The Pursuit of Happiness: Why was it Included in the U.S. Constitution?

In the quiet rhythm of everyday life, people walk the same streets yet inhabit different inner worlds. Some carry a gentle light within them; others move under the weight of longing and unrest. The difference is rarely visible. Both rise in the morning, work, struggle, and hope. Yet the quality of their lives—how heavy or how luminous they feel—depends on something deeper than circumstance. It was this truth, intuitively understood long before modern psychology, that led the founders of the United States to include a striking phrase in the Declaration of Independence: the pursuit of happiness. They did not promise happiness itself. They promised the right to seek it.

Why “the Pursuit of Happiness” Was Added

In the 18th century, kings and empires existed to preserve power, not human well-being. People were expected to obey, not to flourish. Against this backdrop, the idea that every human being possesses an inherent right to pursue happiness was revolutionary. By replacing older notions of obedience and privilege with life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, the founders made three profound assertions:

1. Happiness is a legitimate human goal, not a selfish indulgence.

2. The role of government is not to define happiness, but to protect the freedom to seek it.

3. Happiness is connected to dignity, moral agency, and purpose, not merely pleasure or wealth.

The phrase drew inspiration from classical philosophy and natural law traditions, where happiness meant human flourishing—a life of meaning, virtue, responsibility, and contribution. It assumed that people thrive when free to build families, practice faith, seek knowledge, earn livelihoods, and serve others without coercion. In short, happiness was understood not as constant pleasure, but as a life worth living.

Two Ways of Walking Through Life

Seen through this lens, society is filled with two kinds of people. The happy ones notice life’s quiet gifts: a child’s laughter, the warmth of sunlight, the dignity of honest work. Gratitude becomes their lantern, illuminating even difficult paths. They invest in relationships, anchor themselves in purpose, and meet hardship with resilience. When life bends them, it does not break them. The unhappy ones often live in constant comparison. Their attention settles on what is missing rather than what is present. Every setback feels personal, every injustice permanent. Joy passes through their lives briefly, unable to take root, because the heart has learned to see the world through scarcity, resentment, or fear.

The founders understood this distinction intuitively: external freedom alone does not guarantee happiness, but without freedom, the inner work of happiness becomes nearly impossible.

Happiness Is Not Given—It Is Cultivated

The Constitution protects the conditions for happiness—freedom of belief, expression, work, and association—but it does not teach people how to be happy. That responsibility lies with families, communities, moral traditions, and faith. This is where religious wisdom, including Islam, offers depth that strengthen the civic ideal.

Happiness and Unhappiness in Islam

Islam agrees with the founding insight that happiness is central to human life—but it goes further. It teaches that true happiness is rooted in the state of the heart, not merely in external freedom or material success. The Qur’an reminds us that lasting calm comes from a heart connected to the Divine: “Unquestionably, by the remembrance of God do hearts find rest.” (13:28) Two people may enjoy the same freedoms, income, and opportunities. One finds peace; the other anxiety. Faith shapes perception. It transforms uncertainty into trust and hardship into meaning. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ captured this balance beautifully when he said that the believer finds good in gratitude during ease and patience during difficulty. This teaching echoes the founders’ wisdom: freedom without inner grounding can still leave a person restless.

Gratitude and Contentment: Freedom from Comparison

Islam emphasizes gratitude (shukr) and contentment (qana‘ah) as pillars of happiness. A society may promise equal rights, but comparison and envy can still poison the heart. One person constantly measures life against others and feels deprived. Another counts blessings—health, family, dignity—and lives lightly. The difference is not income or status, but perspective. Gratitude protects the soul from the quiet tyranny of dissatisfaction.

Patience and Resilience in a Free Society

Freedom does not eliminate suffering. Loss, illness, injustice, and failure remain part of human life. Islam teaches patience (sabr) not as passive resignation, but as resilient engagement with life. Trials, when met with prayer and perseverance, become sources of growth rather than despair. This inner resilience allows people to use their freedoms wisely instead of being crushed by unmet expectations.

Service, Generosity, and the Social Nature of Happiness

Both American civic thought and Islamic ethics reject the idea that happiness is purely individual. Humans flourish in relationship and contribution. Islam teaches that generosity and service multiply joy—not only for the receiver, but for the giver. A society that protects freedom but neglects compassion becomes fragmented. A heart that hoards rather than shares become anxious. Happiness deepens when freedom is joined with responsibility.

The Corruption of the Heart and Unhappiness

Islam warns that arrogance, greed, dishonesty, and resentment corrupt the heart. Even in a free society, such traits produce inner turmoil—guilt, fear, and dissatisfaction. A person who exploits others may succeed outwardly yet live inwardly unsettled. A person who acts with integrity sleeps peacefully. The condition of the heart ultimately shapes the experience of freedom.

Where the Civic and the Spiritual Meet

The pursuit of happiness was placed at the heart of the American experiment because its founders recognized a profound truth: human beings are not made merely to survive, but to flourish. Islam affirms this aim while offering guidance on how to achieve it.

Freedom creates the space. Faith gives direction.

Gratitude lightens the journey.

Patience steadies the traveler.

Service gives purpose.

Integrity brings peace.

Happiness, then, is neither guaranteed by law nor bestowed by wealth. It is cultivated—day by day—by how we carry our hearts through life. In the end, the promise of the pursuit of happiness is not a promise of ease, but a promise of dignity: the freedom to seek a life of meaning, conscience, and inner peace.