HOW TO BE HAPPY
Intellectual Satisfaction
\EVERYONE wants to be happy. But no one seems to obtain the sort of happiness one wants. The ideal happiness that people look for eludes them. In this regard, Islam adopts a natural principle. The Quran expresses this in the following words: “Surely in the remembrance of God hearts can find comfort.” (13: 28) In other words, the Quran distinguishes between two things—physical pleasure, on the one hand, and intellectual satisfaction, on the other. In accordance with God’s Creation Plan, physical pleasures can be had in their perfect sense only in Paradise. In this world, in contrast, what can be had is intellectual satisfaction, which every human being is capable of.
Intellectual satisfaction means discovering the appropriate explanation for every situation. For instance, you are heading to the railway station to catch a train, and when you get there, you discover that the train is two hours late. If you do not know the reason for the delay, you will be anxious. But if you get to know the reason, you will be set at ease and be at peace and will calmly wait for the train to arrive.
With regard to physical pleasures, remain content with what you have received while leaving what you have not received to the Hereafter.
The Creator has made this world in order to test us and for rewarding us in the Hereafter. That is why in this world, no one can obtain physical pleasures in the fullest sense. But it is possible that by finding out the reason for the situations one is faced with, one can obtain intellectual satisfaction or peace of mind. This, according to Islam, is the principle for happiness.
With regard to physical pleasures, remain content with what you have received while leaving what you have not received to the Hereafter. In this way, your mind will be freed, and, comprehending the reasons for the situations that you are faced with in the right way, you will obtain peace of mind. According to God’s Creation Plan, this alone is a practicable method to obtain happiness.