Topic > The concept of happiness in the light of Al Farabi and Al...

It is said that happiness is a feeling that resides in the clarity of the soul, the tranquility of the heart and the peace of mind. However, it is also said that happiness is the true sense of fulfillment that comes from hard work and self-fulfillment. It is an intangible state of mind that all human beings aim to achieve. Sometimes people tend to associate happiness with something familiar, with what they lack or cannot maintain, because if they got sick it would be health and if they ran out of money it would be wealth. If we view them as particular goods or transitory moments of joy subject to change, then what defines ultimate happiness? With all the different views on happiness, what leads some to argue that there can only be one true meaning for man's ultimate bliss, and that all other meanings are fallacious? Aristotle says: “Our task is to become good men, that is, to achieve the highest human good. That good is happiness." This article aims to examine and evaluate the concept of happiness according to each of Al Farabi and Al Ghazali, whereby it highlights the elements of true happiness for each author, their views on each other, the way to achieve it, as well as their divergence of thought. regarding this concept, taking into consideration the influence of Islamic theology. To begin with, Islamic theology clearly defines the notion of happiness and structures the ways to achieve it for both body and soul. However, the soul is given greater importance and association with Happiness. The Quran expresses the soul (nafs) as the unity that achieves happiness and its attainment depends on the nourishment of the soul. It talks about three different stages of development of the soul. First “Al nafs al ammara...... middle of the paper...... therefore the concept of happiness can be possibly achievable in the complementary context of both authors. Happiness can take on the intuitive meaning, the inner experience of Al Ghazali, however it can always be a more practical happiness once associated with the virtuous actions of Alfarabi. Bibliography: • AL Farabi: 1-Fakhry, Majid. Al-Farabi, Founder of Islamic Neoplatonism: His Life, Works and Influence, Oxford: Oneworld, c 2002. Print.2-Walzer. Richard, MabadI' Ara' Ahl Al-Madina-Al Fadila. Rev.ed, Print3-Mahdi, Muhsin. Achieving happiness. Rev.ed, New York, Cornell University Press. Print• Al-Ghazzali, Mohamad, The Alchemy of Happiness, London: J. Murray, 1910. Print.•• Thomson, JAK The Ethics of Aristotle. London, Penguin Group, 1955.• Al-Zayidi, Abd Allah B. Abd al-Aziz. "The Quran talks about happiness." RSS. Net.