A person spends a significant portion of their life searching for happiness and its secrets in the paths of life, in various forms such as wealth, health, success, or children. Yet, in the end, they find themselves chasing after things that have no lasting value or permanence. Wealth may leave its owner for any reason, or the owner may leave it behind upon departing from this life. Health fades with the passing of years, children become occupied with their own lives, repeating the cycle in new generations, and success loses its value over time, leaving only what was done for Allah and in His way.
People chase in many directions while true happiness is right at their fingertips, not far from them. True happiness is only found in a heart connected to Allah, content with Him. A heart that loves for the sake of Allah and hates for the sake of Allah, a heart assured that all its fates are good as long as it is committed to obeying its Lord and maintains a clean heart toward others, thereby ensuring stability on the path to happiness, the path of safety until the Hereafter. This path has five secrets:
1. A Pure Heart:
The Islamic community is built on brotherhood, love, affection, cooperation, and connection among Muslims, free from reasons for resentment, grudges, and heart diseases. The highest level of brotherhood is altruism, and its lowest level is having a pure heart.
Islam has emphasized purifying a Muslim's heart from its diseases and making it the focus of Allah's attention. Allah says: "The Day when there will not benefit [anyone] wealth or children. But only one who comes to Allah with a sound heart." (Surah Ash-Shu'ara, 88-89).
Among the blessings of Allah on the Muslim community is that He made them characterized by solidarity and affection. He says: "And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you—when you were enemies, and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers." (Surah Al-Imran, 103).
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) also emphasized brotherhood among Muslims: " Do not harbour grudge against one another, nor jealousy, nor enmity; and do not show your backs to one another; and become as fellow brothers and slaves of Allah. It is not lawful for a Muslim to avoid speaking with his brother beyond three days." (Bukhari). When asked about the best of people, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: " Everyone who is pure of heart and sincere in speech." They said: "Sincere in speech, we know what this is, but what is pure of heart?" He said: "It is (the heart) that is pious and pure, with no sin, injustice, rancor or envy in it." (Sunan Ibn Majah).
2. Remembrance of Allah:
The worship of remembrance (Dhikr) is one of the most important and easiest acts of worship, bringing peace to the heart: "Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured." (Surah Ar-Ra’d, 28). It renews faith and causes the servant to be mentioned in the heavens. Allah says: "So remember Me; I will remember you. And be grateful to Me and do not deny Me." (Surah Al-Baqarah, 152). Allah praises those who remember Him abundantly and promises them a great reward: "And the men who remember Allah often and the women who do so—Allah has prepared for them forgiveness and a great reward." (Surah Al-Ahzab, 35).
The Prophet (peace be upon him) described it as one of the best acts of worship: "Shall I not inform you of the best of your actions which are the purest to your Rubb, which exalt you to the high ranks, which are more efficacious than spending gold and silver (in charity), and better for you than you should encounter your enemies whom you will smite their necks and they will smite your necks?" They said: " Certainly." He said: "Remembrance of Allah, the Exalted." (Ahmad and At-Tirmidhi).
3. Love for the Sake of Allah:
One of the sources of happiness is knowing that Allah has chosen you to be among those who will be shaded by His Throne. In the Hadith of the seven whom Allah will shade in His shade on the Day when there is no shade but His, the Prophet (peace be upon him) mentioned: "Two persons who love and meet each other and depart from each other for the sake of Allah." (Bukhari and Muslim). When a Muslim's soul is purified and they hold only good feelings for other Muslims, they attain inner peace and a clear conscience. Allah will call out to those who loved each other for His sake on the Day of Judgment, distinguishing them from other believers. Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "On the Day of Resurrection, Allah, the Exalted, will say: 'Where are those who have mutual love for the sake of My Glory? Today I shall shelter them in My Shade when there will be no shade except Mine'" (Muslim).
Loving for the sake of Allah leaves a sweetness in the heart that only the lover feels. Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "There are three qualities that whoever has them will taste the sweetness of faith: to love Allah and His Messenger more than anything else, to love a slave (of Allah) only for (the sake of) Allah; and to abhor returning to infidelity after Allah has saved him from it as he would abhor to be thrown into the fire (of Hell)." (Bukhari and Muslim).
Every companion on the Day of Judgment will be an enemy to his companion except those whose hearts were purified from every love except the love for Allah. Allah says: "Close friends, that Day, will be enemies to each other, except for the righteous." (Surah Az-Zukhruf, 67).
4. Contentment and Submission to the Decree of Allah:
Contentment is one of the most important acts of worship of the heart, indicating the servant's love for their Lord, their contentment with Him, and their surrender to Him. The driving force behind the believer's heart and actions comes from the words of Allah: "Say, 'Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us; He is our protector.' And upon Allah let the believers rely." (Surah At-Tawbah, 51). The believer also relies on the understanding of the Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him) when he said to Abdullah bin Abbas: "O boy! I will instruct you in some matters. Be watchful of Allah (Commandments of Allah), He will preserve you. Safeguard His Rights, He will be ever with you. If you beg, beg of Him Alone; and if you need assistance, supplicate to Allah Alone for help. And remember that if all the people gather to benefit you, they will not be able to benefit you except that which Allah had foreordained (for you); and if all of them gather to do harm to you, they will not be able to afflict you with anything other than that which Allah had pre-destined against you. The pens had been lifted and the ink had dried up." (At-Tirmidhi).
When the driving force is faith, it brings peace to the heart and happiness with all of Allah's gifts, regardless of their apparent form, because the believer trusts Allah.
5. Prayer:
Prayer is a connection between the servant and their Lord, encompassing many acts of worship. It includes remembrance, fasting, pilgrimage, and glorification. No other act of worship combines this amount of worship except prayer. It is the key to success and salvation. Allah says: "Certainly will the believers have succeeded. They who are during their prayer humbly submissive." (Surah Al-Mu’minun, 1-2). He also describes the happy men: "Men whom neither commerce nor sale distracts from the remembrance of Allah and performance of prayer and giving of zakah." (Surah An-Nur, 37).
How could one not be happy when they pray Fajr in congregation or on time for women, knowing they are under Allah's protection and care when they read the Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him): "When anyone offers the Fajr (dawn) prayer, in congregation, he is in the Protection of Allah. So let not Allah call him to account, withdrawing, in any respect, His Protection. Because, He will get hold of him and throw him down on his face in the Hell-fire." (Muslim). Allah's protection means His promise of care and guardianship.
How could the heart of a believer not be happy when they perform ablution and pray two rak’ahs, knowing they are promised Paradise when they read the Hadith of the Prophet (peace be upon him): "Any one performs ablution and performs the ablution perfectly and then offers two rak’ahs of prayers concentrating on them with his heart and face but paradise will necessarily fall to his lot." (Muslim).
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