The Meaning and Experience of Happiness in Islam

The monograph delves into the concept of happiness in Islam and explores the Islamic traditional understanding of happiness and its relation to the meaning and purpose of life. It argues that happiness in Islam is not merely a temporary state of pleasure or material success, but a deeper and more profound state of being that comes from fulfilling one's ultimate purpose in life. The work emphasizes that understanding happiness in Islam is grounded in the belief in God, and that true happiness can only be achieved through a relationship with God and living according to His commandments. To understand saʿādah, one must understand its opposite, shaqawāh. The author also finds similarities of shaqawāh with the Western conception of tragedy as depicted in literature and arts.