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The Sunnah of Smiling

The Sunnah of Smiling

March 31, 2025 • Est 9 minutes

Bismillah. Welcome to DailySunnah.

And Eid Mubarak to everyone!

Here’s what we have for you today:

🧠 The Sunnah of Smiling
👶 SunnahStories: The Shepherd and His Trust
📚DeenDigest: The Hidden Power of Smiling
🌍️ Ummah Spotlight: India Closes Mosque
🍉 WatermelonWatch: Day 541
😆 Wholesome Meme of the Day
🤲 Du’a for Arif

Have you ever noticed how a genuine smile can completely transform a room? There's something almost magical about it, isn't there?

It costs nothing to give, and it takes barely a second to produce.

This small facial expression might be one of the most underrated superpowers we've been blessed with.

When you maintain a pleasant expression despite life's challenges, you become a living question mark in people's minds.

Many people are desperately searching for contentment and happiness in today's world.

Everyone wants that feeling of peace and joy regardless of wealth or status.

When colleagues or classmates observe you consistently smiling through difficulties, the same difficulties that have them stressed and frowning, they can't help but wonder about your secret.

"Look at her," they might think, "always smiling despite everything happening around her. What does she know that I don't?"

This simple expression becomes a silent invitation and a powerful testimony to your faith without saying a single word about religion.

And it gets better.

When we smile, our brains release a mocktail of feel-good chemicals that transform our mental landscape.

Serotonin, norepinephrine, and endorphins flood our system, naturally elevating our mood and counteracting stress hormones like cortisol.

Researchers have discovered that these neurochemical changes don't just make us feel better—they can actually lower blood pressure, reduce heart rate, and even diminish physical pain.

It's as if our Creator designed this simple facial movement as a built-in pharmacy for emotional wellness.

Even more beautiful is how our smiles affect others.

Scientists have found that when people perceive a smile, the reward centers in their brains light up.

It's literally contagious!

Your smile activates pleasure responses in others' brains, creating a ripple effect of positivity and benefits that extends far beyond yourself.

The relationship between smiling and happiness works both ways.

We typically think we smile because we're happy, but the reverse is equally true—we can become happier because we smile.

This phenomenon, the facial feedback hypothesis, reveals the connection between our physical expressions and emotional states.

In a fascinating experiment, researchers had participants hold pens in their mouths in ways that either activated or prevented the muscles used in smiling.

When shown cartoons afterward, those whose facial muscles were positioned in a smile-like arrangement rated the cartoons significantly funnier than those whose muscles weren't engaged in this way.

Think about that! Smiling even when artificially induced changed how these people experienced humor.

Your facial muscles have a direct line to your emotional experience.

When we smile more, we increase our baseline happiness, which naturally heightens our sense of gratitude.

This gratitude, in turn, makes us more aware of Allah's countless blessings, which give us even more reasons to smile.

It's a beautiful spiritual cycle.

Your gratitude makes you smile more, and your smile deepens your appreciation.

The Prophet ﷺ, who was known for his truthfulness in all matters, was also known for his radiant smile and positive demeanor.

This wasn't pretense, it stemmed from a profound awareness of Allah's presence and contentment with his circumstances, regardless of hardship.

A simple way to begin is by consciously recognizing Allah's blessings.

As awareness of these gifts grows, genuine smiles will naturally follow.

Notice during special occasions like Eid how many more smiling faces you see, how different the general atmosphere feels, and how connected everyone seems.

That's not a coincidence, it's the power of collective joy expressed through smiles.

Remember, we're not talking about "faking it till you make it" with artificial expressions.

Instead, we suggest consciously pushing yourself to find genuine reasons for positivity, producing authentic smiles can transform your emotional landscape over time.

Try this:

Take the corners of your lips and slightly curl them up into a smile for just five seconds.
What changes internally did you notice?

What did you think of today's reflection?

(We interrupt this broadcast with an effective remedy against our egos)

Ramadan is over, but 5 more orphans need sponsoring.

Alhamdulillah, with this community's support, we have raised nearly $65,000 to build 10 wells and support dozens of orphans and families.

But there are still five orphans that need your support.

With $100, we can sponsor an orphan for a month.
With $1,200, we can sponsor an orphan for a year.
Every amount helps the efforts.

Be the answer to their du'as today and build your sadaqah jaariyah.

Note: This campaign is zakat verified. You can click here to calculate your zakat.

👶 SunnahStories:

Bilal, the trader, set to go,

With sacks of salt in rows in tow.

His donkey, Yasin, strong and true,

Walked on the path as morning grew.

But as they reached a river wide,

Yasin tripped and fell inside!

The salt dissolved—the load was light,

The donkey grinned—his back felt right!

Next day they walked the path once more,

And Yasin tripped just like before!

Bilal then smiled, so wise and keen,

"I see your trick, but wait and see!"

Next time the sacks were filled with fluff,

With cotton soft and light enough.

But when the donkey fell again,

His back was bent—his joy was pain!

For cotton soaks in water fast,

And now the weight was built to last.

His legs grew weak, his pace was slow,

He learned his trick had brought him woe!

"Oh Yasin dear," Bilal then said,

"With honesty, we move ahead."

"For tricks may work, but not for long—

Truth will always make us strong!"

Reflection Questions:

1️⃣ Why did Yasin think he could trick Bilal?

2️⃣ How did Bilal teach Yasin a lesson without being harsh?

3️⃣ What does Islam teach us about honesty and deception?

4️⃣ Can you think of a time when someone tried to cheat but it backfired?

5️⃣ How can we practice truthfulness in our daily lives?

What did you think of today's SunnahStories?

We'll use your feedback to improve them!

🌎️ Ummah Spotlight:

📚DeenDigest

🍉 WatermelonWatch: Day 541

⚠️ Deadly Israeli attacks on tent camps in "safe zone" al-Mawasi massacred 22 Palestinians incl. 3 young girls, injuring dozens more. Footage shows the bodies of children lay drenched in blood in their Eid clothes - @eye.on.palestine

⛑️ PRCS confirmed recovery of the bodies of 14 health workers, incl. 8 paramedics, 5 civil defence, 1 UN employee. 8 days after their abduction by IOF from Tal as-Sultan & discovery of 5 ambulances destroyed & buried

🇵🇸 Slew of attacks on Khan Younis overnight — targeted apartment massacring 9+ Palestinians incl. kids; followed by an attack on a home killing 6 people, injuring 10. Several airstrikes on Rafah killed a Palestinian & injured 11+

🪖 IOF launches new ground invasion in Rafah neighborhood adjacent to buffer zone around Gaza that IOF says they're expanding — escalating destruction of infrastructure

🇵🇸 76+ Palestinians killed in Gaza today on the first day of Eid

‼️ Haaretz: IOF senior officer reveals Palestinians used by Israeli forces as human shields in Gaza at least 6 times a day; stressing each brigade has at least 36 Palestinian human shields per brigade

🌾 WFP: Remaining food stock in Gaza could be depleted in ~10 days

🇵🇸 West Bank: IOF fired tear gas at Palestinians visiting a cemetery in Jenin on Eid, causing suffocation injuries

🇵🇸 Gaza City (north): IOF air raid on home in Tuffah killed 7 Palestinians incl. 3 kids; drone strikes on vehicle killed 1 person. Bombed home in Shujayea killing several people incl. kids

“م” of the Day

🤲 Make Dua for Arif

﷽

Ya Allah, Most Merciful and Most Healing, grant Arif ease in his illness and replace his pain with peace. Shower him with Your shifa — complete healing of the body, heart, and soul.

Oh Allah, through this tribulation, bring light to his heart, elevate his rank, and draw him nearer to You. Fill him with deep contentment, sabr, and unwavering trust in Your divine wisdom.

Grant him relief, strength, and the sweetness of Your closeness in every moment.

Ameen, Ya Rabb al-'Alamin.

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