An Attempt to Measure Happiness

By Ali Al-Hail

ccun.org, April 1, 2008

 

Every person on earth wants with varying degrees, to be

 happy. But, most people don't seem to know how to be happy.

As a result, many related questions arise here such as, how to measure happiness? For example; would money and other materials make a person happy? They could be contributive means to making her\him happy.

However, working to have a lot of money, or to get a certain post, quite often becomes intertwined with negative feelings e.g., greed, bitterness and also with bad experiences resulted from aspects of competition. Negative feelings and bad experiences lead to depression.

As a Muslim, I would like to share this topic with other fellow humans in terms of measuring happiness. Since happiness, is the ultimate goal to humans, I am a firm believer in the perceived premise that, happiness can be achieved by one's 'scientific' faith in Allah (Almighty God), in my own experience.

Humans in general, believe differently, in divinity. This observation springs from the psychological fact which, implies that, because humans are individuals, they therefore, have individual differences. However, humans, albeit being individuals, they do have lots in common, including believing in divinity, by one way or another.

Power of divinity, which is conceived by them as transcending   their capabilities, has by instinct, enabled them to realize the essence of this impermanent life. This power has, allover human history been given so many names. Muslims, for instance call it, Allah (Almighty God).

A 'scientific' faith is a term which, can be defined as, a belief in Allah (Almighty God), who is in charge, and who gives and takes away for a wisdom. Sometimes, such a performance occurs through means, and sometimes, it just arises. For; Allah, is the God and creator of means. Hence, Allah doesn't need means to give or to take away.   

It doesn't appeal to many fellow humans that, Muslims don't worship certain objects, as in other faiths, through which they make their contact with Allah. Muslims worship the God and creator of all objects.

Thus, Muslims address Allah, the absolute directly. To Muslims, Allah has no resemblance. Therefore, doesn't matter how Allah might look like.

'Abnormal' people such as, popes, clerics, kings, queens, presidents, celebrities, they all have human resemblance. They all go to lavatories, they all have the flue, they all feel or fall ill, they all fast sleep, like anybody else, like window cleaners, street sweepers, garbage collectors etc. Only, and only Allah who doesn't do or have these things. Accordingly, people should not put their beliefs in these people as they who give and take away. Nevertheless, they can be referred to as means from Allah to help out. They are also, incorporated in Allah's eternal powerful forces. This understanding is crucially, vital to measuring happiness.          

Believers explore Allah through Allah's signs and creatures. The sunrise, the sunset, the exchange of day and night, the human herself \ himself, other organisms and creatures. To Muslims and to humans who give a chance to their crude basic common sense upon which Allah created humans, to think and to analyze that, physics, chemistry or coincidence had not authored all these amazing creativity. Physics and chemistry are sheer means created by Allah. They are amongst unlimited pones and powerful forces of Allah.                            

Does happiness have anything to do with the faith that, Allah (Almighty God) gives and takes away? Therefore, if Allah gave you a fortune, through your hard work, this hard work is a means from Allah. You took up the means Allah has made available to you such as, intelligence, being energetic, being able to detect an opportunity and to go for it.

Within this faith Allah, is the creator of means as, the faith that, our planet, this, by comparison tiny box, in which we all, Allah's creatures, humans and other organisms live, as well as other planets, orbits, and the galaxies, are all created, managed and followed up on regular basis by Allah.

The faith that, there's actually, no room for a coincidence, which did such things. Simply, a coincidence is created by Allah.

One doesn't bump into someone, and spends hours or so talking by coincidence, as many people say. An hour, a person might take talking to somebody, is in fact a lot of time, compared to the average life humans live which is eighties at the at most. This indicates that, Allah wanted this person to see that person before they both pass away.

Could happiness be possibly, measured by how close is a human from this credence? I should say, yes indeed. This closeness helps enable people to become aware of the fact that, the one who has and the one who hasn't, would both die. Perhaps, the one who has more could die before the one who has less.

Additionally, it's upon the degree of belief in the power of Allah (Almighty God), a person can be cleared of negative feelings and bad experiences. Here, is where can a human feels really, happy. As, the belief is the roof of the faith. Everyone on earth knows that, she\he would pass away sooner or later. It's just a matter of time. But, still, most of them kill, hurt, cheat, lie, and so on. Simply, because they don't believe in the power of Allah. Between to know and to believe there's a major distinction.

Once, you believe in the power of Allah, that, Allah is the one who gives and takes away, you wouldn't feel depressed, or frustrated or greedy. In the view of that, many people don't feel happy, because of lack of this belief.                    

Professor, Dr. Ali Al-Hail, Professor of Mass Communication, Twice Fulbright Award Winner, Fulbright Visiting Scholar, Vice-President Of Qatar Fulbright Group, CSR Award Judge and Board Member of AUSACE, ASC, IABD, NEBAA, BEA, IMDA and EAJMC American Associations.