Mercy Mission Annual Sisters Conference – Ustad Musleh Khan on Happiness

This weekend I was fortunate enough to attend the annual Mercy Mission sister’s conference. This year the theme was Me, Myself and Allah.

The venue was the lovely Kensington Town Hall and on arriving I was greeted with a host of stalls which included information and opportunities around Islamic knowledge and education and outreach (I liked the Lush stall too!).

I found the speakers interesting and their advice very useful, it was certainly a discussion point for me and hubby, who mash’Allah was greatly supportive in me being able to attend.

I’m hoping to type up the brief notes from each speaker at the event in the hope that they are as beneficial to others as they were to me. The first talk was by Ustad Musleh Khan on the theme of Happiness.

Ustad Musleh Khan – Happiness

Ustad Musleh Khan outlined seven things which he had come to conclude helped us to achieve happiness in this life:

1. We should strive for the pleasure of Allah (SWT). Everything we do, we should try to relate back to how it can contribute to pleasing Allah (SWT). This will lead to contentment. The Ustad quoted from the Quran:
Say: Lo! My worship and my sacrifice and my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the Worlds. (6:162)

2. Be grateful with the Qadr (power and decree) of Allah (SWT). Be grateful with what has been given to you and what is prescribed for you. This is to test you and to encourage you in good deeds

3. Satisfy your heart and soul through zikr (remembrance of Allah (SWT)) and good naseehah (advice). Make use of the early morning and start the day on the right track.

4. Choose wise companions and good friends. They will determine your happiness. You become like your friends - whether they be rude and ill-mannered or pious. An example of this is the way Islamic scholars tend to befriend other Islamic scholars. We should choose friends who set a good example to us and encourage us to strive harder. We should also look at how our friends treat their families as there are many people who are nice in public or in the masjid, but then rude in the home with their families or parents. The ustad quoted the hadith that “The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best of you to my family.” (Tirmidhi, Sahih)

5. Prioritise Your Life – What do you think about first thing in the morning? How many celebrities can you name and how many Sahabah (Companions of the Prophet PBUH)? Do you know the seerah (biography) of famous actresses or the Prophet’s (PBUH) wives/ We need to undertake intellectual as well as physical prioritisation, particularly because what we think about comes about through our actions.
Most of all we should prioritise the Quran and reflect on it all of the time.

6. Choose a righteous husband – one who guides and reassures you and provides a sense of encouragement. He gave the example of the Prophet (PBUH) who used to spend time listening to his wives and just talking with them because he enjoyed their company. The ustad suggested three qualities a sister should look for in a spouse: a) Someone who is good to his family, b) someone who can physically and financially take responsibility for his wife, c) someone who lets you set your own routine in the home and is accommodating to this.

7. Make the Quran a part of your life. Ask yourself “When have I read Quran just for the sake of loving your Quran?” What is your plan to make the Quran a part of your life from today. The ustad pointed out that the Quran is easy to memorise, giving the example of a sister who did so at the age of 81!

In conclusion, true happiness lies in good deeds done for the sake of Allah (SWT), these make us feel happy.

Insh'Allah I will try to post notes from the other talks over the next few days.