Chapter 21. Averting Excessive Happiness

When happiness intensifies, the blood heats up and hence, it may harm the body, and may lead to the death of he who has excessive happiness if it is not extenuated. If someone sees the way to achieve happiness, he should take the means leading to it. When Yusuf (as) met his brother, he asked him, "Do you have a father?" and he kept on expressing lenience towards him, in order not surprise him with the good news.

Happiness should be moderate, so that it equals sorrow. If it exceeds the limits, then this is a sign of intense heedlessness. For happiness is unreasonable with a sane person, who is rejoiced by anything that brings joy, but then when he remembers his destiny and the fear of where he will end up, then that joy disappears. If the heedlessness of happiness intensifies it makes a person exultant and reckless. This is why Allah said, "Surely Allah does not love the exultant" [Qasas 28: 76]

This refers to those who exceeded the limits of happiness and became exultant.

The cure for excessive happiness is to think deeply about previous sins and future tribulations.

Al-Hasan al-Basri said, "Death has exposed this dunya (world). It did not leave any happiness in it for the sane." [Ahmad]

• Averting Excessive Fear and Cautiousness...
• Averting Indolence

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