Islam and human happiness

If we examine all the orders and laws of Islam, we find that every single law or order aims at bringing happiness to the individual. This
applies to Islamic regulations with regard to worship, economics, penal
laws and all other aspects of life.

The Belief in Allaah and Psychological Security

When a person believes in Allaah, this belief gives him a strong feeling
of security, which is a basic psychological need. This belief in Allaah
gives the believer a strong support in critical moments and gives him
continuous hope against all sources of despair. This belief gives
strength to the sick and hope to the hopeless.

The Belief in Allaah and Ethical Responsibility

A person who believes in Allaah tends to be more ethically responsible
than a person who does not believe. This belief makes a person feel that
he is being observed by Allaah everywhere and on all occasions. This
feeling makes a person try to be as uncorrupted and as far from sin as
possible.

The Belief in Life after Death and the Feeling of Continuity

A Muslim believes in life after death. This belief gives the person a
feeling of continuity. To a Muslim, death is not the end of life; rather
it is a transition from the first life to the second one. A Muslim is
not horrified by death because he knows that death is a change into
another life.

The Day of Judgment and God's Justice

A Muslim believes in the Day of Judgment, a day when every person is
rewarded or punished for his deeds in this life. This belief gives the
person a feeling of satisfaction with the justice of Allaah. Allaah is
fair; everybody is responsible for his actions. This responsibility
makes everybody watch himself and his own deeds.

A Connection with God

A Muslim prays five times a day. This prayer is a connection between the
believer and Allaah. Without this continual daily prayer, the man-God
connection becomes weak. The stronger the man-God connection is, the
more obedient to Allaah man becomes.

Self-Control

A Muslim should fast for one month every year. This fasting trains the
man's will and frees him from being enslaved by his own habits. Fasting
also makes man more sympathetic with others suffering poverty or
deprivation.

A Sense of Belonging

A Muslim is urged to perform prayers with other men in groups. The
Friday noon prayer must be a collective prayer. Pilgrimage is a
collective practice. These practices help man to grow socially and to
feel that he belongs. The feeling of belonging is one of the basic
psychological needs of man.

Away from Tension

Islam regulates the relations of the two sexes and discourages any
unnecessary intermingling of the two sexes. This helps both sexes to be
away from any source of sexual temptation or tension.

Away from Sin

Islam instructs both men and women to cover certain parts of the body.
The woman should cover all her body except the hands and face. The
purpose is to protect both the man and the woman from sin and tension.
It has been proved medically, that neurological tension ends up causing
many diseases in the heart and the digestive system.

No Alcoholic Drinks

Islam prevents the drinking of alcoholic drinks in order to protect the
human body from their damaging effect. Such drinks also damage the
functions of the mind and the nervous system.

Preventing Crimes

Islam legislates killing of the murderer, because this is the most
effective way to protect society from more murders by the same murderer
or new murderers. Islam legislates severe punishments for robbers and
thieves because this is the best way to stop such crimes.

Protecting Family

Islam prohibits adultery and legislates a severe punishment for
adulterers and adulteresses, in order to protect marriage as a sacred
institution, to protect the family as the best social cell for human
life and to protect children from homelessness. Islam punishes a false
accuser of adultery, because no liar has the right to spoil others'
lives.

No Interest in Economy

Islam prohibits interest because individuals in the same society should
be partners. In the interest-banking system, the depositor requires a
certain interest on his deposited money, whether the bank profits or
loses. The interest system is a big blow to social solidarity. In Islam,
interest is not allowed. The alternative in Islam is partnership, where
all partners share the profit or loss in proportion to their invested
shares. This system of Islamic sharing is fairer and often more
profitable to a greater number of partners.

Ready Solutions

Islam gives man solutions to his major problems. These solutions
simplify the way and give him help and the guidance that he needs.
Without these solutions, man is unable to reach a decision on many
issues. If we look around, we find that many countries have several
political parties that adopt contradictory policies and give
contradictory answers to the questions of economics, politics and law.

This shows us that man is not capable of solving his basic problems on
his own. If we examine Western civilization, we find that people there
disagree on everything: the existence of Allaah, the role of religion,
divorce, marriage, racial discrimination, crime and punishment.

Constant Ethical Values

Islam gives man a stable system of ethical values. Islam makes it clear
to believers that certain acts are good and certain acts are bad, that
certain acts are allowed and certain other acts are prohibited. Islam
gives man a clear reference to refer to in all aspects of life. With
this reference, man's chances to make mistakes are minimized.

The Just Ruler

Islam orders the ruler to base his rule on justice and consultation.
Islam orders subjects to obey the ruler as long as he obeys Allaah.
Islam gives the ruler fair rights and fair duties and gives subjects
fair rights and fair duties as well.

Basic Needs

In Islam, the ruler must secure the basic needs to everybody under his
rule regardless of religion or race. The individual is entitled to the
rights of housing, eating, clothing, learning and medical care.

Equality of All

Socially and ethically, Islam emphasizes the equality of all persons
before law and the equality of all humans in origin since all humans
belong to the same father, Aadam (Adam), may Allaah exalt his mention.
Islam emphasizes fraternity and mercy as two major qualities of good
believers.

Every single verse in the Quran and every single tradition of the
Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, (may Allaah exalt his
mention) aims at the happiness of the individual. Let us pray that
Allaah guide us all to His right way. Let us submit to Allaah. Let us
believe in all His Prophets and all His Apostles, may Allaah exalt their
mention. Let us believe in all Revealed Books and the final Revealed
Book, The Holy Quran.