Page 32 - Faith: The Way to Happiness

FAITH: THE WAY TO HAPPINESS

them as much as it affects themselves. In the main people are un-
comfortable around those who continually sing their own praises
and assert their own worth. In time this can cause a cooling of rela-
tions between a person and those around him or even cause him to
become isolated. Because of this everybody should think twice
about such behavior and never forget that everything they experi-
ence in this world comes from Allah. They should try to see the ef-
fects boasting has on them and on those around them and should
thank Allah for the blessings He has granted and purify themselves
of the kind of behavior which contradicts spirit of the Qur'an.

Everything Is Bound up in a Desire for More
It is possible for ignorant people to live a happy life, profit from
their lives to the maximum and gain the greatest possible benefits. In
the Qur'an, Allah tells us that ignorant people "try to outdo one an-
other in wealth and children." (Surat al-Hadid: 20) This desire for in-
c rease springs from people's ambition that their advantages should
continually grow both in quantity and in quality. They hope that they
will be happy to the extent that they acquire more and more beautiful
possessions. For example, a person starts driving a fine car with the
g reatest of pleasure and satisfaction. However, within a short time his
p l e a s u re and happiness give way to concern because he sees a more
showy and more luxurious car and because of this ceases to be satis-
fied with his own. In time his sole aim will be to possess this new car.
This pattern is valid not only for cars but for everything which gives
people pleasure. In the community of the ignorant, people feel the
u rge to possess as much as possible of what they like and derive pleas-
u re from. They can never be satisfied with less, believing that owning
the most of everything can make them happy.
In fact, as we explained in the previous section, everything in

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