Don't Be Sad - By Aaidh ibn Abdullah al-Qarni (A Few Excerpts from the Book about Happiness)

This website contains a few excerpts from the popular book "Don't be Sad" (original in Arabic) that discusses Happiness from an Islamic perspective.

There may be some grammatical errors in translation. You can download the actual E-book for free from islamhouse.com

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Home Page of Happiness

Do not be sad - The fundamentals of happiness

1. Know that if you do not live within the scope of today, your thoughts will be scattered, your affairs will become confused, and your worrying will increase these realities explain the hadith:

"When you are in the morning, do not expect to see the evening, and when you are in the evening, do not expect to see the morning."

2. Forget the past and all that it contained. Being absorbed in things that are gone is sheer lunacy.

3. Do not be preoccupied with the future. Because the future is in the world of the unseen, do not let it bother you until it comes.

4. Do not be shaken by criticism; instead, be firm. And know that, in proportion to your worth, the level of people's criticism rises.

5. Faith in Allah and good deeds: these are the ingredients that make up a good and happy life.

6. Whoever desires peace, tranquility, and comfort can find it all in the remembrance of Allah.

7. You should know with certainty that everything that happens, occurs in accordance with a divine decree.

8. Do not expect gratitude from anyone.

9. Train yourself to be ready and prepared for the worst eventuality.

10. Perhaps what has happened is in your best interest (though you may not comprehend how that is so).

11. Everything that is decreed for the Muslim is best for him.

12. Enumerate the blessings of Allah and be thankful for them.

13. You are better off than many others.

14. Relief comes from one hour to the next.

15. In both times of hardship and ease, one should turn to supplication and prayer.

16. Calamities should strengthen your heart and reshape your outlook in a positive sense.

17. Indeed, with each difficulty there is relief.

18. Do not let trifles be the cause of your destruction.

19. Indeed, your Lord is Of-Forgiving.

20. Do not be angry... Do not be angry... Do not be angry.

21. Life is bread, water, and shade; so do not be perturbed by a lack of any other material thing.

And in the heaven is your provision, and that which you are promised. (Qur'an 51: 22)

22. Most evil that is supposed to happen never occurs.

23. Look at those who are afflicted and be thankful.

24. When Allah loves a people, He makes them endure trials.

25. You should constantly repeat those supplications that the Prophet (bpuh) taught us to say during times of hardship.

26. Work hard at something that is productive, and cast off idleness.

27. Don't spread rumors and don't listen to them. If you hear a rumor inadvertently, then don't believe it.

28. Your malice and your striving to seek revenge are much more harmful to your health than they are to your antagonist.

29. The hardships that befall you atone for your sins.