A guide
to being content in life - Abu Idrees
Contentment - قناعة - (qana'a)
The scholars they say that having this self-contentment is
something that will lead to happiness and Bliss.
Amr ibn Awf reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and
blessings be upon him, said,
“By Allah, it is not poverty that I fear for you, but
rather I fear you will be given the wealth of the world, just as it was given
to those before you. You will compete for it just as they competed for it, and
it will ruin you just as it ruined them.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3158, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2961
How can a person be content?
The ulama said to be content -
- Person
should be content with Allah has given to him and be pleased with it
- Person should be content with the lawful he has over unlawful.
O Allah, suffice me with what You have allowed (halal)
instead of what You have forbidden (haram), and make me independent of all
others besides/
At-Tirmidhi 5/560. See also Al-Albani, Sahih At-Tirmidhi
3/180.
Have a heart filled with pleasure of Allah and don't
complain.
Being content is the way to success and
this is applicable to everyone - poor or
rich
'Amr b. al-'As reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:
He Is successful who has accepted Islam, who has been
provided with sufficient for his want and been made contented by Allah with
what He has given him.
Sahih Muslim 1054
It was narrated from Salamah bin ‘Ubaidullah bin Mihsan Al-Ansari that his
father said:
“The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)
said: ‘Whoever among you wakes up physically healthy, feeling safe and secure
within himself, with food for the day, it is as if he acquired the whole
world.’”
Sunan Ibn Majah 4141
Whoever does good, whether male or female, and is a believer, We will surely
bless them with a good life, and We will certainly reward them according to the
best of their deeds.
16:97
Al-Hayah al-Tayyibah (ie: the good life)
Ali bin Abi talib and ibn Abbas said:
Hayah al-tayyibah ( having a good life) is being content
Whoever desires riches, then let him seek to be content
Abu Huraira reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said,
“Wealth is
not in having many possessions. Rather, true wealth is the richness of the
soul.”
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 6446, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1051
Richness is not that which you accumulate and gather from this world. Real
richness is being satisfied with what you have.
Ultimate guide to depression - guidance and revelation from Allah
Cling to this.
If someone is obedient to Allah then whatever situation they
are in, they will be happy/ content.
(Illness, poverty)
Abu Huraira said that the messenger of Allah sallahu
alayhi wasallam said addressing his companions:
"Who will take from me
these words and then act upon them?"
Abu Huraira replied and he said "me oh messenger of Allah"
The Prophet then took him by my hand and then he
counted five:
1.
fear
Allah as he deserves to be feared – do not transgress the limits of Allah - do not
fall into Haram
2.
Be pleased with what Allah has given you and you
will be from amongst the richest of people
3.
Be good to your neighbours
4.
Love for the people what you love for yourself
5.
Don’t laugh excessively
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2305
Ibn Qutaybah reported: Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas, may Allah be pleased with him, said
to his son Umar,
“O my son, when you seek richness, seek it in contentment. For if you are not content, wealth will never enrich you.”
Source:
‘Uyūn al-Akhbār 3/207
If a person wishes for status - comes from being content
Al‑Mu‘jam al‑Awsaṭ by Al‑Ṭabarānī:
Narrated from Sahl ibn Sa’d that the Angel Gabriel came to the Prophet ﷺ and said:
- “O
Muhammad, live as you wish—for you will die.”
- “Love
whoever you wish—for you will be separated from them.”
- “Act
(or do) as you wish—for you will be recompensed accordingly.”
- “Know
that the nobility of the believer is in his night prayer.”
- “His
honour is in being independent of the people.”
Grade: Ḥasan
per Shaykh al‑Albānī in his commentary on that work
Stop yearning for what others have and asking - it won't bring about honour.
Narrated by Sahl ibn Saʿd
al‑Saʿīdī رضي الله عنه:
“A man came to the Prophet ﷺ and said: ‘O Messenger of
Allah, guide me to such an action that, if I carry it out, Allah will love me,
and the people will love me.’
He ﷺ
said: ‘Have no desire for this world, Allah will love you; and have no desire
for what people possess, and the people will love you.’”
Sunan Ibn Mājah (4102)
The Prophet (peace be upon him) is the perfect example to follow. He didn’t
have much riches, he was patient. He only sought the hereafter.
"And do not extend your eyes toward that by which We have given
enjoyment to [some] categories of them, [it is] the splendour of worldly life
by which We test them. But the provision of your Lord is better and more
lasting."
[Qur'an 20:131])
Narrated by ʿUmar ibn al‑Khattāb رضي الله عنه:
“I entered upon the Prophet ﷺ
and saw that he was lying on a straw mat, wearing only a waist-wrapper (izār),
and I noticed marks of the mat on his side. When I looked into his closet, I
found only a handful of barley or mung beans and a small water‑skin. Tears
welled up in my eyes. He ﷺ
said to me: ‘Why are you crying, O son of al‑Khattāb?’
I replied, ‘O Prophet of Allāh, the ruler of Rome (Caesar) and the ruler of
Persia (Kisrā) live in luxury, while you—Messenger of Allāh—are enduring
hardship.’
The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Are
you not pleased that they will have this world while we will have the
Hereafter?’”
Sahih al-Bukhari
Book of Interpretation (Kitāb al-Tafsīr), Ḥadīth No. 4913
Jabir reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,
“Were the son of Adam to flee from his provision as he
flees from death, his provision would surely reach him just as death will reach
him.”
Source: Ḥilyat al-Awliyā’ 7/90
Prophet preached and led by example
Abu Huraira رضي الله عنه, the Prophet ﷺ said:
"Look at those who are lower than you (in worldly
matters), and do not look at those who are above you, lest you belittle the
blessings that Allah has bestowed upon you.
Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2963
Two Types of Poverty
- Poverty
of Deeds (in the Hereafter)
Someone may appear materially rich but is "poor" if his heart and actions lack true faith, gratitude, and good in the sight of Allah. - Poverty
of Self‑Contentment (in this World)
A person who does not have self-contentment in this dunya
Abu Dharr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him,
said, “O Abu Dharr, do you say an abundance of possessions is wealth?” I
said yes. The Prophet said, “Do you say a lack of possessions is poverty?”
I said yes. The Prophet repeated this three times, then he said, “Wealth is
in the heart and poverty is in the heart. Whoever is wealthy in his heart will
not be harmed no matter what happens in the world. Whoever is impoverished in
his heart will not be satisfied no matter how much he has in the world. Verily,
he will only be harmed by the greed of his own soul.”
Source: al-Mu’jam al-Kabīr 2/154
Grade: Sahih (authentic) according
to Al-Albani
Make dua for our hearts to be content with what we have.
If heart is not content, nothing will satisfy you.
Ibn Abbas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon
him, used to supplicate, “O Allah, make me content with what You have
provided for me, bless me in it, an appoint good for me in everything I do not
have.”
Source: al-Daʻwāt al-Kabīr 242
It is a sickness to not be content, and we should pray Allah cures our hearts
of this.
Narrated Ibn 'Abbas:
The Prophet (ﷺ)
said: "I was shown the Hell-fire and that the majority of its dwellers
were women who were ungrateful." It was asked, "Do they disbelieve in
Allah?" (or are they ungrateful to Allah?) He replied, "They are
ungrateful to their husbands and are ungrateful for the favors and the good
(charitable deeds) done to them. If you have always been good (benevolent) to
one of them and then she sees something in you (not of her liking), she will
say, 'I have never received any good from you."
Sahih al-Bukhari 29
Do not let the shortcomings of your spouse to be a reason
you fall short with Allah.
Measure love with the scales of Allah.
If you really want to see how much a person loves you, see how they advise you.
See how they aid you to stand on the day of judgement and in our graves
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