Are you happy?

I think it is not a question of a person needing to do something to find happiness it is more they need to stop doing the things that remove happiness. Happiness is our natural state. We loose it when we think we need to find pleasures and ease in life. All too often we go chasing after things we think will make us happy only to find after we get them they bring unhappiness.

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم):

Surah Mai'da 5:16

سم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Bismillā hir Rahmā nir Rahīm
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

يَهْدِي بِهِ اللّهُ مَنِ اتَّبَعَ رِضْوَانَهُ سُبُلَ السَّلاَمِ وَيُخْرِجُهُم مِّنِ الظُّلُمَاتِ إِلَى النُّورِ بِإِذْنِهِ وَيَهْدِيهِمْ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ (5:16)


Yahdee bihi Allahu mani ittabaAAa ridwanahu subula alssalami wayukhrijuhum mina alththulumati ila alnnoori biithnihi wayahdeehim ila siratin mustaqeemin

5:16 Wherewith Allah guideth all who seek His good pleasure to ways of peace and safety, and leadeth them out of darkness, by His will, unto the light,- guideth them to a path that is straight. (Yusuf Ali translation)

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم):

Surah Yunus 10:62-64

أَلا إِنَّ أَوْلِيَاء اللّهِ لاَ خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلاَ هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ (10:62)

Ala inna awliyaa Allahi la khawfun AAalayhim wala hum yahzanoona

10:62 (Y. Ali) Behold! verily on the friends of Allah there is no fear, nor shall they grieve;

الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَكَانُواْ يَتَّقُونَ (10:63)

Allatheena amanoo wakanoo yattaqoona

10:63 (Y. Ali) Those who believe and (constantly) guard against evil;-

لَهُمُ الْبُشْرَى فِي الْحَياةِ الدُّنْيَا وَفِي الآخِرَةِ لاَ تَبْدِيلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللّهِ ذَلِكَ هُوَ الْفَوْزُ الْعَظِيمُ (10:64)

Lahumu albushra fee alhayati alddunya wafee alakhirati la tabdeela likalimati Allahi thalika huwa alfawzu alAAatheemu

10:64 (Y. Ali) For them are glad tidings, in the life of the present and in the Hereafter; no change can there be in the words of Allah. This is indeed the supreme felicity.

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم):

We without any doubt acknowledge that the source of any happiness comes from Allah. The following are some suggested ways to maintain that happy process.


1. Be optimistic. In the 1970s, researchers followed people who'd won the lottery and found that a year after they'd hit the jackpot, they were no happier than the people who didn't. They called it hedonic adaptation, which suggests that we each have a baseline level of happiness. No matter what happens, good or bad, the effect on our happiness is only temporary and we tend to rebound to our baseline level. Some people have a higher baseline happiness level than others, and that can be attributed in part to genetics, but it's also largely influenced by how you think. So while the remainder of this article will help boost your happiness, only improving your attitude towards life will increase your happiness permanently.


2. Follow your gut. In one study, two groups of people were asked to pick out a poster to take home. One group was asked to analyze their decision carefully, weighing the pros and cons, and the other group was told to listen to their gut. Two weeks later, the group that followed their gut was happier with their posters than the group that analyzed their decisions. Now, some of our decisions are more crucial than picking out posters, but by the time you're poring over your choice, the options you're weighing are probably very similar, and the difference will only temporarily affect your happiness. So next time you have a decision to make, and you're down to two or three options, just pick the one that feels right, and go with it. Never regret the decisions you make though. Just live by the 3 C's of life: choices chances, and changes. You need to make a choice to take a chance or your life will never change.

3. Make enough money to meet your basic needs: food, shelter, and clothing. In the US, that magic number is $40,000 a year. Any money you make beyond that will not necessarily make you happier. Remember the lottery winners mentioned earlier? Oodles of money didn't make them any happier. Once you make enough money to support your basic needs, your happiness is not significantly affected by how much money you make, but by your level of optimism.

• Your comfort may increase with your salary, but comfort isn't what makes people happy. It makes people bored. That's why it's important to push beyond your comfort zone to fuel your growth as a person.

4. Stay close to friends and family. (Muslims) Or move to where other members are- so you can see them more. We live in a mobile society, where people follow jobs around the country and sometimes around the world. We do this because we think increases in salary will make us happier, but the fact is that our relationships with our friends and family have a far greater impact on our happiness than our jobs do. So next time you think about relocating, consider that you'd need a salary increase of over $100,000 USD to compensate for the loss of happiness you'd have from moving away from your friends and family. But if your relationships with your family and friends are unhealthy or nonexistent, and you are bent on moving, choose a location where you'll be making about the same amount of money as everyone else; according to research, people feel more financially secure (and happier) when they're on similar financial footing as the people around them, regardless of what that footing is.



5. Find happiness in the job you have now. Many people expect the right job or the right career to dramatically change their level of happiness, but happiness research makes it clear that your level of optimism and the quality of your relationships eclipse the satisfaction you gain from your job. If you have a positive outlook, you will make the best of any job, and if you have good relationships with people, you won't depend on your job to give your life a greater sense of meaning. You'll find it in your interactions with the people you care about. Now that doesn't mean you shouldn't aspire towards a job that will make you happier; it means you should understand that the capacity of your job to make you happy is quite small in comparison to your outlook on life and your relationships with people.


6. Smile. Science suggests that when you smile, whether you feel happy or not, your mood will be elevated. So smile all the time! In addition having enough money to pay the bills allows you to focus your energies on more productive aspects of your life, such a the pursuit of happiness as opposed to keeping the 'wolves from the door'.


7. Forgive. In a study of college students, it was found that an attitude of forgiveness contributed to better cardiovascular health. You could say that forgiveness literally heals your heart. While it is unknown how forgiveness directly affects your heart, the study suggests that it may lower the perception of stress.


8. Make friends in Masjid. In a 2010 study by Harvard researchers published in the journal American Sociological Review, it was discovered that people who went to place of worship regularly reported greater life satisfaction than those who didn't. The critical factor was the quality of friendships made at a place of worship. People who went to a place of worship and didn't have any close friends there were no happier than people who never went to a place of worship. When the researchers compared people who had the same number of close friends, the ones who had close friends from place of worship were more satisfied with their lives. It's thought that the forming of friendships based on mutual interests and beliefs (and meeting consistently based on that mutual bond) is what makes the difference, so if a place of worship itself is not your thing, consider finding something else you're deeply passionate about and making friends who you can connect with regularly based on that.



Note:

• If you are constantly unhappy or depressed, seek professional help.
• Happy people are not happy all the time. Everyone has times when they feel sad, frustrated, guilty, angry and so on. Happy people are just better at bouncing back to a state of contentedness. We may all feel negative at some moment in our lives, but try to bounce back and live in the moment, and be content with everything you do.

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم):

What made you happy today? Expound! Exercise your mind. Be creative. A paragraph....

format_quote Originally Posted by sabr*

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم):

What made you happy today? Expound! Exercise your mind. Be creative. A paragraph....

Not long back we had lost all of our horses. Some had been shot and the rest had been stolen. We recovered 11 of the horses that had been stolen. All of the mares were pregnant. Today we came across something that made us very happy.







We have not named her yet, But Allaah(swt) is truly returning that which was lost.

format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow

Not long back we had lost all of our horses. Some had been shot and the rest had been stolen. We recovered 11 of the horses that had been stolen. All of the mares were pregnant. Today we came across something that made us very happy.

format_quote Originally Posted by Woodrow

We have not named her yet, But Allaah(swt) is truly returning that which was lost.

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم):

Akhi Woodrow:

Alhamdulillah! Allah is merciful. Always replacing in abundance.

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم):

What made you happy today? Expound! Exercise your mind. Be creative. A paragraph....

What makes you happy on a daily basis?

a thought that Allah is with me...and after that there are uncountable blessings of Allah on me that makes me happy on daily basis...

Do you have a daily routine that assists you in achieving this happiness?

no i don't have any.
i think i don't need to do efforts to make me happy Alhamdulillah.. little things in everyday life can easily make me happy

What keeps you from complaining about life's curve balls?

when i face a single thorn( in my life i remember those flowers(blessings of Allah) spread all round me..

When observing people who complain about everything do you use that to motivator to thank Allah for your baraka (Blessings)?

such things are very irritating to me that why are they doing so.. i feel like going to them and reminding them the list of things they have on which they can thanks Allah

format_quote Originally Posted by muslima haya

a thought that Allah is with me...and after that there are uncountable blessings of Allah on me that makes me happy on daily basis...



no i don't have any.
i think i don't need to do efforts to make me happy Alhamdulillah.. little things in everyday life can easily make me happy



when i face a single thorn( in my life i remember those flowers(blessings of Allah) spread all round me..



such things are very irritating to me that why are they doing so.. i feel like going to them and reminding them the list of things they have on which they can thanks Allah

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم):

Ukhti muslima haya:

your post contributed to enhancing this positive thread.


Jazakumullahu Khair

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم):

Everyone isn't born with a positive disposition. But humans have the ability to learn and incorporate behavior that changes their thought.

If a person is nurtured in a household of strife, conflict, arguing, emotional abuse, lack of
love, repression, rejection, misogyny, to list a few can expect a lifetime of negative
thoughts which was a learned behavior. This behavior can be changed to positive with
effort and action.

Applying a pessimistic view on every situation verses the blessings that Allah has entrusted his Vicegerents.

Everyone review their last ten posts. Do we have one positive post that encourages, educates, uplifts, supports, etc. This self reflection applies to all forum members.
(Including us)

Allah is the source of true happiness. And if a person is constantly unhappy how close
are they to the true application of Islam?

The growth and development of your soul will determine your degree of happiness.

Ar-Ra'd (The Thunder) 13:28

الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ أَلاَ بِذِكْرِ اللّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ (13:28)

Allatheena amanoo watatmainnu quloobuhum bithikri Allahi ala bithikri Allahi tatmainnu alquloobu

13:28 (Y. Ali) "Those who believe, and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah. for without doubt in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction.


Jazakumullahu Khair

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم):


Yunus (Jonah) 10:57

يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ قَدْ جَاءتْكُم مَّوْعِظَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَشِفَاء لِّمَا فِي الصُّدُورِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ (10:57)

Ya ayyuha alnnasu qad jaatkum mawAAithatun min rabbikum washifaon lima fee alssudoori wahudan warahmatun lilmumineena

10:57 (Y. Ali) O mankind! there hath come to you a direction from your Lord and a healing for the (diseases) in your hearts,- and for those who believe, a guidance and a Mercy.

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم):


Al-Isra (The Journey by Night) 17:82

وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مَا هُوَ شِفَاء وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلاَ يَزِيدُ الظَّالِمِينَ إَلاَّ خَسَارًا (17:82)
Wanunazzilu mina alqurani ma huwa shifaon warahmatun lilmumineena wala yazeedu alththalimeena illa khasaran

17:82 (Y. Ali) We send down (stage by stage) in the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe: to the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss.

format_quote Originally Posted by sabr*

What makes you happy on a daily basis?

Doing all the things I am supposed to do on a daily basis make me satisfied and happy that I am a productive person with ambitions who is aiming to reach a specific goal in life.

Do you have a daily routine that assists you in achieving this happiness?

yea, Alhumdulilah

What keeps you from complaining about life's curve balls?

my belief that Allah is always there for me and that there is a wisdom behind whatever difficulty I have been put through

Does avoiding negative energy help and how?

yea, it keeps me feel positive and that I can achieve more than what I can imagine

When observing people who complain about everything do you use that to motivator to thank Allah for your baraka (Blessings)?

sure

format_quote Originally Posted by sabr*

As-Salāmu `Alaykum (السلام عليكم):

Walaykum salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

format_quote Originally Posted by sabr*

What makes you happy on a daily basis?

Thinking about the mercy of Allah and the countless blessings He has bestowed upon me.

Alhamdulillahir rabbil al ameen!

format_quote Originally Posted by sabr*

Do you have a daily routine that assists you in achieving this happiness?

The five daily prayers, dhikr Allah, thanking Allah for all that I have and seeing Allah's signature imprinted in all things.

format_quote Originally Posted by sabr*

What keeps you from complaining about life's curve balls?

Complaints? I don't know the meaning of that word. lol. I see good in everything, especially life's curve balls. They are the best of the lot actually.

format_quote Originally Posted by sabr*

Does avoiding negative energy help and how?

Sure. Leaving the room when I am angry, going off for a walk to cool down are great ways to avoid negative energy. And when I realize that I am getting angry, I seek refuge in Allah from shaytan.

format_quote Originally Posted by sabr*

When observing people who complain about everything do you use that to motivator to thank Allah for your baraka (Blessings)?

Yes, I thank Allah for blessing me with knowledge and I pray to Him that He will guide others and give them knowledge the way He has given me.

Jazakallah khair brother sabr for these wonderful questions.

Alhamdulillahir rabbil al ameen!