https://www.khutbah.info/happiness/ The missing do not know that people are searching for them and tiring in their pursuit. And with that, people take paths other than the path of what they are searching for and search in the wrong places. Like happiness, tranquility, and peace of mind. By Allah, how few are those who know it, and even fewer are those who appreciate, value, and live for it. The happiness that accompanies a person, wherever they go, that descends if they descend and goes with them to their grave, is the happiness expressed by Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, in his height of feeling it:
إِنَّ الْحَمْدَ لِلَّهِ ,نَحْمَدُهُ ,وَنَسْتَعِينُهُ وَنَسْتَغْفِرُهُ , وَنَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شُرُورِ أَنْفُسِنَا وَمِنْ سَيِّئَاتِ أَعْمَالِنَا ,مَنْ يَهْدِهِ اللهُ فَلَا مُضِلَّ لَهُ , وَمَنْ يُضْلِلْ فَلَا هَادِيَ لَهُ , وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَأَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ
Verily, all praise is for Allah. We praise Him, we seek His assistance and we ask for His forgiveness. And we seek refuge in Him from the evils of our selves. Whoever Allah guides, none can misguide. Whoever He misguides, none can guide. And I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
يَا أَيُّهَا الّذِينَ آمَنُوا اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّ تُقَاتِهِ وَلَا تَمُوتُنَّ إِلَّا وَأَنْتُمْ مُسْلِمُونَ – آل عمران:102
Al Imran 102 : O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and die not except in a state of Islam.
Oh people:
The missing do not know that people are searching for them and tiring in their pursuit. And with that, people take paths other than the path of what they are searching for and search in the wrong places. Like happiness, tranquility, and peace of mind. By Allah, how few are those who know it, and even fewer are those who appreciate, value, and live for it.
The happiness that accompanies a person, wherever they go, that descends if they descend and goes with them to their grave, is the happiness expressed by Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him, in his height of feeling it:
What can my adversaries do to me? To imprison me is to provide me with seclusion with My Lord, to kill me is to grant me martyrdom, and to banish me is to send me exploring the land in the path of Allah.
The talk about happiness will continue, as long as there is life and living in this world, and every person on this earth will strive to search for it, and would like to reach and attain it, even if it costs them all that they possess.
Some people think happiness lies in wealth and riches, others visualize it in position and prestige, and some seek it through fulfilling prohibited desires. The miserable are those who misunderstand happiness, preferring the worldly life over faith, and their desires over their hereafter, thus reaping delusion and despair, enduring a difficult life and suffering sorrows.
Others foolishly claim that happiness has no reality, and it is a fantasy created by delusion. Indeed, reality negates this.
And the truth, is that these people are either ignorant or deceived, for it is inconceivable at all that Allah would create us and then wish for us all to live in misery. How could that be when Allah Almighty said to His Prophet ﷺ:
طه (1) مَا أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْآنَ لِتَشْقَىٰ- طه 1-2
Ta-Ha (20) 1-2: Ta-Ha. We have not sent down to you the Qur’ān that you be distressed.
And the Almighty says:
فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّي هُدًى فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا يَضِلُّ وَلَا يَشْقَى-طه 123
Ta-Ha (20)123: So whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray nor suffer.
Indeed, a person without iman (faith) is a weak creation. And part of this weakness is that if evil befalls them, they become distressed and discontented, and if good touches them, they withhold [it]. And in both situations, they are anxious and impatient. Allah Almighty says:
إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا (19) إِذَا مَسَّهُ الشَّرُّ جَزُوعًا (20) وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا (21) إِلَّا الْمُصَلِّينَ-المعارج 19-22
Al-Ma’arij (70) 19-22: (19) Indeed, mankind was created anxious (20) When evil touches him, impatient, (21) And when good touches him, withholding [of it] (22) Except the observers of prayer.
The absence of happiness from one’s heart naturally results in the onset of anxiety and psychological disturbance, bringing the ‘four predators’ that weaken and debilitate the body, namely worry, sorrow, insomnia, and sleeplessness.
Ali bin Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him, was asked:
What is Allah’s strongest force?’ He said, ‘The mountains, but the iron cuts through the mountains, so iron is stronger. Fire melts iron, so fire is stronger. Water extinguishes fire, so water is stronger. Clouds carry water, so clouds are stronger. Wind disperses clouds, so wind is stronger. Man can shield himself from the wind with his hand and clothing, so man is stronger. Sleep overcomes man, so sleep is stronger. Worry overcomes sleep, so the strongest of Allah’s forces is worry, which Allah sets upon whom He wills of His servants.
Therefore, happiness and tranquility are a gift and mercy from Allah, just as worry, anxiety, and distress are wrath from Allah and an affliction. For two people may meet, face to face, but having differences as vast as between the heavens and the earth. Even in the darkest of circumstances, when calamities loom large, a vast chasm appears between a blessed, happy individual and an anxious, despairing one, and we seek refuge in Allah from that state. Allah mentioned such a situation in His Wise Book during the Battle of Uhud when He sent down drowsiness and sleep upon the believers, while fighting was imminent. Allah Almighty said:
ثُمَّ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكُم مِّن بَعْدِ الْغَمِّ أَمَنَةً نُّعَاسًا يَغْشَىٰ طَائِفَةً مِّنكُمْ-آل عمران:154
Al-Imran (3) 154: Then after distress, He sent down upon you security [in the form of] drowsiness, overcoming a faction of you.
Drowsiness in this situation is evidence of security and safety for those who are certain that Allah will grant victory to His Messenger and fulfill His promise. Therefore, He said about the other group:
وَطَائِفَةٌ قَدْ أَهَمَّتْهُمْ أَنفُسُهُمْ يَظُنُّونَ بِاللَّهِ غَيْرَ الْحَقِّ ظَنَّ الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ يَقُولُونَ هَل لَّنَا مِنَ الْأَمْرِ مِن شَيْءٍ-آل عمران:154
Al-Imran (3) 154: While another faction worried about themselves, thinking of Allāh other than the truth – the thought of ignorance, saying, “Is there anything for us [to have done] in this matter?
Meaning from the anxiety, despair, and fear, and this is the condition of those in doubt and skepticism, living between the regretful ‘if only’ and the lamenting ‘I wish.’
Happiness is being content with Allah, satisfied with what one has been given, having trust in Allah, and seeking His help. Whoever has tasted the sweetness of iman (faith) has tasted the sweetness of happiness. The Messenger of Guidance ﷺ said:
ذَاقَ طَعْمَ الإِيمَانِ مَنْ رَضِيَ بِاللَّهِ رَبًّا وَبِالإِسْلاَمِ دِينًا وَبِمُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولاً
Whoever is pleased with Allah as (his) Lord, and Islam as (his) religion, and Muhammad as (his) Prophet, then he has tasted the sweetness of faith. [Muslim 34]
Therefore, whoever misses out on the blessing of contentment is afflicted by the frenzy of greed and covetousness, always wanting more and never satisfied, accumulating without giving. They eat as the cattle eat, and drink as animals drink.
Therefore, do not fear grief nor be distressed by worry, and let not anxiety afflict you as long as your affair is upon what Allah Almighty said in the Hadith Qudsi:
أنا عِنْدَ ظَنِّ عَبْدِي بي، وأنا معهُ حِينَ يَذْكُرُنِي، إنْ ذَكَرَنِي في نَفْسِهِ، ذَكَرْتُهُ في نَفْسِي، وإنْ ذَكَرَنِي في مَلَإٍ، ذَكَرْتُهُ في مَلَإٍ هُمْ خَيْرٌ منهمْ
I am as my servant expects me to be, and I am with him when he remembers Me. If he remembers Me inwardly, I will remember him inwardly, and if he remembers Me in an assembly, I will remember him in a better assembly (i.e., in the assembly of angels). [Bukhari 7405, Muslim 2675]
With this hadith and others like it, joy beams from the faces of the happy people, which was expressed by the imams of Islam who felt its exhilaration and said:
We feel happiness. If kings and the sons of kings knew about it, they would fight us for it with their swords.
Those who walk in the meadows of happiness say:
Hours pass by me in which I say: If the people of Paradise are in a state like I am now, they are indeed living a good life.
If happiness is a tree sprouting from the human soul, then faith in Allah alone without any partners, His angels, His messengers, the Last Day, and the divine decree, both its good and its evil, are its water, its nourishment, its air, and its light. Allah Almighty said:
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُم بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ ۗ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ (28) الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ طُوبَىٰ لَهُمْ وَحُسْنُ مَآبٍ-الرعد28-29
Ar-Ra’d (13) 28-29: Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured. Those who have believed and done righteous deeds – a good state is theirs and a good return.
أَقُولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ لِي وَلَكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ ذَنْبٍ فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ
I say what you have heard and I seek forgiveness from Allah for me and you from every sin. So seek forgives from Him, Verily He is Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Second Khutbah
الحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ, وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ , وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَاْ إِلَهَ إِلَّاْ اَللهُ وَحْدَهُ لَاْشَرِيْكَ لَهُ وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدَاً عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُوْلُهُ
All praise is to Allah, and peace and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, and I bear witness that there is no deity other than Allah and I bear witness that Mohammad is His slave and messenger.
Oh Muslims:
Be conscious of Allah and know that the knowledge that enlightens and guides, and aims that motivate and elevate, are indeed the keys to happiness and success. Allah Almighty said:
فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ-آل عمران 159
Al-Imran (3) 159: So when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him].
For there is no way to happiness except through consciousness and obedience to Allah. Allah Almighty said:
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً-النحل 97
An-Nahl (16) 97: Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life.
Then know that the absence of happiness has doors that must be closed tightly.
Among the doors to misery are sins and disobedience. Sins are the causes of worry, grief, cowardice, miserliness, debt, incapacity, laziness and being overpowered by others.
The consequences of sins are grave and numerous. Allah Almighty said:
وَمَا أَصَابَكُمْ مِنْ مُصِيبَةٍ فَبِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَيَعْفُو عَنْ كَثِيرٍ -الشورى 30
Ash-Shura (42) 30: And whatever strikes you of disaster – it is for what your hands have earned; but He pardons much.
Sins weaken or sever the journey towards Allah. Sins occupy the sinner with more sins since sins lead to more sins, just as good deeds lead to more good deeds. Therefore, one must guard their limbs and tongue from what Allah has prohibited, and to strive in using them in obedience to Allah. Whenever one slips or commits a sin, they must hasten to repentance.
So to taste the sweetness of happiness, knock on the doors of seeking forgiveness, and close the doors of sins and misery. Allah Almighty said:
وَأَنِ اسْتَغْفِرُوا رَبَّكُمْ ثُمَّ تُوبُوا إِلَيْهِ يُمَتِّعْكُم مَّتَاعًا حَسَنًا إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى وَيُؤْتِ كُلَّ ذِي فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُ
Hud (11) 3: And [saying], Seek forgiveness of your Lord and repent to Him, [and] He will grant you good enjoyment for a specified term and give every doer of favor His favor [i.e., reward].
Among the causes of anxiety, is neglecting prayers or falling short. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ, said:
وَجُعِلَتْ قُرَّةُ عَيْنِي فِي الصَّلاَةِ
The pleasure of my eyes has been placed in the prayer. [An-Nasa’i 3940, Grade: Hasan]
Furthermore, falling short or abandoning remembrance and supplication are causes for misery, worry, and sadness. Therefore, it is imperative for those who seek happiness not to neglect these important matters, but rather to take hold of them firmly and cling on to them with their teeth.
Close the door of heedlessness and occupy yourself with remembrance of Allah. Allah Almighty said:
وَمَنْ أَعْرَضَ عَن ذِكْرِي فَإِنَّ لَهُ مَعِيشَةً ضَنكًا وَنَحْشُرُهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَعْمَىٰ
Taha (20) 124: And whoever turns away from My remembrance – indeed, he will have a depressed [i.e., difficult] life, and We will gather [i.e., raise] him on the Day of Resurrection blind.
And regarding supplication, the Prophet ﷺ regularly supplicated:
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْهَمِّ وَالْحَزَنِ وَالْعَجْزِ وَالْكَسَلِ وَالْبُخْلِ وَالْجُبْنِ وَالدَّيْنِ وَغَلَبَةِ الرِّجَالِ
O Allah, I seek refuge with You from worry, grief, incapacity, laziness, miserliness, cowardice, debt, and being overpowered by (other) men. [Sunan an-Nasa’i 5450, Grade: Sahih]
So close the doors to misery and anxiety, and open the doors to happiness.
We ask Allah Almighty to fill our hearts with iman (faith), forgive us our sins, dispel our worries and fill our hearts with happiness. Indeed Allah is All Hearing, Answering.
هَذَا وَصَلُّوا وَسَلِّمُوا عَلَى نَبِيِّكُم كَمَا أَمَرَكُمْ بِذلِكَ رَبُّكُمْ , فَقَالَ
I conclude with this and send prayers of blessings and peace upon your Prophet as your Lord commanded:
إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَمَلَائِكَتَهُ يُصَلُّونَ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ ۚ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا صَلُّوا عَلَيْهِ وَسَلِّمُوا تَسْلِيمًا
Al Ahzaab (33) 56: Indeed, Allah confers blessing upon the Prophet, and His angels [ask Him to do so]. O you who have believed, ask [ Allah to confer] blessing upon him and ask [ Allah to grant him] peace.
اللَّهُمَّ اهْدِنا فِيمَنْ هَدَيْتَ وَعَافِنا فِيمَنْ عَافَيْتَ وَتَوَلَّنا فِيمَنْ تَوَلَّيْتَ وَبَارِكْ لنا فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتَ وَقِنا شَرَّ مَا قَضَيْتَ إِنَّكَ تَقْضِي وَلاَ يُقْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَذِلُّ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ تَبَارَكْتَ رَبَّنَا وَتَعَالَيْتَ
O Allah, guide us with those whom You have guided, grant us well-being among those You have granted well-being, be an ally to us along with those whom You are an ally to, and bless what You have bestowed upon us, and save us from the evil of what You have decreed. For verily You decree and none can decree over You. He whom You support can never be humiliated. Glory is to You, our Lord, You are Blessed and Exalted.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الشَّرِّ كُلِّهِ عَاجِلِهِ وَآجِلِهِ مَا عَلِمْنا مِنْهُ وَمَا لَمْ نَعْلَمْ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا سَأَلَكَ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا عَاذَ بِهِ عَبْدُكَ وَنَبِيُّكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَسْأَلُكَ الْجَنَّةَ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ وَمَا قَرَّبَ إِلَيْهَا مِنْ قَوْلٍ أَوْ عَمَلٍ وَنَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ قَضَاءٍ قَضَيْتَهُ لَنا خَيْرًا
O Allah, We ask You for all that is good, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we seek refuge with You from all evil, in this world and in the Hereafter, what we know and what we do not know. O Allah, we ask You for the good that Your servant and Prophet has asked You for, and we seek refuge with You from the evil from which Your servant and Prophet sought refuge. O Allah, we ask You for Paradise and for that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed, and we seek refuge in You from Hell and from that which brings one closer to it, in word and deed. And we ask You to make every decree that You decree concerning us good
عِبَادَ اللّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُ بِالْعَدْلِ وَالْإِحْسَانِ وَإِيتَاءِ ذِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَيَنْهَىٰ عَنِ الْفَحْشَاءِ وَالْمُنكَرِ وَالْبَغْيِ يَعِظُكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ
Servants of Allah. Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression. He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded.
اُذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ الْعَظِيمَ يَذْكُرْكُمْ واشْكُرُوهُ يَزِدْكُمْ واسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لكُمْ واتّقُوهُ يَجْعَلْ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَمْرِكُمْ مَخْرَجًا وَأَقِمِ الصّلَاة
Remember Allah, the Great – He will remember you. Thank Him for His favors – He will increase you therein. And seek forgiveness from Him – He will forgive you. And be conscious of Him – He will provide you a way out of difficult matters. And, establish the prayer.
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