Be a source of joy and happiness

Be a Source of Joy and Happiness

Going through the COVID era — may Allah make it easy for all of us to transition into the normal life, Ya Rabbil Alameen. As an imam and a spiritual guide here in this community, I tell you the truth: I receive tons of emails and messages — not even local, but national, international — people looking for help.

Looking for help for what? For many, many things. They're looking for help financially. Some of them lost their jobs and now they are struggling with that. Some of them looking for marital help. That year was so difficult on many, many people, subhanAllah. And ironically, some other people looking for help to get married, because it was also difficult on them as well too. Some people just coming out with a lot of anxiety, uncertainties. It's just so hard. It was so hard on all of us. And we've seen the effect of it in many different ways.

And just recently I was listening to the radio — a documentary speaking on the subject of depression, specifically among youngsters, among the teens, the younger ones. It is already difficult for them, subhanAllah, in the lifestyle that they're living in this time. Adding to this right now, being in isolation for over a year or so, it became so hard and so difficult. We've heard it in the Muslim community as well too — the rate of divorce, the rate of suicide, the rate of people, subhanAllah, not being happy and satisfied with their lives.

What can we do to help each other, jama'at? What can we do? And on top of that, right before we finished Ramadan — as we were so happy and excited to be there — we saw that as an ummah we had to suffer when we started hearing about the situation in Palestine and Al-Aqsa. And you thought it would be a moment of joy, and they had to ruin your Eid for you. When you see your brothers and sisters in Palestine suffering, being bombarded, subhanAllah, at Eid time. How unfortunate that is. We couldn't even be satisfied and pleased with our Eid.

But in a time like this, what can we do in order to help and assist one another? What can we do in terms of ibadah? The best ibadah in this time that you can get yourself busy with in order to get the most — the maximum reward you can — I want to share with you inshaaAllah in these few minutes, biidhnillahi azza wa jal, some of these ibadahs. Some of the simple, basic acts of worship that maximize your reward inshaaAllah, and help and assist with our relationship as a Muslim community.

The Foundation: Muslims Are Brothers and Sisters

You know, Rasulullah ﷺ mentioned a hadith in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. He said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 2442; Sahih Muslim, Book 32, Hadith 6258)

A Muslim is a brother to another Muslim — and sisters as well too. He says: la yazlimuhu wa la yuslimuhu — you don't oppress them, and you shouldn't let them down, you shouldn't put them in this compromising position. Then: wa man kana fee hajati akhi, kana Allahu fee hajatihi — whoever puts himself or herself in the service of their brother and sister to help them out in a moment of need, Allah will be there for their need — in the dunya and in the akhira, when you need it the most.

And he said: wa man farraja 'an muslimin kurbatan, farraja Allahu 'anhu kurbatan min kurubati yawmil qiyamah — whoever alleviates a kurba — a moment of distress or duress — from someone, Allah will remove one of their moments of distress on the Day of Judgment.

And there are so many on that Day — nothing like we've ever seen in this dunya. Can you imagine the maximum reward you get when Allah removes some of that distress on that Day? People will be drowning in their sweat on that Day, and you'll be under the shade of Ar-Rahman. May Allah make us among them, Ya Rabbil Alameen. People will be worrying as they cross over the bridge, and you'll be among those who go swiftly over it. May Allah make us among them, Ya Rabbil Alameen. People will be looking to their left hand, worried about what they've done, and you'll be among those who will have it in their right hand — so happy and joyful for that moment.

The Greatest Act of Worship: Bringing Joy to a Muslim's Heart

How can we do this? From this hadith, our ulama — like Imam Bukhari, rahimahullahu ta'ala — said this is an evidence, a proof, that one of the greatest ibadat you can do is idkhalus sururi 'ala qalbil muslim — being a source of joy and happiness to one another in this dunya.

You know, it's so interesting, so ironic, because not too long ago another research came out speaking about the source of joy and happiness in this dunya for people — non-Muslims. Non-Muslims made their research. They followed people for their lifetime, from when they were young all the way until they became adults, trying to trace their life and see the source of happiness. You know what was the main source of happiness for them? Their interpersonal relationship with each other. Not their job, not their money, not their fancy cars, not their earnings — nothing. The quality of relationships they had in their lives. The better it is, the happier they are — with their parents, with their children, with their spouse, with their neighbors, with their in-laws, with everybody around you, with their community members. The better it is, the more happiness and joy you will get in the dunya, and inshaaAllah ta'ala in the akhira.

So my dear brothers and sisters, if we would like to invest in anything in this time — to boost the morale of the Muslim community and our brothers and sisters, and you know what, even our neighbors, the non-Muslims, our co-workers, because we're all living in one unit, one place — then make one of your ibadat, one of your acts of worship in this time, is to bring joy and happiness to other people's lives. Be the source of joy and happiness for them.

When you do that, you're among the people that the Prophet ﷺ described as ahabbul 'ibadi ilallah — the most beloved people to Allah. Who are they? The most beneficial to other people. When people benefit from you, you become the most beloved to Allah, because Allah distributes His rahma and His rizq and His happiness and joy through people like you and I. That's how Allah distributes the rahma and the provision. And our duty is that whenever someone is in need, we're there for them — obviously to the best of our ability. No one has asked you to go beyond your means, financially or otherwise. But at least make part of your ibadah and part of your life to become a source of joy and happiness to other people.

Rasulullah ﷺ said in this hadith:

(al-Mu'jam al-Awsat lil-Tabarani, Hadith 6026; also reported by Ibn Abi al-Dunya — graded hasan by scholars)

The most beloved people to Allah are the most beneficial to people. And the most beloved deeds to Allah — among them he said — is joy and happiness you bring into the life of your beloved brother and sister. Like: remove some of their stress, help them out of a moment of difficulty and hardship. Or perhaps you clear some of their debts if you can help them. Or maybe you just remove hunger and starvation — feed them so they can feel satisfied. And then he said: if I were to walk in the service of one of my brothers and sisters — to go with them and help them out — that is more beloved to me than staying in i'tikaf in this masjid — meaning the masjid of Madinah — for a month.

Even Rasulullah ﷺ and the sahabah showed this in real life. How can we do this? I'm going to give you inshaaAllah ta'ala just a few points here on how you can do it — simple, yet it brings joy and happiness and makes you among those who are most beloved to Allah.

How to Be a Source of Joy: Practical Steps

1. Look for Other People's Needs

If Allah satisfies your needs, look for others around you. If one day, alhamdulillah, at the end of your day you finish your dinner and say alhamdulillah — you got three meals — make sure to share at least one tomorrow, the next day. If you can't give it personally, then at least donate something online. Make sure someone else can benefit from that, even your brothers and sisters in Gaza. Do it.

Try to see people's needs. Maybe Allah gave you a position, alhamdulillah, where you can help people find jobs. If you know someone looking for a job, take an extra effort — speak on their behalf, give them a letter of recommendation, or just pick up the phone and call someone who might help them out. Someone has an issue with their children, with their spouse — try to help as much as you can, accommodate as much as you can. The point is qadha al-hajat — you help people with their needs, no matter what they are.

And you know what? Don't go too far — start in your own household. Your own spouse. Help them in the kitchen. Lend a hand in the garage. Do your best with your kids. Look for people looking for some kind of help, and be there for them. Be the source of joy and happiness when you help them out, inshaaAllah.

2. Smile

Rasulullah ﷺ was known for something very, very special about him — his beautiful smile. Anas ibn Malik said: I was in the company of Rasulullah for more than ten years, and every time he met me, he smiled in my face. Ten years. And the memory he has of Rasulullah is his beautiful smile.

I know you have bad days and difficult people you're dealing with. Sometimes you're not in the most joyful moment yourself. But even Rasulullah had to deal with difficult people — he did. But that didn't mean he couldn't smile when he met other people. If I have a problem, I don't have to spread it all over the place. Just spread joy and happiness. Smile.

Jarir ibn Abdullah al-Bajali — one of the sahabah who embraced Islam late in the history of Islam, among the last few people to become Muslims — when you check the hadith he narrated, he said: I never met Rasulullah except that he smiled in my face. In those last few months of the life of the Prophet ﷺ, he was still making the effort to smile in the face of someone new in the community.

My dear brothers and sisters, spread joy and happiness. Smile. Even if it's difficult — just smile. It's a sunnah, wallahi. And wallahi, it helps people. And when you see someone smiling back at you, it makes you happy too. It doesn't cost you much. The Prophet ﷺ said:

(Sahih Ibn Hibban, Hadith 529; also in Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1956)

Your smile in the face of your brother and sister is an act of charity. So spread charity even if you don't have cash. It doesn't cost you much, jama'ah. It is a sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ.

3. Give Gifts

I know it's a special time of graduation — obviously we're expecting gifts and so on. But don't wait for graduation to give someone a gift. You don't have to wait for an anniversary to give them a gift. Every now and then. And gifts don't have to be expensive either.

It was reported in the sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ that one day Rasulullah received a gift of a nice cloth that had designs on it — a beautiful, beautifully designed piece of cloth. So the Prophet was looking around and said: Where is Umm Khalid? Where is Umm Khalid? And who was Umm Khalid, jama'ah? She was a little girl from the community who had lived in Abyssinia for years before they were able to come and join the Prophet in Madinah. She's a little girl related to the Prophet ﷺ. When she came, the Prophet said: Come. And he put that cloth on her, fitting it on her. That little girl started twirling around, so excited about it. And she was pointing at the designs. And the Prophet ﷺ started telling her: Sana, sana, sana — which is the Abyssinian word for hasana, hasana, meaning beautiful, beautiful.

SubhanAllah — Rasulullah ﷺ cared even to bring joy and happiness into the life of little children, jama'ah. He had time for this. Don't tell me you're too busy. Even for children, he had the time, ﷺ, to do that.

4. Spread Salam and Reconnect

And finally, if there is one thing we need to come back to inshaaAllah — I know we stopped doing it for a very long time because of the situation and COVID and so on — it is saying salam and getting close, and perhaps even shaking hands. If it's safe inshaaAllah, let's come back to this. Because Rasulullah ﷺ said to us:

(Sahih Muslim, Book 1, Hadith 96)

You will not enter Jannah until you have faith, and you will not be true believers until you love one another. Shall I tell you something — if you do it, you will acquire that love for each other? Spread peace and say salam to one another.

Be Among the Keys to Goodness

My dear brothers and sisters, Rasulullah ﷺ mentioned a hadith beautiful in its meaning. He said: some people are keys to all goodness. SubhanAllah. You come to them and they open doors wide for you — you don't even expect it, but they bring hope to you. Like the Prophet ﷺ was — a man who gave hope to those who had lost all hope. And there are those who are locks against all evil — meaning, don't allow skepticism or pessimism to spread among the people. Don't allow this to happen. Be positive. Make sure to open doors for khayr inshaaAllah.

So my dear brothers and sisters, I know it's hard and difficult in this time. But that's what people need the most. They need to find joy and happiness in this difficult time — whether it's political, social, economic, whatever it is. They need to find a glimpse of hope. So be a source of joy and happiness to them inshaaAllah.