The Concept of Happiness and its Reality
By Mufti Menk | 2026-01-11T16:27:26.06584+00:00 | Topic: Iman
The Concept of Happiness and its Reality
Speaker: Mufti Menk
Event: Light Upon Light 12
Opening
As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu. Bismillah ar-Rahman ar-Rahim. Alhamdulillah wa salatu wa salamu ala Rasulullah wa ala alihi wa ashabihi ajma'in.
We praise Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. We send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his household, his companions. We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to bless them, to bless every one of us, to grant us goodness, to open the doors of goodness in this world for us and to grant us success in the hereafter such that we are united with Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in Jannatul Firdaus.
Ameen.
Main Khutbah
The Search for Happiness
My beloved brothers and sisters, we are talking about happiness. And happiness is something that if you were to know, is the most searched, one of the most searched words on Google and on social media, on the internet.
People are searching for happiness and it seems like no one is actually achieving that happiness. Perhaps because they are searching in places that happiness is not found. And perhaps they don't know how to achieve it.
And perhaps they are looking at people who don't really have happiness. If I were to ask a young boy or girl, what would make you happy? They would usually normally answer with a materialistic answer. Very material.
People would say, you know what, if I had the latest car, I would be happy. If I had the latest phone, I would be happy. If I had a nice home, I would be happy, meaning a house.
If I had the latest perfume, I'd be happy. If I looked good, I would be happy. If I had the latest clothes, I would be happy.
If I attracted the attention of others, I would be happy. Yet every single one of those will not give you happiness besides that which is very temporary and very, very fake. Subhanallah.
You can have the latest phone, it's not a source of happiness. It might make you happy for a moment. And thereafter, as soon as you hear there is another phone, you are unhappy.
It goes to show that there is something wrong. Maybe your understanding or my understanding of happiness needs to be fine-tuned in accordance with what my Maker has taught. And definitely, definitely, if you would like happiness, there is no way that you could ignore revelation.
The Purpose of Creation
There is no way that you could ignore the One who made you and I. For indeed, it is only through the teachings of the One who made you that you will understand why you are in existence. If you take a look, subhanallah, at yourself, you will realize that there was a time when you were not in existence.
There was a time when nobody could actually refer to you as he or she or even it because you didn't exist.
So you came from somewhere and so did I. Whoever made me has definitely sent a message to me telling me why he made me. And if I were to search revelation, whatever is available on earth today, I would definitely find that the most authentic of all those books is the Quran, without a doubt, without a doubt. People may have a lot to say about what is in the Quran because they don't understand or they don't know the context or they haven't looked into it or perhaps sometimes they are tainted with some form of a lack of understanding.
May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala open our doors. But if you were to look at Allah telling us:
"I have not created mankind or jinkind except that they worship me."
People look at that verse and I promise you I've had young people tell me, that is so boring. (أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ) That is so boring. So maybe you haven't understood that verse. It actually refers to leading your entire life within what Allah has ordained and that will bring about happiness and contentment.
The Choice of Happiness
Happiness is a choice that you have. You actually would make that choice. You can be happy.
People who are unhappy generally look at what they don't have. And people who are happy look at what Allah has bestowed upon them in order to enjoy it within the limits of Allah. You know if a person were to commit adultery for example, may Allah protect all of us.
If a person were to try to look for happiness in that which would displease Allah, it might bring about a temporary feeling, a false feeling within oneself of happiness. But it's not actually happiness. You are sowing a seed of regret, of sadness.
You are sowing a seed of evil that will germinate and grow into a huge wild forest. If you are not careful, may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala not allow us to become lost in such forests. For indeed if you were to watch the globe today, some of those who have the most glamorous lives outwardly are some of the most depressed people.
They don't have that happiness because they are not content with what Allah has given them. When Allah says, I've created you and jinn kind in order that you worship me, it means in order that you lead a life that is within what I have taught. Stay away from the bad and do good.
And then Allah says, subhanahu wa ta'ala:
"Whoever from amongst you, male or female, believes and does good deeds, we guarantee they will have a beautiful life. They will be happy."
That's what Allah means here because (حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةٌ). A good life, a beautiful life, a pure life, a nice life is not possible unless you're happy. So to be happy you need to look at a few factors.
Factors for Happiness
1. Relationship with Allah
Number one, your relationship with Allah, your iman.
Do you believe that Allah is your maker? Do you believe you're going to return to Him? Do you believe that no matter how much you have on earth, this earth will not give you more than two square meters when you leave it. You could be a billionaire, a millionaire, you could have every latest technology and gadget. But I promise you, when you leave this world, it will only give you two square meters to be buried and thereafter you will be decomposed in there, in most cases another or a third and a fourth, buried on the same spot as time passes.
May Allah grant us ease. This is why we say, when we came onto earth, we actually came without anything. We didn't even have clothes.
And when we leave, we will be stripped of that clothing, we will be enshrouded in a respectful way, but we leave with nothing as well. So while we're on earth, make most of the opportunities Allah gives you to gain closeness to Him. If you don't have iman, you will never be a happy person.
(Sahih Muslim)
"The affairs of a true believer are amazing. Why are they amazing? Because no matter what happens to him or her, it is always good for him and her. It can never be bad."
Allah doesn't do something bad, but Allah gives you opportunities to shine. Allah gives you an opportunity to prove yourself. Allah gives you an opportunity to bear sabr, to bear patience.
So this hadith continues to say, if hardship befalls the true believer, then he or she is patient, so it is better for him or her. And if goodness comes in the direction of a true believer, then he or her is very, very grateful to Allah. It makes him or her closer to Allah in terms of worship.
So that is better for him or her. May Allah grant us happiness. Truly, my brothers and sisters, the closer you are to Allah, the happier you will be.
When you make Allah happy, you will definitely be happy. Point number one I raised is the issue of your conviction in Allah, your iman in Allah, your belief and your relationship with Allah. How is it?
"Come to success."
We've heard that so many times. It means come to success. But when the caller appointed by Allah is calling us to true success, we are heading in the wrong direction. We're going away.
We're not particular with our salah and our connection with Allah and we expect happiness. Can it come? Who is the owner of happiness? Is it not Allah? He's telling you, come, come to success. And what are we doing? We couldn't be bothered at times.
May Allah protect us. So when we search for that happiness with those who don't own it, it's like asking a beggar for a million dollars. But when you're asking the right one and when you're seeking it in the right direction from the owner of it, it's like asking a multi-billionaire for one cent.
Subhanallah. May Allah open our doors. So my brothers and sisters, you want happiness? You need to develop your link with Allah.
2. Family Relationships
You need to improve yourself. When we have, for example, a happy day, a day of Eid, a day of a marriage and wedding, etc. Make sure that we understand that happiness in the long term and the short term will only be achieved by making Allah happy on that day.
Sometimes when we see these happy days, we cannot help but to ask ourselves, have we just intentionally displeased Allah here? May Allah protect us all and keep guiding us. Ameen. Secondly, remember your family is of utmost importance.
Allah created you within a certain group of people. Allah made for you someone known as your father, your mother. They may be good people in a lot of cases, most cases perhaps.
They may not be good people in some cases. They may be ridiculous in some cases. But Allah tells you, be kind to them.
We made you. We know what you want. We know what you're looking for.
You're looking for success and happiness, contentment. We're going to give it to you. But we want you to realize the channel through which we chose to bring you onto earth includes these parents of yours, your siblings, your relatives.
And this is why Allah stresses this so many times. Starting with the parents:
"Allah has declared and dictated, decreed that none shall be worshipped besides Him and that you shall be kind to your parents."
And the verses continue to say how you need to actually be kind to them. What that kindness entails. Subhanallah.
But what you need to know, my brothers and sisters, if you ignore the channel through which Allah has created you, how would you achieve happiness?
So you may disagree with your parents on certain issues. You may if they are totally wrong, but you need to be respectful, you need to be kind. And this is why Allah says:
"If they are trying and striving to make you associate partners with Allah, in this case, you turn that down. You don't accept what they are instructing you to do. But you keep on treating them with goodness, politeness, with that which is common, with that which is known as the treatment that parents should be receiving from you."
Subhanallah. Without treating your parents and your family members in a good way, you're not going to be able to be happy. People are searching for happiness all over. Wallahi, my brothers and sisters, in our homes, our own spouses, we live together but we are far apart because each one is searching for happiness perhaps on social media.
Sometimes we look at what is on social media, we begin to compare our lives with the lives of others who are not actually leading those lives and therefore we lose our contentment. But to be honest with you, the hadith says:
(Sahih Muslim)
"The two units that you can offer for prayer before Salatul Fajr, sunnah of Fajr is better for you than the whole world and what it can offer you."
Subhanallah. Whatever is in it, it's better than that. And what are we doing at that time? We are snoring. Subhanallah.
The Purpose of Rules and Regulations
The rules and regulations of the deen laid by Allah are not there in order to make you unhappy. They are not there in order to make you lose your sleep.
"Ta Ha. We have not revealed this Qur'an to you, this revelation to you, O Muhammad that you can be that
HEADING
you can lose this happiness, this goodness, that you can be a person who's unsuccessful, whatever else you'd like to say, Subhanallah, in terms of negativity. The Qur'an is not revealed for a person to become unhappy, unsuccessful, for a person to become sad. No, these rules are there for long-term happiness."
Reference: Quran 20:1-3
Education and Worldly Life Example
My brothers and sisters, when you and I went to school, I'm sure a lot of us are still at school, mashallah. When you and I went to school, why did we go there? Listen very carefully. You started off pre-grade one with the nursery or the creche as they call it, in order for you to start learning how to read and write.
You went to school grade one, you suffered with examination after examination, test after test and so on. And you were happy. If your parents had to communicate with you, they would have told you, it's not about coming first, it's about trying your best.
It's about trying your best. And so you continue one year, two years. How many years? Seven years later you graduate into high school, right? Or college in a lot of cases.
After that the tests become more and more difficult, my brothers and sisters. But you're looking forward to it. Your parents are cheering you along.
You feel happy because now and again you achieve a little certificate that doesn't last long. Meaning it's just a prize of the week or the month or sometimes the year. And you work harder the following year.
And the books become bigger and bigger. Do you not agree? For what? Thereafter you graduate from high school and you end up applying for universities, getting loans in a halal way, I hope. In order to go to the universities, in order to study and sweat.
And you haven't even started earning a penny. Subhanallah. You study for 25 years.
Thereafter you get a salary in which you start paying back what you might have loaned in order to do those studies. But you're happy, you're okay. Why? Because you want to live for another 25 years.
So you sweat for 25 years in order to earn a little bit to help you for another 25 years. Not counting the 10 years in between paying back that loan. Subhanallah.
And you've lived for 60 years, now you're ready to do what? You're probably, probably a grandfather, perhaps. May Allah make it easy for us. Ameen.
But, a few more years and you've got to go to Allah. And you don't realize that when the world promised you that if you study for 25 years we'll offer you 100,000 pounds a year for the next 25 years, then you believed the world. But when Allah promised you that if you fulfill what we're telling you for 50 years, we're going to give you eternity with whatever you want, with absolute and total happiness, such that you will never, ever regret.
Then we don't want to believe Allah. And then we want happiness. Subhanallah.
The Promise of Paradise
I always say, Allahu Akbar. There's a verse in the Quran where Allah tells us those who believe, those who don't believe in the hereafter, the two are very, very different:
"Allah says, can the two be equal? On one hand, the one whom we have made a good promise and he will definitely see it, she will no doubt see it and get it. That's the promise of Jannatul Firdaus. And on the other hand, the one who wants the worldly life and gets it and achieves it, but has not developed a connection with Allah such that they lose the hereafter."
Reference: Quran 28:61
May Allah help us.
And when I read this verse and pondered over it, I thought of something amazing. If you were to be promised a job and you were told, listen my brother, 20,000 pounds a month. Oh, wow! Isn't that a beautiful salary? 20,000 pounds a month and you only work a few hours in the day and you relax.
Subhanallah. Would you go for the job? If it was halal, would you go for it? Come on, don't pretend like 20,000 is not a good salary, guys. Would you go for it? MashaAllah.
Yes, I would, I think too. May Allah make it easy, I hope. But my brothers and sisters, they give you a monthly salary, right? 20 days have passed, you've worked hard.
You're so excited because someone has promised you that when 30 days cross, you're gonna see your bank account, 20,000 deposited, right? You're so excited, you work hard. 25 days, you're working even harder. 26 days, you start planning what you're gonna be doing.
27 days, you're so, so happy, delighted. You might start ordering things that you don't even know you're gonna be able to afford if that money doesn't come in. And so what happens, 29, 30 days and you go to check your bank balance.
You look at the phone, you see here, see there. A moment delay and you are so upset, right? And a person promised you that in 30 days, you work so hard. When it's finished, when it's over, when you're done with it, I will pay you 20,000 and you were ready to believe them.
And perhaps they may have given it to you. But when Allah, Rabbul Izzati wal Jalal tells you to work an entire lifetime and to work very easy work. Salah doesn't take too much of you.
Being a good person doesn't take too much of you. And then we don't believe Allah but we can believe the guy down the street when we got a job there. We don't believe Allah.
We have a doubt in our hearts. We don't get excited. The older you get, the happier you should be that I'm closer to what Allah has promised me.
I always tell people, would you like Jannah? Let's ask you, would you like Jannah? Yes. Who wants to die? The answer is not yet. Allahu Akbar.
But to get to Jannah, you need to go somewhere. It goes to show, ultimate happiness is something that Allah has kept in store for the believers in the dunya and the akhira.
Community Service
You need to look after your relationship with Allah, your relationship with your family, your relationship with the community you live in because you will only achieve happiness when you make others happy.
Without that, you're not going to be achieving that happiness:
(Source Name)
"Allah continues to help a slave for as long as that slave is helping another."
Reference: Sahih Muslim
May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala grant us happiness and goodness.
Final Advice
So if you want happiness, search for those who have less than you. That's the criteria that Allah has given you to be happy. Allah didn't say it for no reason.
But Allah is telling you, you really want that happiness? Well, there are so many people who don't have what you have. Help them, reach out to them, look at them. You appreciate what you have.
I promise you the problem with most of us is we keep looking at those who have more than us. And we forget to look at those who have less. We keep looking at the next thing, the next thing.
All of that, even those who won the lottery. I'm not talking about its permissibility here. I'm talking about those who won the lottery.
Please go and search and see that their happiness did not last more than a few months. In most cases, in almost all cases. Go and see how many of them have committed suicide thereafter.
Yet they won millions and billions. That is why I read a story of someone who won a huge lottery. They decided to donate it because they didn't want their lives to be compromised.
But with us, subhanallah, happiness is become connected to materialism. And that is fake. Allah tells you, my brothers and sisters, I want to say something very interesting.
I don't have much time, but inshallah we'll meet later on in the day. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the most beloved unto Allah. Thereafter the Prophets of Allah, the messengers, their companions and so on, the most beloved unto Allah.
Abu Bakr as-Siddiq radiyallahu anhu, the best to tread this earth after the messengers of Allah. Subhanahu wa ta'ala Umar ibn al-Khattab radiyallahu anhum, the companions and all of them. Allah love
them more than you and I. Do you agree? The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the best of creation, the most noble of all prophets.
He didn't have a phone, he didn't have electricity, he didn't get to sit on an aircraft, he didn't have the cars we have, he didn't have the roads we have, the phones, the technology, the internet, none of it, zero, not one droplet of, not even a tap that he could open and the water came out. They had to go for water, they had to light a fire in a certain way, they had to ride on camels and donkeys and so on, that they were the happiest of people. If Allah kept happiness in these things, the first person He would have ever given this to was Muhammad ibn Abdullah al-Hashimi al-Qurashi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, being the best of creation, the most noble of all prophets, even he didn't get all of that because Allah knows that there was no value in this connected to your happiness on earth or connected to your happiness in the hereafter.
Don't be mistaken. Those whom Allah has loved more than you and I, wallahi they didn't have a fraction of what we have in terms of materialism and technology because that is valueless in the eyes of Allah. You have to use all of that as a pleasure and an honor and we will use it, but in order to gain closeness to Allah.
It's a bigger challenge. Have you ever thought of it? Who's better? You or Abu Bakr al-Siddiq? I'm sure he is 100% better. He didn't have any of what we have in terms of technology, but that doesn't reduce his value at all.
"If Allah wanted, He could have given you much better than that."
Reference: Quran 25:10
May Allah grant us ease. I want to mention the last factor I spoke about community. I want to say, we need to understand ourselves. Be happy with yourself.
Be content with what Allah has bestowed upon you. Reach out to others. Fulfill the instructions of Allah and see how you will be happy.
Throughout the day today, we will be looking at various aspects of the family and how to bring about happiness within that family. May Allah grant every one of us success in the dunya and the akhirah. True happiness.
Like I said, it's your choice. You can be happy. Make others happy.
Make the environment around you easy. Develop your relationship with Allah. And here goes, you will always be happy even if you're living in a hut.
Closing
"I say what I have said, and may Allah send His peace and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad."