Chasing Happiness in Life

After welcoming my brothers and sisters to the house of Allah azza wa jal and reminding myself and you with a tough call of Allah to live a life that is conscious of Allah and dutiful to him, and loving and consistent with him Subhana Allah to Allah, Allah Tabata kehlata Allah says Furman Zhu Zhi Hani nadie whoa Derek Hillel janitor for the first one will hire to duniya Illa material hook, that whomever is inched away from the fire and admitted into paradise, then that is the person who has actually succeeded. And the life of this world is nothing but a fleeting, deceiving enjoyment.

As I thought about over this past week, the tour of Jannah of paradise that we had together last Friday,

and I wondered how best to build on this.

I thought to myself that the fact that Jana is the perfect world

and that Allah has allotted it to imperfect beings, that's us. We don't need to be perfect to get to this perfect world is exactly the way the prophets Allah Allahu alayhi wa sallam would emphasize and build on the mission of life being towards Jana. He said as a shadow of the Allahu anha. Narrate and hate is highly authentic and Bukhari and Muslim. He would say to the people said they do work Haribo aim as best as you can for the bullseye. And come as close as you can, meaning you don't need to be perfect, whatever shooter and then he would say and rejoice meaning be reassured after you've done that you've exerted your effort. You've tried your best, your level imperfect best Rest assured, for

Inaho lane you Dakila I had an in Jana Tamela. Who, because no one will be admitted into Jana anyway by their actions, not even i Il ne Atacama Danila hooby Rama t mean who are fouled not even I

unless ALLAH envelops me first with his mercy and bounty. And then he said what Allah ma no and I have been family Illa Allah hiya Duomo, however in con and no after that, that the most beloved actions to Allah are the most consistent of them, even if they are small, Say Subhan Allah when I thought about this hadith, how wise was his advice always sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the way he speaks to us here his companions than us by extension is actually the perfect model on how to maximize your effort, and subsequently, your chances of getting into Jannah. He's telling people just aim as best as you can. But then at the same time, rejoice and Machito Rest assured, because

it's not really about your deeds anyway. It's about Allah's mercy. And so don't get too bogged down by your deeds. Don't be deflated by the incompetence, you feel my deeds are not good enough, just keep chasing.

And then he went on and said to them, that the most beloved act su Allah subhanho wa Taala are the consistent ones, meaning you have to finish the race. It doesn't matter how good you are or how much ground you've gained. What matters is finishing the race.

Even if they're small deeds, but be consistent, he told them, and that one, again, is telling them Don't be overconfident in your deeds, either because it's about Allah's mercy, it's not about your deeds. So once again, keep chasing

that focus he told them, he gave them on chasing the hereafter. When I thought about it further, you know, a beautiful reflection perhaps, on this issue is that he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam guided us to what is the most motivating factor for us,

which is the fact that Jana is not attainable here. You know, that is actually what keeps you driven. What keeps you desiring is the fact that you haven't gotten yet. So what keeps you inspired is the fact that this Chase has to continue. And I want to take that concept. Keep Chasing, keep chasing, you can do it keep chasing it is doable, just not yet. Keep chasing. It's all you need to worry about. One of the

most dangerous and most discouraging notions nowadays or in the world in general, is the fact that this life, you will arrive at a point where you've attained your goals. Let me be even more specific, this presumption that happiness is attainable in this life at some point. This extreme

We discourage you

for so many reasons. But let's start from the ground up. We need to know that this is absolutely a lie. You are chasing a phantom. You're chasing something imaginary if what you're chasing in life is not Janna, but instead happiness in this life. You know, a poet very famously, in a splendid way captured this. And he said, when Messiah to feed duniya in Sheva, when that happiness in this world is nothing but a shadow. It's a shadow. It's a myth that we seek

you Rajah for in

Surah Giesemann Mala hula Bashara it's just something you hope for you seek you chase after happiness in this world. The moment that materializes the moment you have it, you just grow bored of it, you grow this interested in it. Then he gives a beautiful parable and he says Kanna had a yellow Kudo. Now it was Sally macdaddy Ha, it's like this river that's accelerating downhill with such for such momentum. And then once it actually arrives, had the either a jet who, once it actually arrives at the bottom of the hill, in that low land, you will be the way I take you through, it becomes very slow that that water slows down and becomes muddy. Once you actually get there, you stop and you

find yourself in a mud. You find yourself in a swamp.

Let me Sid nurse he says elaphiti, Tasha Wilkie him, people have never found any source of happiness in this world, except in the actual Chase itself, in their longing for something

Ill many for InSAR will be effetto in their longing for what they can't have. And then the moment they stand in front of it, they lose all interest in it. And so that's what the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam guided us to happiness being attainable in this life is a myth. And if you choose to chase this myth, it will not just disappoint you, it will take away your interests in a world where happiness actually exists. Like why can't people chase Jenner? Why? Because they're imagining that gender is available here, a perfect world if I work hard enough, through riches, through relationships, whatever, it's accessible here. And that's it. And this is why the aisle we began

with speaking about what success actually is, ends with saying that the life of this world is only a deceitful, a deceiving enjoyment. And so let me also answer this question. If that is the case, then what should our goal in life be? If it's not happiness? What should it be? It should be embracing our purpose, embracing our purpose, and seeking a world where true happiness is possible.

And if you do that, before you get to this world before you get to Jenna, that perfect world with unending bliss and happiness, you will find yourself at the same time experiencing the sweetest thing in this world. And that is being content with Allah not happy, because you have all of your delights available, being content, a real Babila contentment. You know, I often recall the story of Abdullah hablamos Zuhlke, who was a good friend of one of the whole of

the i bested cleavers. And this man was a loan shark he was just like obsessed with money. And he would lend people for an advantage, charge them Riba. And he became very wealthy Till one day, someone dropped on his leg, a burning coal that they were burning the incense off of.

And so he woke up he was sleeping, he was like, what was that? And the servant girl that was walking around with the burner, she said, That was a glimpse of the fire of this world. So what do you imagine the fire of the Hereafter would be like, and he had Subhanallah complete change of heart a complete change of lifestyle, and then he gave up all of his money for the sake of Allah, which He didn't have to do. By the way, if you are earning from haram ends or haram means you are allowed to keep your capital, right and give up your haram earnings. But he wanted to show allah how regretful he was, of time wasted in this enormity of a sin of riba that he gave up everything, nearly all he

ever owned. And one day two of the great worshipers and scholars of the time and full day live near Al and Sophia named arena Rahima, whom Allah they pass by this man and they see a different person

in front of them, tattered clothing, sleeping on the ground, putting his head on a brick, a piece of stone

and so on for Blaine said to him, Allah subhanho wa Taala never sees anyone give up something for his sake, except that he replaces him with something better meaning ALLAH has to appreciating to tell you wait for Jana to get any sort of kickback get any sort of benefit. Allah is not like that. You gave up something for Allah, I'm sure Allah say give you something in its place. So what did Allah give you? And he responded, saying at Rila, Bhima NFE. Being content with this condition of mine, I have far less comfort, far less luxury, far less fame, everything is less in terms of worldly possessions, worldly opportunities, then my previous self, my previous lifestyle, but I am

more content now than ever. And that is the sweetest experience that a person can have during their stay in this world.

You know, I also mentioned to you even, you know, in the modern world, because it has become such a godless society, people are assuming that God is not the purpose, happiness is the purpose. And they're so parched, they're so thirsty for it. A book had come out in 2006, here in the US, called Stumbling on Happiness. Daniel Gilbert wrote this book. And this book has been a national bestseller has been translated into over 30 languages.

But he basically is saying in the book, the message of a riddle, the message of contentment, he's saying, stop trying so hard to chase down happiness.

Because you actually don't know what will make you happy. You don't actually know what will make you happy. He says, so just try your best. exert your effort and just accept the river and accept what life will give you.

And that's it take life in stride. And you will, you might find yourself happy, at least some form of happiness in unimagined ways. You might stumble on happiness, oh, I'm actually happier now than I ever was. And so this is the idea. You know, happiness, as a Muslim psychologist recently told me being like the number one goal in life, the paramount goal in life is so bad for people's mental health. So bad. He said, because there's one of three options. Either you're going to get

what will make you happy, what you think will make you happy, right? You might not, but you might get it right, then if you get it, it might actually not make you happy. Or it might make you happy for a very short period of time.

And then third of all, even if it does, you're bound to lose it, you're bound to lose what made you happy? Or you're bound to lose the fulfillment, what do you think is happiness that that thing gave you whatever it was, he says, and so it puts people on a crash course because you're about to run into a wall, you're at odds with reality, happiness was never meant to be permanent, best case scenario, you will get some of it temporarily. And that's all

he said. And also, the reason why people struggle with mental and emotional health so much nowadays, is because them being over focused on happiness doesn't allow them to benefit and yes also enjoy other emotions. Meaning you know, the let downs of life, the sadness of life, the fatigue of life, the frustration of life, there is some sweetness there. It is, they are Wake Up Calls, they are treasure chests, they are what make happiness something worth waiting for, because there is unhappiness at times and so lowering your expectations of what life can give you and appreciating the variety of what Allah sends your way is actually in your best interest here even before Jana a

whole Holly has our stuff for Allah Allah Allah Emily welcome.

Al hamdu Lillahi wa Salatu was Salam ala Milena Viva shadow Allah ilaha illallah wa ala Shigella or shadow under Mohammed Abdullah who want to be you who are pseudo.

And so that final point of lowering your expectations of how much happiness life can give you. Being a means the secret to enjoying what life has to offer, all of it. Its ups and its downs is exactly what the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam taught us as well, when they tried to make for him a little bit. You know more of

are comfortable Mejlis sit down, they tried to stuff some cushions for him to sit on Allah He salatu salam, he said to them, Malley will it dunya? What need what expectation do I possibly have of this world?

He said in a Mithali where Mithali duniya Cara Julian Kira kibin Estelle Valetta Tasha Jarrah filmora howitzer, aka,

the example of me. And this world is like the example of a rider who stops under some tree for a short period of time to benefit from its shade. And then I give it up, I abandon the tree, I walk away from it, I keep it moving.

That concept of seeing this life as a shallow desert.

What does that do for a person? This is not doom and gloom. This is what actually allows you to enjoy Oh look, a cloud a tree, there's some shade here, because you're not expecting it in the middle of the vast desert.

Did you feel that breeze because you're not expecting many breezes in the desert.

And then when you get a little bit of a drizzle at times, Allah sends a light rain your way, it is far more pleasant, far more delightful, because you're not expecting too many rainfalls in a desert. And so that is what he brought us to Allah He salatu salam, to lower your expectations so that you may enjoy this world. And also not dim your interest, be intoxicated by it by the imaginary and dim your interest discourage you in the process of what is not imaginary, what is beyond our imaginations of a perfect world that is attainable with a moment's patience, as he said, Allahi salatu salam and with that I close in Al Janetta acabo de la Hadi CommInsure. Archana Ali, he will

now look at Alec paradise is closer to you than the strap of your shoe or your sandal. You put on your shoe one day, one day someone else is going to undo it for you. And you will be in Jannah insha Allah and may Allah forbid the reality of the fire is the same way. It is right there in front of us. A moment's patience is all it will take. Jen is attainable for every seeker that exerts an effort, not necessarily because they don't exist any perfect believers. May Allah azza wa jal help us exert due efforts for his abode for the realm of Jana Allahumma Amin, a world without sadness and disappointment, a world without fatigue or sleep. Allahumma Falana ohana, which I'll Jen Netta here

doll on our burner. It thriller homonyms Romina and moneymatch well meaning me net.

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