BENEFICIAL MEANS
FOR A HAPPY LIFE
2
Beneficial Means for a Happy Life
Author
Shaykh ‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Nāsir As-Sa‘di (may Allah have mercy
upon him)
Introduction
All praise is due to Allah alone, and may the peace and blessings of
Allah be upon the one after whom there is no prophet, upon his family, all
his Companions, and those who follow them in righteousness until the Day
of Judgment. To proceed:
This blessed treatise, titled "Beneficial Means to a Happy Life,"
elucidates and clarifies the meaning of true happiness, which is the
ultimate goal for every human being in this life. Opinions have differed and
varied regarding the concept of happiness and how it can be achieved.
Some believe it is achieved by accumulating and growing wealth, others
see it in bodily health, security, and homeland, while some find it in lawful
sustenance and acquiring beneficial knowledge. Some perceive it in
sincere faith, righteous deeds, and steadfastness upon them. There is no
objection to including all that has been mentioned within the concept of
happiness as long as it aligns with the principles and regulations of Sharia.
However, happiness is divided into two categories:
Temporary worldly happiness is limited by a short and changing
lifespan.
Eternal happiness in the Hereafter is unceasing and boundless.
Both are interlinked and associated with each other, for happiness in
the worldly life is connected to happiness in the Hereafter. The truly
complete and good life in this world and the Hereafter is indeed through
Allah's pleasure for the pious believers, as Allah Almighty says:
{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
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give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what
they used to do.}
[Surat an-Nahl: 97]
O blessed brother, what is the entirety of happiness? And how can it be
achieved? And what is the entirety of misery? And how can we guard
against it?
The whole happiness is in obedience to Allah, Glorified and Exalted be
He, and obedience to His noble Messenger, Muhammad (,).
Just as the whole wretchedness is in disobedience to Allah and His
Messenger, Allah Almighty says:
{And whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger has indeed achieved a
great success.} [Surat al-Ahzāb: 71] Allah Almighty also said:
{And whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger has certainly strayed
into clear error} [Surat al-Ahzāb: Ayah 36]
This book is titled "The Beneficial Means to a Happy Life" by the
esteemed scholar Sheikh 'Abd al-Rahman ibn Nasir ibn 'Abdullah al-Sa'di
(may Allah have mercy on him). It comprises eight chapters in which the
author elucidates the causes leading to true happiness, clarifying its paths,
means, and ways to attain it, relying on the Shariah evidences derived from
the Book and the Sunnah. This is to chart the right path to the happy life
that every Muslim desires, so that the Muslim community may organize its
life with insight and enlightenment.
As a contribution from the Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Endowments,
Da‘wah, and Guidance in disseminating correct awareness and
enlightening people through these means, this book has been selected to
be one of its beneficial publications, serving as a guide and counselor in
this life filled with disturbances.
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We ask Allah, the Most High, the Almighty, to grant abundant rewards
to the one who authored it and to those who endeavored in its printing,
publishing, and production, or assisted in that. Allah is the One who grants
success and guides to the straight path. He is sufficient for us and the Best
Disposer of affairs. May Allah’s peace, blessings, and grace be upon our
Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his Companions.
Dr. ‘Abdullah ibn Ahmad az-Zayd
Assistant Undersecretary of the Ministry for Prints and Publication
Affairs
Introduction of the First Edition
This treatise before us outlines the framework for the true happiness
that a person seeks and strives for, free from human deviation and based
on firm evidence from the Noble Quran and wise prophetic guidance. It is
the same happiness embraced by the believing individual and lived by the
believing community, as it is the only path to organize one's journey in life
with piety and the pleasure of Allah.
The author of the treatise is the honorable Shaykh, the erudite scholar,
‘Abdur-Rahmān ibn Nāsir ibn ‘Abdullah Āl-Sa‘di, born in the city of
‘Unayzah in the Qasīm region of Najd, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. His
parents passed away during his childhood, yet he possessed a considerable
amount of intelligence, acumen, and a desire for seeking knowledge. He
began memorizing the Qur’an at an early age, completing and mastering it
by the age of twelve. He then embarked on the pursuit of knowledge,
receiving it from the scholars of his town and others who came to it,
exerting his utmost effort in this path until he attained the greatest share
and portion of sciences and knowledge.
At the age of twenty-three, he began to combine the pursuit of
knowledge with teaching, benefiting and imparting benefit, dedicating all
his time to this throughout his life. Many people acquired knowledge from
him and benefited from him.
Among his teachers was Shaykh Ibrāhīm ibn Hamad ibn Jāsir, and he
was the first from whom he learned.
Shaykh Sālih ibn ‘Uthmān, judge of ‘Unayzah, studied Usūl, Fiqh,
Tawhīd, Tafsīr, and Arabic under him and remained with him until his
death. The Shaykh possessed a thorough knowledge of Fiqh and its
principles and had comprehensive expertise in Tawhīd and its issues due
to his engagement with reliable books and his particular interest in the
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works of Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim. He also paid exceptional
attention to Tafsīr and its branches, studying it until he excelled and
mastered it, becoming highly proficient in it. Among his works in Tafsīr
are:
Taysīr Al-Karīm Al-Mannān fī Tafsīr Kalām Ar-Rahmān in eight
volumes.
Taysīr Al-Laṭīf Al-Mannān fī Khulāṣat Tafsīr Al-Qur’ān.
Al-Qawā‘id al-Hisān li Tafsīr Al-Qur’an.
Among his recommended works for acquisition and benefit, apart from
those previously mentioned:
Guidance to understanding the rulings.
Al-Riyād Al-Nādirah.
The joy of the hearts of Al-Abrâr (the pious believers of Islamic
Monotheism).
The Method of the Wayfarers and the Clarification of Fiqh in the
Religion.
The ruling on smoking, its selling, and its purchasing.
Al-Fatawa Al-Sa‘diyyah
He has three collections of beneficial Pulpit Sermons.
The clear evident truth in explaining the Tawhīd of the Prophets and
Messengers.
Elucidation of Al-Kāfiyah al-Shāfiyah (the Nūniyyat of Ibn al-Qayyim)
He has numerous works on Fiqh, Tawhīd, Hadīth, Usūl, social research,
and various fatāwā.
His death: He was afflicted with a severe sudden illness that signaled
the approach of his end, as he passed away on the night of Thursday, 23
Jumādā al-Ākhirah, 1376 AH, in the city of ‘Unayzah. He left a profound
impact and deep sorrow in the hearts of all who knew him, heard of him,
or read his works. May Allah have mercy upon him and benefit us with his
knowledge and writings. Āmīn.
Riyadh, Ramadān 11th, 1378 A.H.
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Noor Foundation for Printing and Binding
Foreword of the Author
Praise be to Allah, to whom all praise is due. I bear witness that there is
no god but Allah, alone, with no partner, and I bear witness that
Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May Allah's peace and blessings
be upon him, his family, and his Companions.
Indeed, everyone desires the comfort of the heart, its tranquility, joy,
and the removal of worries and sorrows. Through it, a good life is achieved,
and happiness and delight are completed. There are religious reasons,
natural reasons, and practical reasons for this, and they can only be fully
realized by the believers. As for others, even if they achieve it through
some means and reasons that their wise ones strive for, they miss out on
aspects that are more beneficial, more enduring, and better in state and
outcome.
However, in this treatise, I will mention the causes that come to mind
for this highest aspiration, which everyone strives for.
Among them is he who has achieved much of it, thus living a pleasant
life and enjoying a good life. And among them is he who has failed in all of
it, thus living a life of misery and experiencing a life of the wretched. And
among them is he who is in between, according to what he has been
guided to. And Allah is the One who grants success and is sought for help
in all good and in repelling all evil.
Chapter
1. The greatest and most fundamental means for this is faith and
righteous deeds. Allah Almighty says:
{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.} [Surat an-Nahl: 97]
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Allah, the Exalted, informed and promised those who combine faith
with righteous deeds a good life in this abode and a fine reward in this
world and in the eternal abode.
The reason for this is clear, for those who have true faith in Allah,
which yields righteous deeds that reform hearts, morals, this world, and
the Hereafter, possess principles and foundations through which they
receive all causes of joy and happiness, as well as causes of anxiety, worry,
and sorrow.
They receive joys and delights with acceptance and gratitude and by
using them in beneficial ways. When they use them in this manner, it
brings about great matters of joy, hope for their continuation and blessing,
and the anticipation of the reward for those who show gratitude, which
surpasses in goodness and blessings these delights that are their fruits.
They face adversities, harm, anxiety, and distress by resisting what
they can resist, alleviating what they can alleviate, and with beautiful
patience for what they cannot avoid. Through this, they gain beneficial
resistance, experience, and strength from adversities, and from patience
and expecting the reward from Allah, they achieve great matters that
diminish adversities, replacing them with joy, good hopes, and the
aspiration for Allah's grace and reward, as the Prophet (,) expressed in
the authentic Hadīth when he said: How wonderful is the affair of the
believer! Indeed, all of his affairs are good for him. If something good happens
to him, he is grateful to Allah, which is good for him. And if something bad
happens to him, he is patient, which is good for him. This is for none but the
believer. [Narrated by Muslim]
The Prophet (,) informed that the believer's gains, goodness, and
the fruits of his deeds multiply in every instance of joy and adversity that
befalls him. Thus, you find two individuals faced with a circumstance of
either good or evil, yet they differ greatly in their reception of it, according
to their differences in faith and righteous deeds. The one characterized by
these two traits receives both good and evil with the aforementioned
gratitude and patience and what follows them, resulting in joy and delight,
the removal of worry and distress, anxiety, and constriction of the heart,
and the misery of life, thus achieving a good life in this abode. The other
one receives pleasures with insolence, arrogance, and tyranny. His morals
deviate, and he receives them as animals do, with greed and panic. Yet, his
heart is not at ease but rather scattered in various directions: scattered
due to his fear of losing his beloved things, from the many oppositions that
often arise from them, and from the fact that souls do not stop at a limit
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but are always yearning for other matters, which may or may not be
attained. Even if they are attained hypothetically, he remains anxious from
the aforementioned directions and receives adversities with anxiety, panic,
fear, and distress. Do not ask about the misery of his life, the intellectual
and nervous illnesses, and the fear that may lead him to the worst states
and the most dreadful disturbances, for he does not hope for any reward,
nor does he have the patience to console him and ease his burden.
All of this is observed through experience, and if you reflect upon a
single example of this kind and apply it to the conditions of people, you
will see the great difference between a believer who acts according to the
requirements of his faith and one who does not. This is because the
religion strongly encourages contentment with Allah's provision and with
what He has bestowed upon His servants from His diverse bounty and
generosity.
When a believer is afflicted with illness, poverty, or similar trials that
everyone is susceptible to, he, through his faith and contentment with
what Allah has apportioned for him, remains at peace, not yearning in his
heart for what has not been decreed for him. He looks to those below him
and not to those above him. His joy, happiness, and comfort may even
surpass those who have attained all worldly desires if they lack
contentment.
You will find that one who does not act according to faith, when
afflicted with poverty or deprived of worldly needs, is in utmost misery
and distress.
Another example: When causes of fear arise and distressing events
befall a person, you will find the one with true Imān (faith) steadfast in
heart, tranquil in the soul, and capable of managing and directing the
matter that has confronted him with whatever thought, word, and deed he
can muster. He has prepared himself for this distressing occurrence, and
these are conditions that bring comfort to a person and fortify his heart.
One who lacks faith is found to be in the opposite state; when fears
arise, their conscience is disturbed, their nerves become tense, their
thoughts scatter, and they are overtaken by fear and terror. They are beset
by external fear and internal anxiety that cannot be fully expressed. This
type of person, if they do not find some natural causes that require much
practice, their strength collapses and their nerves become tense, due to the
absence of faith that encourages patience, especially in critical situations
and distressing, troubling circumstances.
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Both the righteous and the wicked, the believer and the disbeliever,
share in acquiring bravery and in the instinct that mitigates and
diminishes fears. However, the believer is distinguished by the strength of
his Imān, his patience, his reliance on Allah, his dependence on Him, and
his anticipation of His reward—matters that enhance his bravery, alleviate
the burden of fear, and ease difficulties for him, as Allah, the Exalted, has
said:
{If you are suffering, they too are suffering as you are suffering, but
you hope from Allah that which they hope not.} [Sūrat an-Nisā’: 104] The
assistance and specific support of Allah reach them, dispelling fears. Allah
Almighty says:
{And be steadfast, for Allah is with those who are steadfast.} [Surat
al-Anfāl: 46]
2- Among the reasons that alleviate grief, distress, and anxiety is
"ihsān" towards the created beings through words and actions and various
forms of kindness, all of which are good acts of "ihsān." Through them,
Allah removes worries and sorrows from both the righteous and the
wicked, according to their situations. However, the believer has the most
complete share and portion, distinguished by the fact that his "ihsān"
stems from sincerity and seeking reward.
Allah makes it easy for him to do good deeds due to the goodness he
hopes for, and He wards off hardships from him because of his sincerity
and seeking of reward. Allah Almighty says:
{There is no good in much of their private talk, except for one who
enjoins charity, kindness, or reconciliation between people. Anyone who
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does that, seeking Allah’s pleasure, We will give him a great reward.} [Surat
an-Nisā’: 114]
Allah Almighty has informed that all these matters are good from
whom they originate. Goodness attracts goodness and repels evil. And the
believer who seeks divine reward is granted a great reward by Allah,
among which is the removal of worry, distress, and similar afflictions.
Chapter
Among the reasons for alleviating anxiety arising from nervous tension
and the heart's preoccupation with certain disturbances is to engage in
beneficial work or knowledge. This diverts the heart from being occupied
with the matter that caused the anxiety. He may forget, due to this, the
causes that brought him worry and distress; thus, his soul rejoices, and his
activity increases. This reason is also shared between the believer and
others. However, the believer is distinguished by his faith, sincerity, and
seeking reward in his engagement with the knowledge he learns or
teaches and in the good deeds he performs. If it is an act of worship, then it
is worship; and if it is a worldly occupation or a habit, he accompanies it
with a righteous intention and aims to use it as an aid in obeying Allah.
This has a significant effect in dispelling worries, anxieties, and sorrows.
How many people have been afflicted with anxiety and persistent distress,
leading to various illnesses, only to find their effective remedy in forgetting
the cause of their distress and anxiety and engaging in one of their
important tasks.
It is appropriate that the work one engages in should be something the
soul finds comfort in and yearns for, as this is more conducive to achieving
this beneficial purpose, and Allah knows best.
One of the ways to dispel anxiety and worry is to focus all one's
thoughts on the tasks of the present day, cutting off concern for the future
and sorrow for the past. This is why the Prophet (,) sought refuge from
anxiety and sorrow, as mentioned in the Hadīth narrated by Al-Bukhārī
and Muslim. Sorrow over past matters that cannot be changed or rectified
is of no benefit, and anxiety caused by fear of the future may be harmful.
Therefore, a person should be a person of his present day, concentrating
his earnestness and diligence on improving his present day and time.
Focusing the heart on this leads to the perfection of deeds and provides
solace from anxiety and sorrow. When the Prophet (,) supplicated or
guided his Ummah to a supplication, he indeed encouraged reliance upon
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Allah and hope in His grace, alongside earnestness and diligence in striving
to achieve what is being supplicated for. Abandoning what one used to
supplicate for its removal, as supplication is accompanied by action. The
servant strives for what benefits him in religion and worldly life, and asks
his Lord for the success of his aim, seeking His assistance in that, as the
Prophet (,) said. "Strive for what benefits you, seek Allah's help, and do
not lose heart. If anything befalls you, do not say: 'If only I had done such and
such, such and such would have happened'; rather, say: 'Allah has decreed, and
He does whatever He wills.' For saying 'if' opens (the door to) the devil's
work." [Narrated by Muslim] The Prophet (,) combined the command
to strive for beneficial matters in all circumstances, seeking Allah's help
and not succumbing to helplessness, which is harmful laziness, with
submission to past and inevitable matters and witnessing the decree and
predestination of Allah.
He divided matters into two sections: one in which a slave can strive to
achieve or obtain what is possible or repel or alleviate it, in which the slave
exerts his effort and seeks the help of his deity. Another type where this is
not possible, and in such cases, the servant finds peace, contentment, and
submission. Undoubtedly, adhering to this principle is a cause for joy and
the removal of worry and distress.
Chapter
One of the greatest reasons for the heart's comfort and tranquility is
making Dhikr (remembrance of Allah) abundantly, as it has a remarkable
effect on the heart's relief and peace and the removal of worry and
distress, as Allah Almighty said:
{Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.}
[Surat ar-Ra‘d: 28] The remembrance of Allah has a profound impact in
achieving this desired goal due to its unique quality, and for the reward
and recompense the servant hopes for.
Speaking of Allah's apparent and hidden blessings, recognizing and
discussing them dispels worry and distress, urging the servant towards
thankfulness, which is the highest and most elevated of ranks, even if the
servant is in a state of poverty, illness, or other trials. When he compares
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Allah's countless blessings upon him with the adversity he faces, the
adversity bears no ratio to the blessings.
When Allah tests a servant with disliked matters and afflictions and
the servant fulfills the duty of patience, contentment, and submission, the
servant's burden becomes lighter, and their hardship lessens. The hope for
reward and recompense and the devotion to Allah through patience and
contentment transform the bitterness into sweetness, making the
sweetness of its reward overshadow the bitterness of patience.
Among the most beneficial things in this context is to employ what the
Prophet (,) guided us to in the Authentic Hadīth, where he said: "Look
at those below you, and do not look at those above you, for that is more likely
to hold you back from belittling the blessings Allah has bestowed upon you."
[Narrated by Al-Bukhāri] When a servant keeps this noble perspective
before his eyes, he will see that he surpasses many of creation in
well-being and its accompanying blessings and in provision and its
accompanying benefits, regardless of his circumstances. Thus, his anxiety,
worry, and distress will vanish, and his joy and contentment with the
favors of Allah, in which he surpasses others below him, will increase.
The more a servant reflects on the apparent and hidden blessings of
Allah, both religious and worldly, he sees that his Lord has bestowed upon
him goodness and warded off numerous evils. Undoubtedly, this dispels
worries and sorrows and necessitates joy and happiness.
Chapter
Among the causes that bring joy and remove distress and anxiety is the
effort to eliminate the causes of worries and to acquire the causes of
happiness. This is achieved by forgetting past adversities that cannot be
reversed and understanding that preoccupying one's thoughts with them
is futile and absurd and that such behavior is foolishness and madness.
Thus, one must strive to prevent his heart from dwelling on them, and
similarly, he must strive to prevent his heart from being anxious about the
future, concerning supposed poverty, fear, or other adversities he envisions
in his future life. He knows that future matters, with their unknown good
and evil, hopes and pains, are in the Hands of the Almighty and Wise Lord,
and that the servants have no control over them except to strive to attain
their benefits and ward off their harms. The slave realizes that if he diverts
his thoughts from anxiety over his future affairs, relies on his Lord for their
rectification, and finds peace in Him regarding them, then his heart will be
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reassured, his conditions will be set right, and his worries and anxieties
will be removed.
One of the most beneficial practices in considering future matters is to
use this supplication that the Prophet (,) used to supplicate Allah with:
"O Allah, rectify for me my religion, which is the safeguard of my affairs, and
rectify for me the affairs of this world, wherein is my livelihood, and rectify for
me my Hereafter, to which is my return, and make life an increase for me in
every good, and make death a relief for me from every evil." [Narrated by
Muslim] Also his saying: "O Allah, Your mercy is what I hope for, so do not
leave me to myself for an instant, and set right all my affairs for me. There is
no true god but You." [Narrated by Abu Dāwūd with an authentic Isnād] If a
person frequently recites this supplication, which ensures the well-being
of his religious and worldly future, with a present heart and sincere
intention while striving to achieve it, Allah will fulfill what he supplicated
and hoped for and worked towards, and his worries will turn into joy and
happiness.
Chapter
One of the most beneficial means for alleviating anxiety and worries
when a servant is afflicted with calamities is to strive to mitigate them by
considering the worst possible outcomes and preparing oneself for them.
Once he has done this, he should endeavor to lessen what can be lessened
to the best of his ability. Through this preparation and beneficial effort, his
worries and sorrows will dissipate, and he will be able to exert his efforts
in bringing about benefits and averting the harms that are within his
capacity to manage.
When the causes of fear, illness, poverty, and deprivation of beloved
things befall him, he should face them with tranquility and prepare his soul
for them to the utmost extent possible. For indeed preparing the soul to
endure hardships makes them easier and lessens their severity, especially
if he determines himself by affording them to the best of his ability. Thus,
he combines preparing the soul with the beneficial effort that distracts
from worrying about calamities, and he strives to renew the strength to
resist adversities, relying upon Allah and having good confidence in Him.
Undoubtedly, these matters have a great benefit in attaining happiness and
expansion of the heart, along with what the servant hopes for immediate
and future reward. This is something observed and experienced, with
numerous instances from those who have tried it.
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Chapter
Among the greatest remedies for the ailments of the anxious heart, and
even for physical illnesses, is the strength of the heart and its resistance to
disturbance and agitation by the illusions and imaginations brought about
by negative thoughts. Anger and confusion are among the painful causes,
and the anticipation of adversities and the loss of beloved things plunges
one into worries, sorrows, and diseases of the heart and body, as well as
nervous breakdowns, which have harmful effects that people have
witnessed in many detrimental consequences.
When the heart relies upon Allah and places its trust in Him, without
succumbing to illusions or being dominated by negative imaginations, and
it trusts in Allah and hopes for His grace, then worries and grief are driven
away, and many physical and spiritual ailments are removed. The heart
attains strength, openness, and joy that cannot be expressed. How many
hospitals are filled with patients suffering from illusions and corrupt
imaginations, and how much have these matters affected the hearts of
many strong individuals, let alone the weak, leading to foolishness and
madness. The one who is protected is the one whom Allah has protected
and guided to strive against his own self to acquire beneficial means that
strengthen the heart and dispel its anxiety. Allah Almighty says:
{Whoever puts his trust in Allah, He is sufficient for him.} [Surat
at-Talāq: 3] i.e., grants him sufficiency in all matters concerning his
religious and worldly affairs.
The one who relies upon Allah has a strong heart, unaffected by
illusions and undisturbed by events, knowing that such disturbances stem
from a weakness of the soul, from baseless fear and anxiety. He
understands that Allah has guaranteed complete sufficiency for those who
rely upon Him. Thus, he trusts in Allah and finds peace in His promise,
causing his worries and anxieties to vanish, his hardship to turn into ease,
his sorrow and grief into joy, and his fear into security. We ask Allah
Almighty for well-being and to bestow upon us strength and steadfastness
of heart and complete reliance upon Him, for which He has guaranteed all
good and the removal of all adversity and harm.
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Chapter
13. And in the saying of the Prophet (,): "A believing man does not
hate a believing woman; if he dislikes one of her characteristics, he will be
pleased with another." [Narrated by Muslim] Two Great Benefits:
The first benefit: Guidance on dealing with the wife, the relative, the
companion, and the associate, and everyone with whom you have a
relationship and connection. You should prepare yourself for the fact that
there must be a flaw, deficiency, or something you dislike in them. When
you find this, compare it with what is incumbent upon you or what is
appropriate for you in terms of maintaining the connection and preserving
love, by remembering their positive aspects and both specific and general
objectives. By overlooking the faults and considering the positive aspects,
companionship and connection endure, comfort is achieved, and you attain
what you seek.
The second benefit: It is the removal of worry and anxiety, the
preservation of clarity, and the continuous fulfillment of obligatory and
recommended rights, resulting in comfort between the parties. Whoever
does not follow the guidance mentioned by the Prophet (,)—rather,
reverses the matter by focusing on the faults and being blind to the good
aspects—will inevitably experience anxiety, and the love between him and
those he is connected with will be troubled, and many of the rights that
each must uphold will be severed.
Many people of high resolve prepare themselves to be patient and
composed when disasters and distressing events occur. However, when
trivial and simple matters arise, they become anxious, and their tranquility
is disturbed. The reason for this is that they have accustomed themselves
to handling major matters but neglected the minor ones, which have
harmed them and affected their peace. The prudent person prepares
himself for both minor and major matters and asks Allah for help in
dealing with them and that He does not leave him to his own devices even
for the blink of an eye. Thus, the minor becomes easy for him, just as the
major has become easy. Remaining with tranquility of the soul, serenity of
the heart, and comfort.
Chapter
The wise person knows that his true life is one of happiness and
tranquility and that it is very short. Therefore, he should not shorten it
with worries and indulgence in distress, for that is contrary to true life.
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Thus, he will be stingy with his life, allowing much of his life to be
consumed by worries and distress. There is no difference in this between
the righteous and the wicked, but the believer has the greater share and
beneficial portion of this description, both immediately and in the
Hereafter.
It is also incumbent upon one, when afflicted with adversity or fearing
it, to compare it with the rest of the blessings they enjoy, whether spiritual
or worldly. Through such comparison, the abundance of blessings they
possess becomes evident, and the adversity they face diminishes in
significance.
Similarly, they compare the potential harm they fear might befall them
with the numerous possibilities of safety, ensuring that a weak possibility
does not outweigh the many strong ones. Thus, their anxiety and fear
dissipate. They assess the greatest of the potential outcomes that might
affect them, preparing themselves for their occurrence if they happen.
They strive to avert what has not yet occurred and to remove or mitigate
what has already happened.
One of the beneficial matters is to realize that the harm from people,
especially through foul words, does not harm you but rather harms them,
unless you occupy yourself with concern over it and allow it to dominate
your emotions. In that case, it harms you as it harms them. However, if you
pay it no heed, it will not harm you at all.
And know that your life follows your thoughts; if your thoughts bring
benefit to you in your religion or worldly matters, then your life will be
good and happy. Otherwise, the matter is the opposite.
One of the most beneficial ways to dispel worry is to train yourself to
seek gratitude only from Allah. When you do good to someone who has a
right over you or even to someone who does not, know that this is an
interaction between you and Allah. Therefore, do not concern yourself
with the gratitude of those to whom you did a favor, as Allah Almighty has
mentioned regarding His chosen servants.
{“We feed you only for the sake of Allah; we seek from you neither
reward nor gratitude.} [Surat al-Insān: 9]
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This is particularly emphasized in dealing with family and children due
to the strong connection you have with them. When you resolve to cast
away evil from them, you find relief and comfort. One of the causes of
comfort is embracing virtues and acting upon them according to the
natural inclination without the affectation that troubles you, leading you
back empty-handed from attaining virtue, as you have taken a twisted
path. This is part of wisdom: to transform murky matters into clear and
sweet ones, thereby increasing the purity of pleasures and removing the
impurities.
Keep beneficial matters in front of your eyes and work towards
achieving them. Do not turn to harmful matters, thus distracting yourself
from the causes of worry and sorrow. Seek comfort and focus your mind
on important tasks.
Among the beneficial matters is to complete tasks immediately,
allowing for future focus. If tasks are not completed, the remaining
previous tasks accumulate with the upcoming ones, increasing their
burden. However, if everything is completed in its time, you approach
future matters with strength of thought and strength of action.
You should choose the most beneficial deeds, prioritizing the most
important ones. Distinguish between what your soul inclines towards and
what you have a strong desire for, as its opposite leads to weariness,
boredom, and distress. Seek assistance in this through correct thinking and
consultation, for whoever consults will not regret. Study carefully what
you intend to do, and when you ascertain the benefit and resolve, then
place your trust in Allah, for Allah loves those who trust in Him.
All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.
May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his
family, and his Companions.
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