Okawa's concept of happiness : an analysis from the Islamic perspective

Abstract

Among the active and widely spread New Religious Movement (NRM) that are receiving attention all around the globe is Happy Science Religious Organization. Having its origin in Japan, Ryuho Okawa, the founder of Happy Science, plays an influential role in order to spread the teaching of happiness to the people all over the world. Malaysia, without exception also have been exposed by the teaching of this new religious movement. Thus, this research seeks to explore the background of this religious organization and its founder. In the meantime, it explores the concept of happiness that has been the main teaching in this organization and the concept of happiness in Islam based on the two Islamic philosophers which is Al-Ghazali and Ibn Miskawayh. Hence, the main gist discussed in this research is the analysis about Okawa’s concept of happiness from Islamic perspectives. This research is theoretical and descriptive in nature; therefore, it is qualitative and depends much on the textual analysis. The resources of this research include printed and online materials. To analyze the data, the researcher has used analytical and comparative methods. The findings show that there are a few syncretic elements that existed in Okawa’s teaching and there is a difference between Okawa’s concept of happiness and the concept of happiness discussed by Al-Ghazali and Ibn Miskawayh. The concept of happiness by Okawa is simple yet organized in structure whereas, the concept of happiness by Al-Ghazali and Ibn Miskawayh are more systematic and comprehensive. In addition, the way of understanding about the definition of happiness also different among Okawa and these two Islamic philosophers. Apart from this, much has been written on the background of this organization but there is little research done on the fundamental teaching of this organization. This research, therefore, fill this gap.