Examining the Phenomenon of Happiness in the Context of Religiosity Essence
Fatma BaynalIn this research, the concept of happiness will be examined in the context of religion. In this direction, it is focused on how the concept of happiness is evaluated philosophically, psychologically and religiously. It has been researched what effect religion and religiosity factor has on happiness. In empirical researches, it was determined that the concept of happiness was handled with different definitions such as life satisfaction, well-being and life satisfaction. It was revealed that the concept of happiness in philosophy, which is discussed in terms of eudaimonically and hedonically is also reflected in psychological thought. However, it has been observed that the mentality in psychology has changed periodically. In the results of the research, the importance of belief and virtuous behaviors have emerged in making the person happy. Whether or not happiness is the ultimate purpose or quest of man is discussed from a religious perspective. Suggestions have been made to examine individuals’ religious and secular perception of happiness.
Mutluluk Kavramının Felsefi, Psikolojik ve Dini Açıdan İncelenmesi
Fatma BaynalBu araştırmada mutluluk kavramı incelenecektir. Bu doğrultuda, mutluluk kavramının felsefi, psikolojik ve dini açıdan nasıl değerlendirildiği üzerinde durulmuştur. Din ve dindarlık faktörünün mutluluk üzerinde ne gibi etkisi olduğu araştırılmıştır. Ampirik araştırmalarda mutluluk kavramının yaşam doyumu, iyi oluş, yaşam memnuniyeti gibi farklı tanımlamalar ile ele alındığı tespit edilmiştir. Felsefede eudaimonik ve hedonik açıdan ele alınan mutluluk anlayışının psikolojik düşünceye de yansıdığı ortaya çıkmıştır. Bununla birlikte psikolojide mutluluk anlayışının dönemsel açıdan değişikliğe uğradığı görülmüştür. Araştırma sonuçlarında kişinin mutlu olmasında inancın ve erdemli davranışların önemi ortaya çıkmıştır. Dini açıdan mutluluğun insanın nihai amacı veya arayışı olup olmadığı tartışılmıştır. Bireylerde mutlulukla ilgili dini ve dünyevi algının incelenmesi konusunda önerilerde bulunulmuştur.
Happiness is one of the strongest emotions that motivate people; it is effective in the design of individuals’ lives. Therefore, its philosophy is among the priority issues in psychological and religious fields. This research will examine the concept of happiness, focusing on how the concept is assessed from a philosophy, psychological and religious perspective. Literature on religion, religiosity and happiness will also be analyzed and the relevant approaches will be discussed with amprique findings. In philosophy, the source of happiness has been researched. In general, philosophers handled happiness in terms of pleasure and virtue.
Happiness is in the hedonist philosophy is about fulfilling persons’ physical, intellectual or social needs. In the eudaimonic philosophy, it is about the individual to realize themselves and sustain a meaningful life.1 According to the opinion of the Islamic philosophers whom are close to the eudaimonic philosophy, in the other world people will finally get the happiness which is the highest good and purpose.2 The concept of happiness, which represents everything that is good in psychology, can be expressed in different words, such as well-being or quality of life.3 The hedonic approach, often describes happiness as a pleasure or avoidance of pain, the eudaimonic approach focuses on meaning and self-realization for happiness in psychology.4 In the early days, negative emotions such as depression and anxiety were emphasizes, but with the emergence of positive psychology also emerging, positive emotions have been highlighted over time.5 It has recently been the focus that forcing people to be happy makes them more unhappy. So there are different views that striving to exaggerate suffering and be constantly happy has led to an increase in unhappiness.6 The religions were intertwined in the psychosocial, economic, political, biological and physical aspects of life.7 It therefore transforms the believer from an sense, thinking and behavior. It also brings meaning and purpose to a person’s life and a certain sense of identity.8 Religion can have a positive impact on the happiness of individuals through negative experiences, dealing with fears, feeling of intent and fulfilling the need for a family.
Islam signals the weaknesses of the religious person’s self; it places orders to be forgiving, fair, humble from social relations and encourages the person to be spiritual happy.10 It gives people a plan of life, just like other religions. It is promised that people living in this plan will be happy in this world and the other world.11 While knowledge and hikmet are essential for the person to achieve happiness according to Islamic ethics, it is only possible to achieve happiness through senior behavior.12 Contrary to the efforts of the modern age to achieve happiness, religion advises people that one cannot be happy with beings in this world; it states that people who turn to materiality to be happy will be more unhappy.
Mystical teaches are also mentioned that they are leading people to happiness.13 Emotions like love, affection, closeness and compassion that exist in one’s soul will bring joy to the individual.14 Unhappiness is more about people’s thoughts than a situation. Therefore, the individual needs to try to stay true rather than have been fabricated in his mind.15 It is aimed a person to know oneself and control their practices in Sufism too.16 The person who knows himself can do his/her best to seek happiness in assets other than himself.
Recently, in psychology, instead of striving to be happy, it has been mentioned that the person turns to himself and the virtues. However, in religion, we can mention that happiness is not a search or a goal like in psychology, and there is no temporal or situational limit to happiness. The fact that the religion’s understanding of happiness is not dependent on any condition can free a person from everything, including the expectation of reward in the afterlife.
As a result, knowing oneself is a common feature of being happy in terms of religious, mystical and even some contemporary psychology studies. Being conscious of one’s existence can naturally lead him to virtuous behavior as he attains true happiness. A person who realizes that everything that exists in this life is destined to disappear may turn to himself instead of focusing on temporary happiness or unhappiness. This work aims to shed light on the nature of the happiness presented as the final value the individual wants to achieve today and will contribute to the area through the results. In further research, we are looking at the religious and religious perception of happiness in individuals.