Happiness

All nations are blessed with abundant resources for individual upkeep and national strength and prosperity for the purpose of having peace, a safe and secured environment through sustainable development.

However, nations are classified as strong or weak based on the strength of their human capital, and governance with various indicators of economic development for a reality check. The resultant classification results will equally reflect on the nation through the human development index which is always rated low for poor nations due to the poor administration and management of their resources among their people through the standard levels of nutrition content, health sector facility challenges for the wellness level of the people.

In such a nation when the government is not forthcoming through good governance, the nation is divided into the two extreme regimes of the poverty line and kleptocracy divide. Such a society or nation would ever be characterized by diseases, hunger, poverty, moral decadence, indiscipline, and corruption.

The right solution prescribed by God, through all the scriptures is the promotion of the culture of integrity and philanthropy-whereby the poor will be able to bask in the glory of the rich.

Let us realize that wealth cannot buy happiness. 

Ecclesiastes 5: 10-14,'' Better is it that thou shouldest not vow, than that thou shouldest vow and not pay.

6Suffer, not thy mouth to cause thy flesh to sin; neither say thou before the angel, that it was an error: wherefore should God be angry at thy voice, and destroy the work of thine hands?

7For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities: but fear thou, God.

8If thou seest the oppression of the poor, and violent perverting of judgment and justice in a province, marvel not at the matter: for he that is higher than the highest regardeth; and there be higher than they.

9Moreover the profit of the earth is for all: the king himself is served by the field.

10He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that loveth abundance with increase: this is also vanity.

11When goods increase, they are increased that eat them: and what good is there to the owners thereof, saving the beholding of them with their eyes?

12The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.

13There is a sore evil which I have seen under the sun, namely, riches kept for the owners thereof to their hurt.

14But those riches perish by evil travail: and he begetteth a son, and there is nothing in his hand.''

This is to prove that wealth can't buy happiness except a life of modesty that respects and upholds the concept of the dignity of labor.

He hardly worries to cheat because he is contented with a direct focus on how best to satisfy the demand of God through love and just worship.

In the same vein, the Holy Quran 13: 26-29 admonishes us to be at peace with ourselves through the divine content of self-satisfaction.

''Allah doth enlarge, or grant by strict measure, the Sustenance which he giveth to whom so he pleaseth(dignity of labor, without corruption). The worldly rejoice in the life of this world(by the wealthy people make them forget to serve accordingly the wretched souls that call on God for survival): But the life of this world is but little comfort compared to the hereafter. The Unbelievers say: 'Why is not a sign(abundance of wealth for display)sent down to him from his Lord?' Say:' Truly Allah liveth, to stray, whom He will: but he guided to Himself those who turn to Him in penitence. Those who believe and whose hearts find satisfaction in the remembrance of Allah: For without doubt, in the remembrance of Allah do hearts find satisfaction. For those who believe and work righteousness, is every blessedness and a beautiful place of final return.''

Our craze for materialism without consideration for equity in distribution to the very areas of people' needs aptly describes us as crazy people driving against the wheel of their creator as we engage in mutual rivalry for piling up the good things of this world that will automatically divert us from the more serious things that are of major concern to God the almighty Allah. 

Vanity upon vanity, until such people visit their graves.

Life without impact on others is devoid of God's grace, let us as from today, promote the culture of integrity, dignity of labor, and philanthropy for the society to feel our impact as rich people in order that there are peace and sustainable development. This is only a bequeathable legacy to the upcoming generation for posterity to judge us aright.

Founder, Spiritual Head and Grand Imam Shafaudeen-in-Islam Worldwide,Wakajaiye, Ibadan, Nigeria.