Happiness and Religion: The Islamic Context

This chapter provides an overview of happiness and discusses the meaning of happiness from an Islamic perspective. The Islamic viewpoint on happiness is deeply rooted in Quranic teachings, emphasizing enduring and profound contentment over transient pleasures. Various Arabic terms associated with happiness are discussed, illustrating the role of religiosity in promoting happiness, while also drawing on research from Southeast Asia, Europe, and the Middle East in which all or the majority of the participants were Muslims. This research emphasizes the positive correlations between religiosity and happiness, even when accounting for factors like age, gender, income, and education, suggesting that Islamic spirituality has an impact on wellbeing. The chapter concludes by acknowledging the complexity of happiness in the Islamic context and by proposing recommendations for future research and policy considerations. It calls for a nuanced understanding, emphasizing the need for tailored approaches to promote happiness, and additionally, advocates for evidence-based interventions and policies that consider the diverse mechanisms through which factors like religiosity contribute to happiness.