The True Happiness

Khutbah by Yasir Qadhi

My dear brothers and sisters in Islam, it is a common fact of existence that each and every living being, each and every breathing organism has but one ultimate goal. In each and every thing that it does - in its sleep and its wakeful state, in its movement and its rest, in its eating and drinking and socializing - in whatever action that ANY living organism does - animal or man, Insaan or jinn, Muslim or Non-Muslim, male or female - there is but one ultimate goal.

And that goal is to find an inner happiness. That goal is to be fulfilled, is to feel sakeena and tuma’neena, is to feel peaceful within themselves.

So, whatever every person does, that person believe that through this thing, “I will be happy. It will bring me comfort; it will bring me pleasure; it will bring me joy and peace.” This is what motivates every single living organism, every single being - this is what motivates it.

Now, the goal is one, and that is the goal to feel happy. But we find that the paths to find this happiness are different. We find that various people take different goals, different methods, different paths, different roads. And they all think that they will arrive at the same destination.

So we find that one group of people believes that happiness will be found through possessions, through money, through wealth, through owning the best houses and cars. And so, you find [that] this person, all that he does or she does is to figure out, “How can I get the most money? What degree should I get; what education, what university, which job, which firm, which company? How can I climb the corporate ladder?” Their entire life becomes achieving wealth, because of which they think they will become happy…

Another group of people think that happiness will be found through fame, through recognition. And so you find this group, all that they do [is], “What can make me famous? How can society recognize me?” So they become actors/actresses, go into music and singing. Or, if they’re into Arts and Sciences, they think of discovery: “What can I discover to make me famous, to win a Nobel Prize, or to win this award? When everybody knows who I am, that is when I will achieve happiness and satisfaction…”

Yet another group of people believes that happiness is found through satisfying one’s animal desires - sensual instincts. And so, you find this group of people turning to women and wine, to drugs and cheap luxuries. And they think that by numbing out their animal senses, by making sure each and every bestial desire inside of them is met, they will find happiness…
And most of us, most of us, sadly, believe that happiness is a combination of the above factors. A little bit of wealth, with a little bit of fame and a little bit of sensual desires.

This is how we find “happiness.”

But the reality is, when you look at the people who have spent their lives following these various paths, when you look at the people whom society considers have reached the upper echelons of wealth, of fame, of sensuality - the most evil people in terms of sensuality, the most richest people in terms of wealth, the most famous people in terms of recognition - the rest of society considers they have arrived -

If you were to interview this elite, if you were to get to know them and ask them, “You have spent your life hoarding this wealth, amassing fortunes, you’re on the Ford list of 100 richest people or 50 richest people; you’re one of the most influential people according to Times Magazine; you’re one of the most famous actors and actresses - everybody knows you; your pictures appear on the magazines; you fall, you sneeze, you laugh, it becomes a national news item; you enter the hospital, you come out of it, the whole world knows… Fine, let me ask: have you achieved… happiness?
“Sure, you’re rich, you’re famous, you’re wealthy, you’re the most evil in terms of sensuality, sure - [but] have you achieved this inner happiness? Because the rest of society looks up to you. The rest of society believes you have, they take you as their role models, they take you as their gods and goddesses that they have to worship. Each and every thing that you do becomes a religion for them, they follow your statistics, your marriages and divorces - you become their role model!

“But let me ask you: are you happy in your personal life? Have you achieved what the rest of the people think you have achieved?”

And if these people could be honest with you (and many of them have, if you read their interviews, and many of them are not - but if they could be honest with you), they would say, ALL of them, “Not yet…”

Read the rest here: http://muslimmatters.org/2008/06/03/...y-yasir-qadhi/

This Khutbah really has to be heard. but if you cannot. then make sure you read it. you won't regret it.

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... وَأُمِرْتُ أَنْ أَكُونَ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِين • وَأَنْ أَتْلُوَ الْقُرْآنََ

And I am commanded to be of the Muslims. And to recite the Qur'an...[an-Naml: 91-92]
O Allah, Lord of Jibril, Mika'il and Israfil, Creator of the heavens and the earth, Knower of the unseen and the seen, You will judge between Your servants concerning that wherein they differ. Guide me with regard to that wherein there is dispute concerning the truth by Your leave, for You guide whomsoever You will to the straight path.
Oh Allah, I seek refuge in You lest I misguide others, or I am misguided by others, lest I cause others to err or I am caused to err, lest I abuse others or be abused, and lest I behave foolishly or meet with the foolishness of others.

http://www.islamicboard.com/manners-purification-soul/134267320-true-happiness.html