Welcome Ramadhan with Joy!

2: Types of Joy

There are two types of joy that Allah mentions in Quran. They are:
1. The dispraised joy- الفرح المذموم
2. The praised joy- الفرح المحمود

The dispraised joy or الفرح المذموم is a joy one feels on acquiring more of dunya with no strings attached to hereafter. This type of joy usually leads a person to disobey Allah by being haughty, boastful or arrogant.

And example of this can be found in the story of Qarun. Allah says,

إِنَّ قَٰرُونَ كَانَ مِن قَوۡمِ مُوسَىٰ فَبَغَىٰ عَلَيۡهِمۡۖ وَءَاتَيۡنَٰهُ مِنَ ٱلۡكُنُوزِ مَآ إِنَّ مَفَاتِحَهُۥ لَتَنُوٓأُ بِٱلۡعُصۡبَةِ أُوْلِي ٱلۡقُوَّةِ إِذۡ قَالَ لَهُۥ قَوۡمُهُۥ لَا تَفۡرَحۡۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡفَرِحِينَ

Indeed, Qarun was from the people of Moses, but he tyrannized them. And We gave him of treasures whose keys would burden a band of strong men; Remember when his people said to him, "Do not exult (in too much joy for riches) Indeed, Allah does not like the exultant."
-Surah Al Qasas, Ayah 76

Here, Allah mentions the story of Qarun who despite being from the Bani Israel-the oppressed class at the time-had been given riches by Allah. He was blessed with treasures after treasures whose keys were so numerous in volume that even the strongest group of men found it difficult to carry. Yet instead of being grateful and using this gift in the way of Allah, he chose to rejoice in it unjustly.

This is the type of joy that Allah condems. One that makes people arrogant and ignore Allah's commands.

Another example Allah mentions in Quraan is that of the people who turned away from the reminder of Aakhirah after being warned with it. Allah says,

فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِۦ فَتَحۡنَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ أَبۡوَٰبَ كُلِّ شَيۡءٍ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا فَرِحُواْ بِمَآ أُوتُوٓاْ أَخَذۡنَٰهُم بَغۡتَةٗ فَإِذَا هُم مُّبۡلِسُونَ

So when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We opened to them the doors of every [good] thing until, when they rejoiced in that which they were given, We seized them suddenly, and they were [then] in despair.
-Surah Al An'aam, Ayah 44

This is one of the reasons why Scholars say that dunya must be placed in one's hand and not heart; which means don't let gaining its riches make you happy (except to use it in the cause of Allah) nor let the deprivation of its riches make you sad (except when it is for something good).

Prophet Muhammad SA said, “Whoever is concerned about the Hereafter, Allah will place richness in his heart, bring his affairs together, and the world will come to him although he is reluctant for it. Whoever is concerned about the world, Allah will place poverty between his eyes, disorder his affairs, and he will get nothing of the world but what is decreed for him.”
(Sunan al-Tirmidhi 2465, authenticated by Al Albani as Sahih)

Hence, it is recommended for us to always recite this masnoon dua,
اللهم لا تجعل الدنيا أكبر همنا ولا مبلغ علمنا
Oh Allah, don't make the dunya our greatest concern and a goal for our knowledge.
(Sunan at Tirmidhi 3502)

The praised joy or الفرح المحمود is a joy one feels on acquiring anything that aids one to get closer to Allah. A person finds happiness in the things that Allah has ordained him to feel happy in. One of which is Qur'an. Allah says,

قُلۡ بِفَضۡلِ ٱللَّهِ وَبِرَحۡمَتِهِۦ فَبِذَٰلِكَ فَلۡيَفۡرَحُواْ هُوَ خَيۡرٞ مِّمَّا يَجۡمَعُونَ

Say, "In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy (i.e. the Quran) - in that let them rejoice; it is better than what they accumulate."
-Surah Yunus, Ayah 58

Here, Allah asks us to rejoice in the bounty and favour of Islaam and Quraan. Why? Because this joy is pure and one that takes us closer to Allah, ultimately leading us to Jannah.

Therefore, we need to gather our heart with the Qur'an; and Ramadhan is the month of Qur'an.