Concept of Happiness (Sa’adah) in Islam
“Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.” (QS. Ar-Ra’d: 28)
Have you ever asked yourself: why do people who already have everything — abundant wealth, high position, luxurious houses, expensive cars — still feel empty in their chests? Why do suicide rates in the most prosperous countries in the world continue to rise every year? Why do millions of people who live in material luxury still need sleeping pills every night?
These questions are no trivial matters. They are fundamental questions that touch the core of what is called the essence of happiness (Sa’adah).
The modern world has failed to answer this question. For centuries, Western civilization has built its entire system of thought upon the assumption that happiness can be bought, can be measured, and can be achieved through the accumulation of material things. The result? Mass depression, collective anxiety, and existential emptiness that has plagued generation after generation.
Islam, through its clear culture, gives a completely different answer. Happiness is not something that can be stacked in a bank account. Happiness is not something that can be attained through political position. True happiness — in Arabic called Sa’adah (سعادة) — is an inner state that can only be achieved when the human heart is connected to the true source of tranquility: Allah ﷻ.
Let us unpack this concept in depth, step by step, so that our minds may become tranquil and our hearts may find the clarity we have been seeking.
1. Introduction: Why Do Humans Always Feel Lacking?
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ once said very plainly:
لَوْ كَانَ لِابْنِ آدَمَ وَادٍ مِنْ ذَهَبٍ، لَأَحَبَّ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُ وَادِيَانِ مِنْهُ
“If the son of Adam had a valley of gold, he would desire to have two valleys.” (HR. Bukhari)
This hadith is not merely moral advice. It is a factual observation about human psychology that has proven true for thousands of years. Observe the reality around us. An employee whose salary rises from five million to ten million will feel happy for a few months. But not long after, his happiness fades. He begins comparing himself with a coworker whose salary is twelve million. Then he envies. Then he is dissatisfied. Then he seeks ways to get even more.
This cycle never stops. This is what in the Qur’an is called At-Takathur (rivalry and competition in accumulating wealth):
أَلْهَاكُمُ التَّكَاثُرُ . حَتَّىٰ زُرْتُمُ الْمَقَابِرِ
“Competition in [worldly] increase diverts you, until you visit the graveyards.” (QS. At-Takathur: 1-2)
This verse reveals a very deep truth: man who pursues happiness through the accumulation of material things will never stop until he enters the grave. And when he dies, he realizes that everything he accumulated has no meaning whatsoever.
Then the question is: if happiness cannot be achieved through material things, then where does true happiness lie? To answer this question, we need to first understand how the world defines happiness and why that definition is fundamentally wrong.
2. The Failure of the Secular Concept of Happiness
Modern Western civilization defines happiness within a very narrow and materialistic framework. In the secular view, happiness is the maximization of pleasure and the minimization of pain. This definition is encapsulated in the philosophy of utilitarianism, which states that a good action is one that produces the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people.
It sounds rational? Unfortunately, this definition is flawed from its very root.
The first problem is that pleasure is temporary and adaptive. When you buy a new car, you feel happy. But after three months, that car becomes “normal” to you. You no longer feel the same happiness. You need to buy something newer, more expensive, more luxurious to get the same dose of happiness. This is called the hedonic treadmill in modern psychology — a concept that was actually revealed by the Qur’an fourteen centuries ago.
The second problem is that the secular concept of happiness has no clear ultimate purpose. If happiness is merely the accumulation of worldly pleasures, then what happens after death? Does all that happiness simply vanish? If yes, then human life essentially has no true meaning. This is the existential emptiness experienced by millions of people in the Western world.
The third problem is that secular happiness is built upon a foundation of extreme individualism. Every person is left to define his own happiness without any objective standard. The result? Someone may define his happiness in a way that destroys himself — drugs, fornication, gambling, alcohol — and secular society cannot say that is wrong, because “that is his personal choice.”
Sheikh Taqiuddin an-Nabhani in his works criticizes this view very sharply. He emphasizes that happiness built upon unlimited freedom and the separation of religion from life will never produce true tranquility. It is only an illusion of happiness — like someone who drinks seawater: the more he drinks, the thirstier he becomes.
Table 1: Promises of Secular Happiness vs. Proven Reality
| Promise of the Modern World | Proven Reality |
|---|---|
| ”Money brings happiness” | The wealthy experience depression and suicide in high numbers |
| ”Individual freedom brings satisfaction” | Instead produces confusion, emptiness, and identity crises |
| ”Hedonism brings pleasure” | Never satisfied, always wanting more, addiction |
| ”Materialism brings security” | Fear of losing wealth, stress, never sleeping peacefully |
Allah ﷻ says about the futility of pursuing the world as an ultimate goal:
الْمَالُ وَالْبَنُونَ زِينَةُ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا ۖ وَالْبَاقِيَاتُ الصَّالِحَاتُ خَيْرٌ عِنْدَ رَبِّكَ ثَوَابًا وَخَيْرٌ أَمَلًا
“Wealth and children are [but] adornment of the worldly life. But the enduring good deeds are better to your Lord for reward and better for [one’s] hope.” (QS. Al-Kahf: 46)
3. Definition of True Happiness (Sa’adah) in Islam
After we understand the failure of the secular concept of happiness, now let us turn to the definition of happiness in Islam.
In Islamic culture, true happiness is called Sa’adah (السعادة). This word comes from the root sa-‘i-da which means fortune, nobility, and a good state. Sa’adah is not merely a momentary feeling of joy — that is called Farah (فرح) — but a deep, stable, and continuous inner state.
The difference between Sa’adah and Farah is very fundamental. Farah is the joy that arises from worldly pleasures: happy to get a bonus, happy to get a gift, happy to get praise. This Farah comes and goes like waves. It is not stable and cannot be relied upon.
Sa’adah, on the other hand, is the tranquility of the heart that springs from firm conviction in Allah ﷻ. Sa’adah does not depend on external conditions. A person who possesses Sa’adah can remain tranquil and happy even if his life is materially poor, because his happiness does not lie in what he owns, but in Whom he worships.
Allah ﷻ says:
قُلْ بِفَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَبِرَحْمَتِهِ فَبِذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَفْرَحُوا هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِمَّا يَجْمَعُونَ
“Say, ‘In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy — in that let them rejoice; it is better than what they accumulate.’” (QS. Yunus: 58)
This verse explicitly states that true happiness lies in fadhlullah (the bounty of Allah) and rahmatullah (the mercy of Allah), not in the accumulation of material wealth.
Table 2: Difference Between Sa’adah and Farah
| Aspect | Sa’adah (سعادة) | Farah (فرح) |
|---|---|---|
| Source | Obedience to Allah, dhikr, faith | Worldly pleasures, wealth, position |
| Duration | Stable, continuous, eternal | Temporary, comes and goes |
| When Afflicted by Disaster | Remains tranquil, patient, confident there is wisdom | Shattered, stressed, depressed, despairing |
| When Given Blessings | Grateful, increases in obedience, not arrogant | Arrogant, forgets himself, forgets Allah |
| After Death | Eternal in the hereafter | Vanishes along with the world |
4. Three Pillars of Islamic Happiness
Hizbut Tahrir, through its systematic cultural approach, emphasizes that happiness in Islam stands upon three pillars that cannot be separated from one another. These three pillars form a robust structure: if one pillar collapses, the entire edifice of happiness will collapse with it.
First Pillar: Iman (الإيمان)
Iman is not merely a verbal acknowledgment that Allah exists. True iman is a conviction planted in the heart that influences a person’s entire way of thinking, attitude, and action.
Iman provides the most fundamental foundation for happiness: the meaning of life. A Muslim who understands that he was created by Allah to worship Him will never experience an existential crisis. He knows exactly why he exists in this world. He knows what he must do. He knows where he will go after death.
Allah ﷻ says:
وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنْسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ
“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (QS. Adh-Dhariyat: 56)
This verse gives a definitive answer to the question “what am I living for?” that has caused millions of people in the Western world to experience depression and anxiety.
Second Pillar: Amal Shalih (العمل الصالح)
Iman without action is imperfect faith. Iman must be manifested in concrete actions. Amal shalih — prayer, fasting, charity, honesty, trustworthiness, maintaining family ties — is the concrete manifestation of iman in daily life.
Allah ﷻ says very clearly about the relationship between iman, amal shalih, and happiness:
مَنْ عَمِلَ صَالِحًا مِنْ ذَكَرٍ أَوْ أُنْثَىٰ وَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَيَاةً طَيِّبَةً
“Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer — We will surely cause him to live a good life.” (QS. An-Nahl: 97)
The phrase Hayatan Thayyibah (حياة طيبة) in this verse is the Qur’anic term for true happiness in this world. Notice that Allah does not promise Hayatan Thayyibah to those who merely believe, or to those who merely do righteous deeds. Allah promises Hayatan Thayyibah only to those who possess both simultaneously: iman AND amal shalih.
Third Pillar: Ilm (العلم)
Knowledge is a pillar that is often overlooked yet very crucial. Without knowledge, iman can become blind fanaticism. Without knowledge, action can become misguidance wrapped in goodness.
Sheikh Taqiuddin an-Nabhani emphasizes that a Muslim must have Islamic culture — a deep understanding of Islamic thought — so that he can distinguish between truth and falsehood, between what is in accordance with sharia and what deviates.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
مَنْ سَلَكَ طَرِيقًا يَلْتَمِسُ فِيهِ عِلْمًا، سَهَّلَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِهِ طَرِيقًا إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ
“Whoever pursues a path in search of knowledge, Allah will make easy for him a path to Paradise.” (HR. Muslim)
Table 3: Three Pillars of Islamic Happiness
| Pillar | Function | Concrete Implementation |
|---|---|---|
| Iman (الإيمان) | Gives meaning to life, inner foundation | Tawhid, conviction in Allah, certainty in the hereafter |
| Amal Shalih (العمل الصالح) | Manifests iman in concrete actions | Prayer, fasting, charity, honesty, maintaining family ties |
| Ilm (العلم) | Distinguishes truth from falsehood, guides action | Regular Islamic study, understand Islamic culture, attend gatherings of knowledge |
5. Characteristics of Islamic Happiness in Real Life
Islamic happiness is not an abstract concept floating in the sky. It has very concrete manifestations that can be felt in daily life. Let us dissect four main characteristics of Islamic happiness that we can observe in a true Muslim.
First Characteristic: Sakinah (السكينة) — Tranquility of the Heart
أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ
“Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured.” (QS. Ar-Ra’d: 28)
Sakinah is a state of the heart that is tranquil, peaceful, and not restless. A person who has sakinah does not easily panic when facing problems. He is not easily anxious about the future. He sleeps soundly because his heart is clean from sin and his intellect is tranquil because he is confident that everything is in the Hands of Allah.
Imagine a Muslim who loses his job. A person who does not believe will immediately panic, become stressed, and perhaps depressed. But a Muslim who has sakinah will say: “Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi raji’un. This is a test from Allah. I will be patient, I will strive again, and I am confident that Allah will not abandon me.”
This difference in response is not because the Muslim has no feelings. This difference is because he has a solid inner foundation that a person who does not believe does not possess.
Second Characteristic: Shukr (الشكر) — Feeling Content with What One Has
لَئِنْ شَكَرْتُمْ لَأَزِيدَنَّكُمْ
“If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor].” (QS. Ibrahim: 7)
Gratitude is not merely uttering “alhamdulillah” with the tongue. True gratitude is feeling content (qana’ah) with what Allah has given and using that blessing in accordance with Allah’s command.
A grateful person does not compare his life with others. He does not envy his neighbor’s more luxurious car. He is not jealous of his coworker’s higher position. He sees what he has, feels content, and uses that blessing to obey Allah.
Third Characteristic: Sabr (الصبر) — Steadfastness When Afflicted by Trials
الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُمْ مُصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ
“Who, when disaster strikes them, say, ‘Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return.’” (QS. Al-Baqarah: 156)
Sabr does not mean surrendering and doing nothing. Sabr means remaining steadfast in obedience to Allah even in difficult conditions. A patient person continues to pray even when he is sick. A patient person continues to be honest even when he is bankrupt. A patient person continues to preach even when he is rejected and humiliated.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ described the miraculous state of the believer with his words:
عَجَبًا لِأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ، إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ، وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لِأَحَدٍ إِلَّا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ، إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ، وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ
“How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for his affair is all good. If something pleasant befalls him, he is grateful, and that is good for him. If something unpleasant befalls him, he is patient, and that is good for him.” (HR. Muslim)
This hadith summarizes the entire philosophy of Islamic happiness in one sentence: the affair of the believer is all good. There is not a single condition that can destroy his happiness, because in times of joy he is grateful, and in times of difficulty he is patient. Both bring goodness.
Fourth Characteristic: A Clear Purpose in Life
A person who does not believe often lives without direction. He works, eats, sleeps, works again, eats again, sleeps again — and this cycle repeats until he dies. He never asks: “What is all this for?” Or if he asks, he does not find the answer.
A Muslim who understands his purpose in life will not experience this emptiness. He knows that he was created to worship Allah. He knows that every righteous deed he does will be recorded and will receive reward. He knows that his life is not merely biological routine, but a meaningful spiritual journey.
6. Visual Analogy: Two Types of Gardens
To understand the fundamental difference between secular happiness and Islamic happiness, let us use an analogy that can be clearly imagined: Two Types of Gardens.
Imagine there are two gardens side by side.
The first garden is a garden built on unstable soil — right on the edge of a cliff that is eroded every day by ocean waves. This garden is very beautiful. There are colorful flowers, fountains shooting high, and magnificent marble benches. But every day, the soil beneath this garden is increasingly eroded. The owner of the garden knows that one day, the entire garden will collapse into the sea. He knows that, but he chooses not to think about it. He enjoys its beauty while he can, while in his heart there is an anxiety that never truly disappears.
The second garden is a garden built on solid soil — on a stable hill safe from erosion. This garden may not be as luxurious as the first. Its flowers are simple, its fountain is small, its benches are made of ordinary wood. But this garden stands on a strong foundation. The owner of the garden can enjoy his garden with tranquility, without any anxiety that his garden will collapse tomorrow or the day after. Even when a storm comes, this garden remains standing because its foundation is strong.
The first garden is secular happiness. It is beautiful on the surface, but built upon a fragile foundation — a material foundation that will one day certainly disappear. The second garden is Islamic happiness. It may not be as spectacular as secular happiness on the surface, but it is built upon a strong foundation — a foundation of faith that will never collapse.
7. Critique of Western Individualism in the Concept of Happiness
One of the most fundamental criticisms launched by Hizbut Tahrir against Western civilization is extreme individualism which has become the foundation of its entire system of thought. In the Western view, the individual is the most fundamental social unit. Every person has the right to define his own happiness, and the state must not interfere with that definition of happiness.
This concept is encapsulated in the United States Declaration of Independence, which states that every human being has the right to “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.” Notice the phrase “pursuit of happiness” — the pursuit of happiness. This phrase assumes that happiness is something personal and subjective.
The problem is, this assumption produces three very dangerous consequences.
First, it destroys social cohesion. When every person is busy pursuing his own happiness, society turns into a collection of selfish individuals. There is no longer a sense of collective responsibility. There is no longer concern for others. Every person only cares about himself.
Second, it opens the door to every form of deviation. If happiness is subjective, then there is no objective standard to determine what is good and what is bad. Fornication becomes a “personal right.” Homosexuality becomes a “lifestyle choice.” Drugs become “freedom to experiment.” Modern Western society has proven that when religion is separated from life, morality becomes relative and destruction becomes inevitable.
Third, it ignores the spiritual dimension of man. Man is not merely a biological being that needs food, drink, and sex. Man is a spiritual being that has Gharizah Tadayyun (the instinct for religion) that can only be fulfilled through a relationship with the Creator. When this spiritual dimension is ignored, man will feel empty even if he is materially sufficient.
Sheikh Taqiuddin an-Nabhani emphasizes that true happiness can only be achieved when man lives in accordance with the system revealed by Allah — not a system made by man. This is not merely individual happiness, but collective happiness that can only be realized when the entire society lives under the umbrella of Islamic sharia.
8. Collective Happiness: Comprehensive Application of Sharia
Here lies the uniqueness of Hizbut Tahrir’s view of happiness. Happiness in Islam is not merely a personal matter between a servant and his Lord. Happiness is also a collective matter that requires a conducive social and political environment.
Imagine a Muslim who wants to practice Islamic sharia perfectly. He wants to pray five times, but his workplace does not provide a prayer room and does not give time for prayer. He wants to do business without riba, but the entire banking system in his country is based on riba. He wants to raise his children with Islamic values, but the school curriculum teaches secularism and liberalism. He wants to implement hudud, but his country implements man-made laws.
In a situation like this, no matter how strong a Muslim’s iman is, he will face enormous pressure to deviate from the path of Allah. A non-Islamic social and political environment will constantly pull him away from sharia.
Therefore, Hizbut Tahrir emphasizes that the comprehensive application of sharia (kafah) is not only a political obligation, but also a prerequisite for the realization of collective happiness. When the entire society lives under the umbrella of the Islamic Khilafah, when the laws in force are the laws of Allah, when the economic system is based on Islamic justice, when education teaches Islamic culture — then the entire society will be in an environment conducive to achieving true happiness.
Allah ﷻ says:
وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَهْلَ الْقُرَىٰ آمَنُوا وَاتَّقَوْا لَفَتَحْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ بَرَكَاتٍ مِنَ السَّمَاءِ وَالْأَرْضِ
“And if only the people of the cities had believed and feared Allah, We would have opened upon them blessings from the heaven and the earth.” (QS. Al-A’raf: 96)
This verse explicitly connects collective faith, collective taqwa, and collective blessing. Happiness is not merely an individual matter. Happiness is also a product of an Islamic social environment.
Table 4: Individual Happiness vs. Collective Happiness
| Aspect | Individual Happiness | Collective Happiness |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Personal, internal | Social, structural |
| Condition | Iman, amal shalih, knowledge | Comprehensive application of sharia |
| Responsibility | Individual | State (Khilafah) and society |
| Result | Sakinah, gratitude, patience | A just, safe, moral society |
| Relationship | Foundation | Supporting environment for the foundation |
9. Happiness in the Hereafter: The True Peak of Sa’adah
Happiness in this world, no matter how beautiful, remains temporary. True happiness — the peak of all Sa’adah — is in the hereafter.
Allah ﷻ describes Paradise with very beautiful descriptions:
لَا يَسْمَعُونَ فِيهَا لَغْوًا وَلَا تَأْثِيمًا . إِلَّا قِيلًا سَلَامًا سَلَامًا
“They will not hear therein ill speech or commission of sin — only a saying: ‘Peace, peace.’” (QS. Al-Waqi’ah: 35-36)
In Paradise, there is no sadness. There is no anxiety. There is no fear. There is no envy. There is no hatred. There is only eternal peace and pleasure that never ends.
But the highest pleasure in Paradise is not the flowing rivers, not the magnificent palaces, not the beautiful houris. The highest pleasure in Paradise is seeing the Face of Allah ﷻ.
Allah ﷻ says:
لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا الْحُسْنَىٰ وَزِيَادَةٌ
“For those who do good is the best [reward] and extra.” (QS. Yunus: 26)
The scholars of tafsir, including Ibn Abbas may Allah be pleased with him, explain that Ziyadah (زيادة) in this verse is seeing the Face of Allah in Paradise. This is a happiness that cannot be imagined by the human intellect. This is the peak of all Sa’adah that we have been seeking.
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
إِنَّكُمْ سَتَرَوْنَ رَبَّكُمْ كَمَا تَرَوْنَ الْقَمَرَ لَيْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ، لَا يُضَامُّ فِي رُؤْيَتِهِ أَحَدٌ
“Indeed, you will see your Lord as you see the moon on the night of the full moon. No one will have any difficulty in seeing Him.” (HR. Bukhari and Muslim)
This is true happiness. This is what makes all suffering in the world feel light. This is what makes a Muslim willing to leave worldly luxury for obedience to Allah. Because he knows that what is with Allah is far better and far more eternal.
10. Conclusion: The Impact of the Concept of Sa’adah on the Islamic Personality
The correct understanding of the concept of Sa’adah in Islam is not merely theoretical knowledge floating in a classroom. It is a transformative aqeedah capable of changing a person’s mentality, behavior, and entire outlook on life.
When a Muslim truly understands and anchors this concept of Sa’adah in his heart, an extraordinarily resilient Islamic personality (Shakhsiyyah Islamiyyah) will be born:
First, a person who is not tempted by the glitter of the world. He knows that wealth, position, and popularity are not sources of happiness. He will not prostitute his religion for material gain. He will not sell his principles for position. He will not sacrifice his morality for popularity. Because his happiness does not lie in all of that.
Second, a person who is not afraid of losing. When he loses his job, he does not panic. When he loses his wealth, he does not become depressed. When he loses a loved one, he does not despair. Because he knows that his happiness does not lie in what he owns, but in Whom he worships.
Third, a person who cares about social justice. He is not satisfied with his own happiness while his brothers and sisters are suffering. He knows that collective happiness can only be realized when Islamic sharia is applied comprehensively. Therefore, he actively struggles to establish the Islamic Khilafah — not because of political ambition, but because he is convinced that this is the only way to realize happiness for all of mankind.
Fourth, a person who is focused on the hereafter. He does not waste his time pursuing things that have no meaning in the hereafter. He focuses all his energy on righteous deeds, preaching, and jihad. Because he knows that true happiness is in the hereafter, and only righteous deeds can lead him there.
Fifth, a person who is patient and persevering. When he faces difficulties in his struggle, he does not despair. He knows that patience is the key to Sa’adah. He knows that every difficulty he faces in striving to establish Islam will be replaced by Allah with far greater happiness in the hereafter.
This is the beauty of the concept of Sa’adah in Islam. A concept that liberates man from the slavery of material things while also liberating him from existential emptiness. A concept that places man precisely in his position: as a happy servant because he is obedient to his Lord, and as a khaleefah who strives to realize happiness for all of mankind.
وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا مَتَاعُ الْغُرُورِ
“And the worldly life is not but amusement and delusion.” (QS. Ali ‘Imran: 185)
رَبَّنَا آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
“Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.” (QS. Al-Baqarah: 201)
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