Smile!

Assalamualaikum wrh wbt,

I appreciate you for reading this post. I have been chosen to be the 'naqibah' in an 'usrah' -- a person who leads a topic in a discussion -- today which is Friday 13th of March 2015. I chose the topic 'Smile and Laugh'. I want to share the information I have found about smiling from a lot of searching and asking.

First of all, what is a smile? According to the Islam religion, a smile is a beautiful award given to us from Allah. It is also an antidote or a cure for someone who is hurt, sad or upset. If one of our friends are lonely or upset and we smile at them, wouldn't they feel much better? They would feel appreciated and treated. Wouldn't it be nice if we receive a smile? And isn't it much better when were the ones who gave a smile? Of course it is. Smiling is sadaqah. Like the words of the Prophet SAW: "Smile to your brother is sadaqah."

A smile is also a sign that you are happy. A smile can bring people close together. For example, if you smile sincerely to a friend, you will get closer and might be the best of friends. Smiling can give benefits to everyone. A businessman would not be successful without a smile. Even normal sellers smile to their customers to satisfy them. A smile is the sign of happiness, satisfaction, relaxation, self-assurance, approval and more. A sincere smile is a therapy to sooth our hearts and other people's.

Why can't we see much of smiles these days? Instead of smiles, some people's faces are replaced with wrinkles around the forehead and their lips pointed downwards! Frowning is the most we see these days. The people are very busy, dealing with payments, struggling with duties, having problems in their studies and handling other responsibilities they have to bear. It would be much better if the world is full of smiles! Everywhere we go, there will be people smiling at us, and we automatically smile back.

We should all start our day with a smile to our parents and siblings. When we arrive to school or office, give a wonderful, beautiful, sincere smile to your classmates and workmates. They might also smile back to you. Let me share some facts about smiling:

1. The scientists found that a smile is an internal exercise which can stimulate the whole body and can provide useful benefits to the nervous system and hormones.

2. Researchers and practitioners in the west believe by starting the day with a smile is not only able to enrich your life but provides many benefits to health. When we smile, the body would also be 'smiling' and assume we are happy. Studies show smiles allow blood flow slowly through the sinus to the brain.

3. When these 'cold blood' arrives at the hypothalamus (the part that controls body temperature and emotion) it produces the effect of 'happiness'. Moreover, when we smile, we only use 17 muscles compared to when we frown which uses 43 muscles.

4. A study made by a group of scientists from the University of California Medical Center said, there are two types of stress which is good stress and bad stress. Smiling is categorized as a good stress. Bad stress will put pressure on the immune system.

5. A smile can also lower blood pressure, increase the admission of oxygen in the blood and indirectly stimulate the healing process. Many studies have shown that emotional stress such as depression, anger or anxiety associated with heart disease.

6. A smile can heal a spiritual chronic disease. Smiles do not need capital, just a bit of  sincere flavor to sweeten smile. A smile can brighten the day of other people. Smiles may also be capable of soothing an angry heart or start a bond.

I hope you smile everyday and enlighten your life with smiles. Thank you again for reading this and assalamu'alaikum...