. No change is there in the words of Allah. That is the great attainment.”
(Yunus, 63–64)

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Source: Encyclopedia Ala’mal AlKamela by Sheikh Muhammad al-Khidr Husayn

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