Faith and Happiness
One of the best lessons I received in my early years as a Muslim is that we never become too advanced to return to the basics. Even the great scholars of our religion will often review foundational teachings, such as the fard al-ayn, or individual obligations, on a yearly basis. Our foundations are not something we move away from as we learn and grow, but rather the roots that continue to nurture and teach us. This is true because, even while these teachings remain the same, we are constantly evolving as believers. We encounter every prayer, every Ramadan, and every act of charity as a new person with something new to learn from these acts of worship. So what better way to mark the new year than by returning to the shahadah, our testimony of faith?
The shahadah is the first pillar of Islam, and the one that upholds the other four. It is our testimony that "there is nothing worthy of worship except God, and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God." If you are learning about Islam for the first time, you are likely to hear that this testimony is what makes one a Muslim or that it is the key to paradise. Some Muslims can even tell you why they believe in this statement by giving rational proofs for God's existence or explaining the signs of Muhammad's ﷺ prophethood. However, as newcomers to Islam, we're often drawn to it by our intuition. We sense that there is something satisfying about this faith that abstract proofs and promises of otherworldly benefits simply cannot account for. This intuition is true, and it is pointing us toward the reality that the shahadah is the basis of true happiness even in this world.
Start reading the Quran and you'll notice that God has a lot to say about us. He provides intimate details of our psychology, examples of motherly mercy, and even what we might call the meaning of life. In Chapter 51, verse 56, He says, "I have only created the jinn and humans to worship (Me)." Because the Arabic implies the word "Me" (God), this statement does two things. First, it defines us: we are worshiping creatures. We long for something larger than ourselves that can provide happiness, purpose, and meaning in our lives. Second, it tells us what to do with this inborn desire: direct it towards the One who created you, the One who put this desire within you, and worship Him alone.
Why is this so satisfying? Why does it produce a happiness that is unlike anything else? God tells us that He "ennobled the children of Adam." (17:70) He created us with hearts that can encompass Him when nothing else in creation can do so. Ultimately, we are not made for the created world. Our highest concerns and desires point us beyond it. So worshiping the things within the world are ultimately unsatisfying. It will eventually leave us feeling empty, burned out, and seeking a new lord. The shahadah liberates us by finally turning us toward the Creator who is beyond this world. It fulfills us by answering that ultimate desire. And it teaches us to hold the things of this world in our hands rather than in our hearts.
The Messenger of God ﷺ said "The best thing that I or the Prophets before me have said is 'There is nothing worthy of worship except God, alone, without partner.'" Yet living by this statement would be a bewildering task if we didn't have his example to follow. This is why the second statement of the shahadah, that Muhammad is the Messenger of God, must accompany the first. It shows us the human path to God. We all may have an inborn desire to worship God. But we all come from different walks of life--culturally, socially, economically, even religiously. Therefore we all have different ideas about what it means to serve God. The sunnah, or example of the Prophet ﷺ, clarifies these questions for us.
When the Prophet ﷺ lost his infant son, Ibrahim, may God be pleased with him, he cradled his body and wept. A companion who was present asked, "Even you, O Messenger of God?" The Prophet ﷺ responded, "This is a mercy." The beautiful thing about this incredibly sad narration is that it shows us how the sunnah leads us toward God by challenging our misconceptions around what it means to worship Him. The companion in this hadith questioned why God's Messenger, the greatest servant of God, would feel sadness at the death of a loved one. After all, shouldn't he expect to see Ibrahim in the afterlife? Shouldn't he be grateful that he passed in a state of submission to God? Rather, the Prophet ﷺ teaches us that the tears we shed at these moments are not only in line with faith in God, they are a form of mercy--the primary characteristic through which God relates to His creation. The Prophet's sunnah shows us what it means to actualize our belief that there is nothing worthy of worship except God throughout the seasons and rhythms of our lives.
The shahadah is a small statement but it points us toward a vast ocean of divine realities. As we return to it again and again in our daily prayers and invocations, its many lessons begin to unfold and, God willing, the happiness that comes from faith deepens. One of the beauties of our testimony of faith is that it allows us to take delight in God's creation without ever subjecting ourselves to it. However, you don't need to take this from me on faith. As with all things in Islam, the proof is in the practice. Make a resolution to connect with the shahadah this year and you will witness the transformation yourself.