Smile

By Khalid Iqbal – Founder Rahmaa Institute

The Messenger of Allah Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “To smile in the company of your brother is charity. ” (Bukhari)

Allah says in surah Mulk 67: Verse 1 – 2

تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Blessed be He in Whose hands is Dominion; and He over all things hath Power;-
الَّذِي خَلَقَ الْمَوْتَ وَالْحَيَاةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْغَفُورُ

He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving;-

One of the best deed is to smile and put a smile on someone else, family, friend, relatives, neighbor, colleagues, even strangers.

It seems that nothing has more power to elevate a mood than the impact of a genuine smile. The benefits of a smile extend not only to the recipient of the warm gesture but also to the smile’s originator.  “A smile is a little curve that sets a lot of things straight.”

Rasool Allah Mohammad (SWS) said “Smile is charity”

Here are some of the many benefits of Smiling!

1. Smiling makes us attractive- People are spending millions on cosmetic products and procedures to make them look better. If you want to look better, try adding a genuine smile. It’s cheaper and much more attractive. The muscles we use to smile lift the face, making a person appear younger. Don’t go for a face lift, just try smiling your way through the day — you’ll look younger and feel better.

2. Smiling changes our mood-Next time you are feeling down, try putting on a smile. There’s a good chance your mood will change for the better. Smiling can trick the body into helping you change your mood.

3. Smiling Is contagious-When someone is smiling they lighten up the room, change the moods of others, and make things happier. A smiling person brings happiness with them.

4. Smiling relieves stress-Stress can really show up in our faces. Smiling helps to prevent us from looking tired, worn down, and overwhelmed. When you are stressed, take time to put on a smile. The stress should be reduced and you’ll be better able to take action. Smiling helps to promote release of a “feel good” group of hormones called endorphins. These are the same group of hormones responsible for the runners high you hear so much about. If you don’t have time to get to the gym for a hard run, try adding a smile  to boost these natural, stress relieving hormones.

5. Smiling boosts your immune system-Smiling helps the immune system to work better. When you smile, immune function improves possibly because you are more relaxed. Prevent the flu and colds by smiling.

6. Smiling lowers your blood pressure-When you smile, there is a measurable reduction in your blood pressure. Give it a try if you have a blood pressure monitor at home. Sit for a few minutes, take a reading. Then smile for a minute and take another reading while still smiling. Do you notice a difference?

7. Smiling is medication-Studies have shown that smiling releases endorphins, natural pain killers, and serotonin. Together these three make us feel good. Smiling is a natural drug and leads to a healthier immune system. Various studies conducted over the years have shown that smiling can boost the functioning of the immune system. This may help to reduce your risk of developing everything from the common cold to chronic diseases such as cancer. Could there be a less expensive medicine than this?

8. A smile inspires others-When you smile you also send a positive message that can potentially change someone else’s mood for the better. The person you graced with your smile may go on to pass the kindness to someone else. Who knows how far your original smile will travel?

9. Smiling promotes Success –Smiling people appear more confident, are more likely to be promoted, and more likely to be approached. Put on a smile at meetings and appointments and people will react to you differently. When you smile, you appear confident and capable. Given the choice between two equally qualified job candidates, the smiling candidate is going to be perceived as being more of a team player and easier to work with. Who do you think is more likely to get the job offer?

10. Smiling helps you stay positive-Try this test: Smile. Now try to think of something negative without losing the smile. It’s hard. When we smile our body is sending the rest of us a message that “Life is good!” Stay away from depression, stress and worry by smiling.

Smile..!!!…It does not cost a cent and can make a person’s day!

“It takes seventeen muscles to smile and forty-three to frown”.

The greatest reason for smiling is because it is a Sunnah [practice] of our Beloved Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him]! The Messenger of Allah [pbuh] had a smiling face and advised us to entertain our guest with a smiling face and good conduct. To smile is an act of charity!

Smiles

Share happiness, Make others smile

Living and working in DC metro area is fast. Especially driving is stressful. Everyone is busy rushing to go somewhere. While on I66 I noticed this car desperately trying to cut in front of me. First I said no way till I saw a sticker on another car that read ”SHARE HAPPINESS, MAKE OTHERS SMILE” I slowed down and allowed her in front of me. The driver waved at me a gesture of thanks with a smile. And then took the next exit. She probably would have missed her exit if I would have been arrogant not allowing her in.

 

 

Replace Driving Frustration with a Smile

Driving to DC from Northern Virginia for work was a frustrating experience. Often 50 minute drive would end up to be two hours long. I started to car pool. The time would pass by in chit chatting. One of the car pool companions was Hope. Hope was the most cheerful and optimistic person I have ever met. She would always say “smiling and talking or thinking about good things will make the time pass by quickly. Why go home angry and frustrated and take it out on your spouse and children”. I started to notice that the driver on the next lane will respond to her smile with a smile. We all started to practice smiling often confusing the driver making bad gestures.

 

 

Bring Happiness to other

Submitted by Anonymous over 4 years ago.

It amazed me – every time I saw Joe he was smiling. It didn’t matter whether he had to stop at a stop light, or if he were the seventh person in line at the bank, and the teller closed her bay just before he got there. Joe always smiled. It made me wonder why he always seemed so happy.

Having observed Joe with other people, I noticed something else also. Joe asked people how they were doing, and really seemed to listen to their answers. He was compassionate if someone were hurting, and had kind words, and offered to help in any way he could.

It made me think…what if I tried to smile more? An experiment of sorts began when I went to the grocery store. I smiled as I went up and down the aisles…and people I didn’t even know smiled back at me. Some even spoke! The little kid in the cart who was giving his mother a hard time saw me smile and stopped talking…and, you guessed it ‘he made a shy little attempt at a smile. The man in the handicapped cart needed a person to reach something…I could get that for him. The smile even transferred over to him, and he thanked me.

As I drove home, I was smiling. I thought about what I had just learned, and when someone passed me and gave me a gesture, I smiled at him. He looked perplexed.

Now I know a smile is a small thing, but what if we were all to try to smile a few more times each day? I couldn’t believe how great I felt. Nothing in my life had changed…but maybe it had. For what I learned was that such a small thing could lift not only my spirits, but those around me as well.

 

Share your own stories with us at info@rahmaa.org. We would love to hear from you.

 

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