Lawful Enjoyment

Some of our fellow Muslims, believe in hard work and they remain really busy with important stuff that they forget to take out time for enjoyment and entertainment, something they feel 'unimportant' or could be delayed until the weekend or next vacation. 

On the other hand, we have our youth feeling bored with religion, everything they enjoy doing is actually "haram". Mostly they inevitably perceive religion as boring, difficult, and unenjoyable. Acting on religion means to them leaving this world and its enjoyment.

 

 For some people following religious values implies following rituals of Islam only, while Islam is a complete code of life that has shown us the right path and balanced strategy in every sphere of our lives. As we know, moderation is the key in life, taking out time for enjoyments is not only healthy but we have been advised about it too.

Let us look into the religious perspective. We have this famous hadith of the seventh Imam. 

Imam Musa b. Ja‘far (as):

"Try to divide your time into four parts. The first part should be dedicated to (secret) supplication to Allah, the second to seeking earnings, the third to associating with the friends and the trusty people who show you your defects and treat you sincerely, and the fourth to your legal pleasures. Through this part, you can manage the other three parts. Do not think of poverty and long age. He who thinks of poverty will be stingy and he who thinks of long age will be acquisitive. Offer a share of the worldly pleasures to yourselves by enjoying moderately the legal pleasures that do not injure your personality. Make such pleasures help you fulfill your religious duties perfectly. It is said that “As for those who neglect the legal worldly pleasures completely and adhere to the religious duties or neglect the religious duties and adhere to the worldly affairs, they are not from us." [1]

How eloquently, Imam has described dedicating a time for enjoyment! Take a break from your daily chores and spend some portion of your day for halal recreations. Islam was not sent to make people machines doing rituals and neglecting their needs. It channelizes our natural desires. Islam guides us on what halal and haram and it pushes us to enjoy the halal. Islam is not against pleasure or amusement. It only sets boundaries, it provides red lines. It shows us the right ways to enjoy so that our pleasure is not harmful to our body and soul. It bestows the guidelines of fun so the rights of other people are protected in society.  

Further to describe its importance, Imam emphasized how this time for pleasure would be beneficial to you. It would recharge your body to do other important tasks. It would help us in daily stress management. 

We have various ways to enjoy our lives daily and it would vary from person to person. It would depend upon the natural interests, preferences, and likes of everybody. It encompasses reading, sports, traveling, dining out, spending time in nature, artistic hobbies like painting and poetry, watching TV (lawful stuff of course), playing with kids, and having fun with your spouse. Spending quality time with your family is sometimes obligatory for us. 

Considering the recent trends we see amongst people to enjoy, it is noteworthy to mention, gluing to "screens" or addiction to gadgets, for the most part of your day is not the kind of "fun" that is healthy, physically and mentally. Now we see physicians and psychologists warning us about the need for "gadget-free family time". How badly excessive screen exposure is deteriorating our relationships. We should be taking out time for pleasurable activities that actually boost our morale and make us fresh and relaxed. Taking the halal pleasures from this world is a kind of worship also, as we are obeying the commands of Allah (SWT). Lawful fun does not mean forgetting Allah (SWT) and our purpose of creation rather it is in-lined with the goal of life. Happiness achieved from lawful enjoyment would be eternal, which would be beneficial to the believers in the hereafter too.  

[1] "The fourteen luminaries of Islam" by Ahmad Ahmadi Birjandi