https://www.khutbah.info/signs-of-happiness/ All people long for happiness and seek it. And those striving for prestige, status and wealth, do so only for attaining happiness. And happiness is the aim of all. And people have long spoke about the ways, means and reasons for attaining happiness. Moreover, there are signs that indicate if someone is happy. Among the people who spoke about these signs is Abū ‘Alī Al-Ḥassan bin ‘Alī Al-Jawzajānī, may Allāh have mercy on him. He said from the signs of a person’s happiness are ease of performing acts of obedience, and actions that conform with the Sunnah and companionship of the righteous, and good manners with one’s brothers, and acts of goodness, and concern for Muslims, and safeguarding one’s time. These are seven signs of happiness and it is important to know them so that one can see their extent of happiness. Among the signs of happiness is that acts of obedience are facilitated. And that is because an act of obedience to Allāh Almighty is the greatest source of happiness. Rather, one will not have happiness without it. Allāh Almighty said:
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:
All people long for happiness and seek it. And those striving for prestige, status and wealth, do so only for attaining happiness. And happiness is the aim of all. And people have long spoke about the ways, means and reasons for attaining happiness. Moreover, there are signs that indicate if someone is happy. Among the people who spoke about these signs is Abū ‘Alī Al-Ḥassan bin ‘Alī Al-Jawzajānī, may Allāh have mercy on him. He said from the signs of a person’s happiness are ease of performing acts of obedience, and actions that conform with the Sunnah and companionship of the righteous, and good manners with one’s brothers, and acts of goodness, and concern for Muslims, and safeguarding one’s time. These are seven signs of happiness and it is important to know them so that one can see their extent of happiness.
Among the signs of happiness is that acts of obedience are facilitated. And that is because an act of obedience to Allāh Almighty is the greatest source of happiness. Rather, one will not have happiness without it. Allāh Almighty said:
فَمَنِ اتَّبَعَ هُدَايَ فَلَا يَضِلُّ وَلَا يَشْقَى-طه 123
Taha (20) 123: Then whoever follows My guidance will neither go astray [in the world] nor suffer [in the Hereafter].
And if Allāh wills good for someone, then He opens the doors of acts of obedience and guides to them and facilitates them and holds the person back from the forbidden. And one should ask Allāh Almighty for help in worshipping so that it is facilitated. And in each unit of prayer, a person proclaims his request for help from Allāh. For he says:
إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ-الْفَاتِحَةِ 5
Al Fatihah (1) 5: It is You we worship and You we ask for help.
Muadh bin Jabel, may Allāh be pleased with him, narrated that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ took his hand and said:
يَا مُعَاذُ، وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأُحِبُّكَ، وَاللَّهِ إِنِّي لَأُحِبُّكَ، أُوصِيكَ يَا مُعَاذُ لَا تَدَعَنَّ فِي دُبُرِ كُلِّ صَلَاةٍ تَقُولُ: اللَّهُمَّ أَعِنِّي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَشُكْرِكَ وَحُسْنِ عِبَادَتِكَ
O Muadh, By Allāh, I love you and advise you not to miss supplicating at the end of every prayer saying: Allāhumma a’inni ‘ala dhikrika wa shukrika, wa husni ‘ibadatika, (O Allāh, help me to remember You, express gratitude to You and worship You in the best fashion). [Sunan Abi Dawud 1522]
For the doors of happiness are open for whoever Allāh Almighty helps in having īmān (faith) and in performing acts of obedience. Due to his strong connection with Allāh Almighty, Ibrāhīm bin Adham, may Allāh have mercy on him, said, if the kings and the sons of the kings knew what we have of bliss and happiness they would have fought us with swords every day for what we have of a good life and lack of burden.
And from the signs of happiness is that one’s actions conform with the Sunnah. And that is because in following the Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ is relief for the heart and happiness. For Allāh enlightened, assured and uplifted the heart of the Prophet ﷺ . Allāh Almighty said:
أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ-الشَّرْحِ 1
Ash Sharh (94) 1: Have We not uplifted your heart for you
And the followers of the Prophet ﷺ will have their hearts uplifted to the degree that they follow his Sunnah. And so the Prophet ﷺ said:
عَلَيْكُمْ بِسُنَّتِي وَسُنَّةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الْمَهْدِيِّينَ الرَّاشِدِينَ، تَمَسَّكُوا بِهَا وَعَضُّوا عَلَيْهَا بِالنَّوَاجِذِ-رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ وَقَالَ: حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ
Keep to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. Adhere and hold on to them tightly. [Sunan Abī Dawūd 4607, Tirmithī 2676, Sunan Ibn Majah 42]
And what great misery it is for a person to strive and have their deeds rejected. The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَنْ أَحْدَثَ فِي أَمْرِنَا هَذَا مَا لَيْسَ فِيهِ، فَهُوَ رَدٌّ-رَوَاهُ الشَّيْخَانِ
Whoever innovates something in this matter of ours (i.e. Islam) that is not part of it, will have it rejected. [Bukhari 2697, Muslim 1718a]
And Ibn Masood, may Allāh be pleased with him, said: few deeds from the sunnah are better than many innovated deeds.
And from the signs of happiness is companionship of the righteous. And that is because they open the doors of happiness, and they restrain one from the doors of misery, and they guide one to the good, and they prevent one from evil, and they remind if one forgets, and they alert if one is neglectful, and they teach what one is ignorant of and they love for others what they love for themselves. And Allāh Almighty has commanded accompanying the righteous. For Allāh Almighty said:
وَاصْبِرْ نَفْسَكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ بِالْغَدَاةِ وَالْعَشِيِّ يُرِيدُونَ وَجْهَهُ وَلَا تَعْدُ عَيْنَاكَ عَنْهُمْ تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا-الْكَهْفِ 28
Al Kahf (18) 28: And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His face [i.e., acceptance]. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
الرَّجُلُ عَلَى دِينِ خَلِيلِهِ، فَلْيَنْظُرْ أَحَدُكُمْ مَنْ يُخَالِلُ-رَوَاهُ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَالتِّرْمِذِيُّ
A man is upon the religion of his friend, so let one of you look at whom he befriends. [Sunan Abi Dawūd 4833, Jami` at-Tirmidhī 2378]
And Abu Ad Dardaa, may Allāh be pleased with him, said: if it were not for three I would not like to live for one day, thirst for the sake of Allāh on the hot days, prostration in the middle of the night and company of people who select the best speech like the finest dates are selected.
And from the signs of happiness are good character with one’s brothers. And that is because good character weighs heavily on the scale. And with it, a person captures people’s hearts. Allāh Almighty said:
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَى خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ-الْقَلَمِ 4
Al Qalam (68) 4: And indeed, you are of a great moral character.
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
إِنَّمَا بُعِثْتُ لِأُتَمِّمَ صَالِحَ الْأَخْلَاقِ-رَوَاهُ أَحْمَدُ
Indeed, I was sent to perfect good character. [Aḥmad 8939 ]
The person with good character loves the people and is happy with them as they are happy with him. And bad character is a reason for alienating people and their enmity. And enmity with others brings someone unhappiness and misery because they are the target of people’s harm, injury, and enmity.
And from the signs of happiness are performing acts of goodness. And that is because it is goodness towards them. And there is great sweetness in goodness to others. And goodness includes to do good and to be kind to people by word or action. Allāh Almighty said:
لَا خَيْرَ فِي كَثِيرٍ مِنْ نَجْوَاهُمْ إِلَّا مَنْ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوْ مَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ إِصْلَاحٍ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ-النِّسَاءِ 114
An Nisa (4) 114: No good is there in much of their private conversation, except for those who enjoin charity or that which is right or conciliation between people.
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
كُلُّ مَعْرُوفٍ صَدَقَةٌ-رَوَاهُ الشَّيْخَانِ
Every act of goodness is charity [Bukhari 6021, Muslim 1005]
And in another Hadith, the Prophet ﷺ said:
لَا تَحْقِرَنَّ مِنَ الْمَعْرُوفِ شَيْئًا وَلَوْ أَنْ تَلْقَى أَخَاكَ بِوَجْهٍ طَلْقٍ-رَوَاهُ مُسْلِمٌ
Do not consider any act of goodness as insignificant even if it is meeting your brother with a cheerful face. [Muslim 2626]
And the Prophet ﷺ said:
وَصَنَائِعُ الْمَعْرُوفِ تَقِي مَصَارِعَ السُّوءِ
Acts of goodness protect against a grievous death. [Saḥiḥ Al Jami’ (Albani) 3796]
And all of this brings happiness.
And from the signs of happiness is one’s concern for Muslims. And that is because the bond of īmān (faith) is the strongest bond that prevails over any other bond. And it is stronger than the bonds of lineage, language and nationality. And Allāh Almighty made an alliance between the believers and said:
وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ-التَّوْبَةِ 71
At Tawbah (9) 71: The believing men and believing women are allies of one another.
And Allāh granted His protection to the believers who ally themselves with one another. Allāh Almighty said:
وَمَنْ يَتَوَلَّ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا فَإِنَّ حِزْبَ اللَّهِ هُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ-الْمَائِدَةِ 56
Al Maedah (5) 56: And whoever is an ally of Allāh and His Messenger and those who have believed – indeed, the party of Allāh – they will be the predominant.
And Allāh defined the brotherhood of īmān (faith) saying:
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ-الْحُجُرَاتِ 10
Al Hujurat (49) 10: The believers are but brothers
The one concerned with Muslims, rejoicing over their joy and suffering from their pain, even if they are at the ends of the earth, will find happiness in belonging to and caring for them.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
مَثَلُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ فِي تَوَادِّهِمْ وَتَرَاحُمِهِمْ وَتَعَاطُفِهِمْ مَثَلُ الْجَسَدِ، إِذَا اشْتَكَى مِنْهُ عُضْوٌ تَدَاعَى لَهُ سَائِرُ الْجَسَدِ بِالسَّهَرِ وَالْحُمَّى-رَوَاهُ الشَّيْخَانِ
The example of the believers in their mutual affection, compassion and sympathy is like a body. When one of the limbs suffers, the whole body responds to it with wakefulness and fever [Bukhari 6011, Muslim 2586]
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:
Among the greatest indications of happiness is the remembrance of Allāh Almighty. Allāh Almighty said:
الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُمْ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ-الرَّعْدِ 28
Ar Ra’d (13) 28: Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allāh. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allāh hearts are assured.
And from the signs of happiness is one carefully managing their time. And that is because time is the person’s lifespan and the repository for the deeds. So if one fills it with acts of obedience, then they will be happy in this world and the hereafter. And if one wastes there time on the unbeneficial, their happiness disappears. And they will be overcome by regret for what they have lost. Ibn Masood, may Allāh be pleased with him, said, I did not regret anything more than a day that the sun set on in which my lifespan decreased but my good deeds did not increase.
And one will be questioned about how they spent their time as indicated in the authentic Hadith. And a person is known by their achievements, and there are no achievements without working. For if one works for this worldly life, they become famous and known and they will achieve what they wanted. And they will be happy in this world for the successes that they have realized. And if one works for their hereafter and does not neglect their share of this worldly life, then they will be happy in this world for safeguarding their time and spending it on beneficial works. And they will be happy in the hereafter of what they find of stored righteous deeds. As for the idle and lazy who waste their time, their lives are lost, their resolves are weak, and their aims are low, and they live in a state of apathy and boredom and they find no taste for life.
The mental illnesses such as anxiety, fear and depression have only increased due to emptiness within the souls or emptiness within the hearts. The souls are devoid of beneficial deeds or the hearts are devoid of īmān (faith) and conviction and reliance upon Allāh Almighty and thinking well of Allāh the Exalted. And whoever beneficially occupies his time, and fills his heart with īmān (faith) and conviction, will be filled with happiness and his soul will be filled with tranquility and reassurance and will find the sweetness of īmān (faith) in their heart. And that person will not be miserable in this world or in the hereafter. Allāh Almighty said:
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَى وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً وَلَنَجْزِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْرَهُمْ بِأَحْسَنِ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ-النَّحْلِ 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, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do.
We ask Allāh Almighty to make us among the joyous and to spare us from the causes of misery, and to make us steadfast upon the truth until we meet Him. Indeed Allāh 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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