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Bringing Joy to Believers, Rewarding and Influencing
The main axes of the subject:
1- Bringing joy is the most favorable deed
2- The meaning of joy
3- Influence and rewards of bringing joy
4- Methods that bring joy
5- Thanks to the martyrs and Mujahidin
Purpose:
We will explain the rewards and merits that result from bringing joy to the hearts of the believers while encourage others to embrace this issue by explaining the kind of the rewards and influences that result from such deed.
Exporting the subject:
Jabir Quoted Imam Abu Ja’afar (a.s.) as saying: “A Man smiling to his brother represents a kind act. Allah has never been worshipped in a better way that he favors than bringing joy to the believer.”1
Introduction: Bringing joy is the most favorable deed:
Among the practical ethics and vocabularies of the dogmatic behavior, which were encouraged by Islam and were commanded by its teachings through the several accounts that were quoted from the prophet (a.s.) and his household (pbut) is bringing joy to the heart of the believer.
This is because a faithful person regarding his relationship with his brothers of the Islamic community must not be confined to the spreading of the tenets and teachings and to the relaying of values and acts of goodness, rather a faithful person has other duties that relate to the psychological aspects of the children of his community. Addressing bad psychological conditions, whether individual or public, is part of these aspects. There is another part that relates to feelings and positive conditions. It necessitates one to work on ridding of the undesired conditions to be replaced by positive conditions and warm feelings by bringing joy and happiness, by expelling conditions of sorrow, sadness and gloominess, and by working on replacing the bad and sad feelings with other good and happy ones, thus leading to another social role such as helping to fulfill the needs for example.
There is nothing better for a brotherly believer than being an element and a detective who runs after that which brings joy and happiness to his brotherly believer.
This issue in itself is a human behavior of a high level of sublimity and nobility; and Islam invited to this behavior as part of the dogmatic culture. Therefore, the accounts stated that Abu Abdullah quoted his father who quoted Ali Bin al Hussein (pbut) as saying: Allah’s messenger (s.a.a.w.) said: “Among the deeds that Allah (The Exalted) favors is bringing joy to the believers.”2
Therefore, a believer must consider that bringing joy to the hearts of the believers especially the broken and sad ones is a success (granted by Allah), and therefore must never stop from thanking Allah for it.
The meaning of joy:
Joy comes from happiness, joining and bringing together things that were scattered apart. This is something like a person, especially the believer, who has been stricken by hardship, such as becoming poor and in need of something or suffered a debt or other misfortune that struck him in his money or his family hence, distracted his thoughts put him under stress. Therefore, if you make a quest to relieve him from his calamity and remove his misery by filling his need and ridding of his poverty, you will bring his distracted issues together thus, bringing along joy and happiness to his heart, making him happy after being gloomy. This happiness is called joy.”3
Influence and rewards of bringing joy to the believer:
Abu Hamza al Thamali was quoted as saying: “I heard Abu Ja’afar (a.s.) saying: I heard Allah’s messenger (s.a.a.w.) saying: He who pleases a believer pleases me; and he who pleases me pleases Allah.”4
This story informs us that bringing joy is utterly graceful, which draws a path toward Allah through the hearts of his favorite patrons, Muhammad (s.a.a.w.) and his purified household. In the same context, Abu Abdullah (a.s.) was quoted as saying: “If one of you brings joy to a believer he must not think that he brought it only to him but also to us I swear in Allah, but also to the prophet (s.a.a.w.) I swear in Allah.”5
Is there any true believer who wouldn’t love or desire to bring joy to Allah, his prophet and his household? Now we can contemplate and imagine the reward that result from delivering such joy to the divine stature. All the results and rewards that are being described are only evidential, not the complete ones.
A number of these results in this world are:
1- Disaster control: Imam Ali (a.s.) was quoted as saying: “… I swear in the all-hearing, anyone who brings joy to a heart, Allah will create from that joy a kindness. Hence, if he suffers a calamity, it will run like water toward it until it removes it away from him…”6
Therefore, bringing joy is like a remedy that treats man from the effects of disasters and misfortunes. This we can consider as a reassurance and pacification that Allah brings down unto the heart of someone who pleases a believer.
2- Security on the Day of Judgment: The prophet (s.a.a.w.) was quoted as saying: “He who brings joy to a believer’s heart will bring joy to mine, and he who brings joy to my heart will make a friendship with Allah, and he who makes a friendship with Allah will be secured on the Day of Judgment.”7
3- Amiability on the Day of Judgment and simplifying accountability: Sudair al Sayrafi was quoted as saying: Abu Abdullah (a.s.) said in a long speech: “If Allah resurrect a believer out of his grave, a shade will come out with him advancing hence, each time the believer encounters one of the horrors of the Day of Judgment this shadow will tell him not to panic or sadden while showing him signs of joy and dignity that are granted by Allah (The Exalted) until he stands before the almighty to be questioned simply and ordained to heavens…”8
4- A special stature in heavens for anyone who brings joy to an orphan: This issue was clarified by the previous story. However, one must add another special stature in heavens, which is only granted to someone who brings joy to the hearts of the believers’ orphans. For instance, in book Kanz al Ummal, the prophet (s.a.a.w.) was quoted as saying: “In heavens, there is a paradise which is called the paradise of joy. Only those who bring joy to the hearts of the believers’ orphans will enter it.”
5- Joy from Allah: A person named al Mufdil quoted Abu Abdullah (a.s.) as saying: “Any Muslim, who meets another Muslim with joy, will be pleased by Allah (The Exalted).”9
6- Guardians of heavens: Obaidallah Bin al Walid al Wasafi was quoted as saying: I heard Abu Ja’afar (a.s.) saying; “Some of Allah’s words that were whispered to Moses read: “I have servants whom I will grant authority in heavens and let them control it.” So he said: O Allah, who are these whom you will grant authority in your heavens and let them control it? He said: He who brings joy to a believer’s heart…”10
Therefore, granting them authority in my heavens means it will be permissible to them, desiring whatever they wish. Letting them control it means they can rule inside it; and perhaps this indicates to granting them intercession, interceding for whomever they want in order to let him enter heavens.
Methods that bring joy:
There are different ways in order to bring joy to the hearts of the believers, which differ according to the reasons. A number of these are:
1- Smiling in one’s face: The prophet (a.s.) was quoted as saying: “Meet your brother with a smiling face.”11
2- The good word: this issue was stated by the holy Quran when his exaltedness said: “…and speak to people good [words]…”12
This issue was also stated through the famed Hadith: A good word is an act of kindness.
3- Satisfying the believer and paying his debt: Abu al Jaroud was quoted as saying: “I heard Abu Ja’afar (a.s.) saying: ‘The most favorite deed to Allah (The Exalted) is bringing joy to the believer, satisfying a Muslim or paying his debt’.”13
We can publicize this issue to each kind of satisfying the needs. Filling the stomach and paying the debt are being mentioned as corroboration.
4- Clearing gloom and removing sadness: Imam Abu Abdullah (a.s.) was quoted as saying: Allah’s messenger (s.a.a.w.) said: “The most favorite deed to Allah is the joy that you bring to a believer, expelling his hunger or clearing his distress.”14
Clearing distress means diluting or removing it. Distress means gloominess which affects the soul psychologically.
5- Security and protection. Allah’s messenger (s.a.a.w.) said: “He who protects a believer from a tyrant will receive from Allah an angel on the Day of Judgment who will protect his flesh from the flames of hell.”
Conclusion: Thanks to the martyrs and Mujahidin:
All the aforementioned issues confirm the duty of bringing joy into the heart of the believer. We must add other similar examples such as condolence during calamities as well as providing aid and help. Among the best deeds of bringing joy is the general one that brings joy to the largest possible number of believers. Also among the best deeds is achieving victory against the enemies, which is beloved by the believing souls. “And [you will obtain] another [favor] that you love – victory from Allah and an imminent conquest; and give good tidings to the believers.”
Moreover, the Room chapter of the holy Quran reads: “And that day the believers will rejoice in the victory of Allah.” Therefore, the people who bring the best joy to the hearts of the nation, the hearts of the imams, especially the heart of the time companion, are the martyrs and Mujahidin. This is why we must thank them continuously by commemorating them and by saving their legacy.
[All] praise is [due] to Allah, Lord of the worlds.1- Sharh Usul al Kafi, by al Mazandarani, Vol. 9, P. 71.
2- Sharh Usul al Kafi, by al Mazandarani, Vol. 9, P. 71-72.
3- Refer to Usul al Kafi, by al Mazandarani, Vol. 9, P. 71.
4- Same previous source.
5- Sharh Usul al Kafi, by al Mazandarani, Vol. 9, P. 73.
6- Bihar al Anwar, Vol. 74.
7- Same previous source.
8- Sharh Usul al Kafi, by al Mazandarani, Vol. 9, P. 73-74.
9- Sharh Usul al Kafi, by al Mazandarani, Vol. 9, P. 76.
10- Sharh Usul al Kafi, by al Mazandarani, Vol. 9, P. 71.
11- Bihar al Anwar, Vol. 74.
12- Holy Quran: Surat al Baqarah (the Cow), Verse 83.
13- Sharh Usul al Kafi, by al Mazandarani, Vol. 9, P. 73.
14- Sharh Usul al Kafi, by al Mazandarani, Vol. 9, P. 75.
