Inspiring Story:Signs of Happiness

There was a young couple who led a very happy life together.

 The only thing that they worried about was, whether their 

happiness would last forever or would they too would have 

to face problems.

One day, they heard that a wise old man had come to town; 

he could solve all kinds of problems and guide people. So the 

couple decided to visit the wise old man and tell him their 

source of worry.

The wise old man told them; "Travel around the world and seek 

a man and a woman who are perfectly happy as a couple. When

you find such a couple, ask them for a piece of cloth from the 

man's shirt, then keep that piece of cloth with you, and you 

always remain happy."

The young couple began their journey, to find the happiest couple

in their world. In one place they heard that the governor and his 

wife were the happiest people, so they went to their palace and 

asked them, "Are you the happiest couple?"

The governor and his wife replied, "Yes, we are happy in every way 

except for one thing; we do not have any children."

Well that didn't make the governor and his wife the happiest couple. 

So they continued their journey. They arrived in one city where they

had heard that the happiest couple lived. They went to their house 

and asked them, "Are you the happiest couple?"

The couple replied, "Yes, we are really happy in every way except that

we have too many children which make our life a bit uncomfortable."

No, this couple did not sound to be the happiest. And, so they continued

their journey. They visited many countries, cities, towns and villages

asking the same question but they did not find what they were looking for.

One Day the young couple came across a shepherd in the desert. 

The shepherd was grazing his sheep when his wife and child came along.

The shepherd greeted his wife and gently patted the child she was carrying.

She laid the mat and started to eat contentedly. The young couple came to

 them and asked them, "Are you the happiest couple?"

The shepherd and his wife replied, "Nobody is unhappier than the king." 

The young couple immediately realized that they were the happiest couple

and asked them for a piece of the shepherd's shirt, so that their happiness

 too would last throughout.

The shepherd said, "If I give you a piece of cloth from my shirt then I will

 be left without any clothes since I own just one shirt."

The young couple at once understood that it is very difficult to find 

perfect happiness anywhere in the world. The couple decided to return

to their own country. They went to the wise old man and related all that

had taken place. They also complained that his guidance was difficult 

to abide by.

The wise old man laughed and said, "Was your journey useless or did you 

learn something from it?"

The young man replied, "Yes, after this trip I have learnt that in this world, 

nobody is perfectly happy, only that person is happy who does everything 

to please Allah."

Noble Qur'an says: "And whosever follows My (Allah's) guidance, on them 

shall be no fear nor shall they grieve". (Holy Quran 2:38)

The wife said, "I have learnt that in order to be happy it is important 

to remember two things; first, all human beings should be thankful and 

contented with whatever they have."

Noble Qur'an says: "And your Lord declared publicly: if you are grateful,

 I will add more favors unto you". (Holy Quran 14:7)

"And secondly, for ultimate happiness one must always practice patience."

Noble Qur'an says: "Seek help through patient perseverance and prayers". 

(Holy Quran 2:45)

After that, young couple thanked the wise old man for his guidance 

and returned home. The wise man prayed for them and said, "Indeed 

the sign of happiness is in their heart and they have good manners and

if the lifetime is spent in pleasure of Allah there would be no differences

 in the existence of mankind."

Noble Qur'an says: "Whosoever follows My (Allah's) guidance, will not loose

 his way nor fall into misery. But whosoever turns away from My message,

 verily for him is a miserable life". (Holy Quran 20:123-124).