Be Happy and Not Grumpy

Many people now point out to the fact that people of knowledge are too boring and grumpy. Others may say that knowledge can change a person and that those who have it become very formal with people. In recent times, I too have felt this feeling of rejection from various people and it creates the sense of resentment and patronisation.

Islam does not say that you need to frown to prove you have knowledge, the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa salam was the most intelligent from amongst the people and he was the one who smiled the most too. Abdullah ibn Harith radiallahu anhu reports,

"I did not see anyone who smiled more than Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wa salam."

Hazrat Shaykh Muhammad Zakariyyah mentions in his Khasa'il Nabawi,

"This is the pinnacle of humbleness and good character. Hazrat Jarir radiallahu anhu says that whenever Sayyidina Rasulullah salallahu alayhi wasalam saw me, he met me with a cheerful smile. There now remains no contradiction with the first hadith (in that the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa salam was always in sorrow [see previous chapter]). Many times it so happens that a person is sad and worried, but to keep others happy, or for some other reason one has the opportunity to meet them cheerfully. Those who have in their hearts a mark of love, experience this many times. "

Nowadays, everybody wants to be grumpy in an act of piety so much so that they push people away from them. It becomes hard to approach them in future and a feeling of annoyance becomes ascribed to that person. Let us all be happy and smile at one another, it is mentioned in the ahadith as an act of charity and one which is virtuous. It is a Sunnah which many people do not take heed too, a person must be seen in regular deep contemplation to show that he is pious and that he is in the state of muraqabah and ihsaan!

I have seen some people who have been sinners for many years and the second Allah Ta'ala gives them His Guidance, they feel they can patronise others with less knowledge and not sit jovially with them. Let us all revive this Sunnah of being happy with one another and let us smile at one other, it does not mean that you cannot fear Allah in your heart. One final pearl to finish off on - Hazrat Maulana Saleem Dhorat damat barakatahum said,

"In Islam, good character and manners are not only to show good things overtly. Though smiling at someone is a good deed, it is only meritorious when done with sincerity; if this is done while one has hatred for that person in his heart then it is not good manners but nothing but hypocrisy.

Good character is that one intends or works towards cleansing the heart from all bad traits and thereafter demonstrates good character by certain acts like smiling”."

May Allah Ta'ala adorn our faces with smiles and maintain our happiness. Ameen.