ON THE VIRTUE OF CONTENTMENT

You should know that it is the duty of a poor person to be content, to sever all greed from the creation, not to turn his attention to what they have, and not to be covetous of acquiring wealth irrespective of how it may be. This is not possible for him to do without his being content with the basic necessities as regards food, clothing and shelter. He should confine himself to the smallest amount and the lowest quality. He should defer his hopes for the next day or the next month. He should not occupy his heart for anything beyond a month. The desire for more or his lengthy hopes will force him to lose the honour of contentment and will certainly adulterate him with covetousness and the humiliation of greed. Covetousness and greed will draw him towards evil traits and towards committing evils that will tear down his dignity.

Man, by nature, is greedy, covetous and discontented. The Messenger of Allâh said: “If a man were to have two valleys of gold, he would seek a third one. Nothing will fill the belly of man except soil. Allâh accepts the repentance of he who turns to Him in repentance.”

Abû Wâqid al-Laythî said: “When the Messenger of Allâh received any revelation, we would go to him so that he may teach us some of what was revealed to him. I went to him one day, so he said: ‘Allâh says: ‘We sent down wealth for the establishment of salâh and the giving of zakâh. If man had a valley of gold, he would desire to have a second one. If he had two valleys of gold, he would desire to have a third one. Nothing but soil will fill the belly of man. Allâh accepts the repentance of he who turns to Him in repentance.’”

Abû Mûsâ al-Ash‘arî said: “A sûrah similar to Sûrah Barâ’ah was revealed and then raised up again. The following was memorized of this sûrah: Surely Allâh shall assist this religion with people who have nothing. If man had two valleys of wealth, he would desire a third one. Nothing but soil will fill the belly of man. Allâh accepts the repentance of he who turns to Him in repentance.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “Two persons are never satiated: one who is engrossed in [the acquisition of] knowledge and one who is engrossed in [the acquisition of] wealth.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “Man becomes old and weak, but two qualities in him remain young: hopes and the love of wealth.”

Since this trait in man is extremely devious, deeply-embedded and destructive, Allâh and the Messenger praise the quality of contentment. The Messenger of Allâh said: “Glad tidings to the person who is guided to Islam, whose livelihood is sufficient, and is content with it.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “On the day of resurrection, every single person – rich or poor – would love that he was given the barest minimum in the world.”

The Messenger of Allâh said: “Wealth is not based on abundant possessions. True wealth is the wealth of the soul.” He prohibited intense covetousness and going to excesses in seeking sustenance. He said: “Listen, O people! Be graceful in seeking for surely a person will only receive what was written for him. A person will not leave this world without having received what was written for him even if the world thinks otherwise.”

It is related that Mûsâ asked his Sustainer thus: “Which of Your servants are the wealthiest?” Allâh replied: “The person who is most content with what I gave him.” He asked: “Which of them is the most just?” Allâh replied: “The person who is more just than his own self.”

Ibn Mas‘ûd relates that the Messenger of Allâh said: “The Holy Spirit [Jibra’îl ] blew into my heart [saying]: ‘A soul shall never die till it receives its sustenance completely. Therefore, continue fearing Allâh and ask in an excellent manner.”

Abû Hurayrah says: “The Messenger of Allâh said to me: ‘O Abû Hurayrah! When you experience extreme hunger, suffice with a piece of bread and a tumbler of water and let the world be ruined.”

Abû Hurayrah narrates: “The Messenger of Allâh said: ‘Be abstentious and you will be the most devoted of worshippers. Be content and you will be the most grateful of people. Love for people what you love for your self and you will be a true believer.”

The Messenger of Allâh prohibited covetousness. Abû Ayyûb al-Ansârî relates that a Bedouin came to the Prophet and said: “O Messenger of Allâh! Advise me, but be very brief [in your advice].” He said: “When you offer salâh, offer it like the person who is bidding farewell [to this world]. Do not utter anything which you will regret tomorrow. Totally renounce and forego what people possess.”

‘Auf ibn Mâlik al-Ashja‘î says: “We were about nine, eight or seven people with the Messenger of Allâh . He said to us: ‘Are you not going to pledge allegiance to the Messenger of Allâh?’ We replied: ‘Did we not already pledge allegiance to you, O Messenger of Allâh?’ He said again: ‘Are you not going to pledge allegiance to the Messenger of Allâh?’ We extended our hands and pledged allegiance to him. One of us said to him: ‘We have already pledged allegiance to you. So on what should we pledge allegiance to you [now]?’ He said: ‘That you worship Allâh and do not ascribe any partner to Him. That you offer the five salâhs and that you listen and obey.’ He then said something silently: ‘That you do not ask the people for anything.’ I have seen some of these people [adhering so strictly to this advice] that if his whip would fall down [while he was on his animal], he would not ask anyone to pass it to him.”

‘Umar said: “Covetousness is poverty and renouncement is wealth. Surely the person who renounces what people possess shall be most independent of them.” A wise person was asked: “What is it to be wealthy?” He replied: “Your having very few hopes and your pleasure with what is sufficient for you.”

A poet says in this regard:

“Life is a few hours that pass and daily situations that repeat themselves. Be content with your life and you will be pleased with it. Abandon your desires and you will live a free person. For many a death has been caused by gold, sapphires and pearls.”

Muhammad ibn Wâsi‘ rahimahullâh used to moisten dry bread with water and eat it. He would say: “Whoever is content with this will not be in need of anyone.”

Sufyân rahimahullâh said: “The best of your world is that by which you are not put through a trial and test. The best by which you have been put through a trial and test is that which has left your possession.”

Ibn Mas‘ûd said: “An angel announces every single day: ‘O man! A little that suffices you is better than a lot that causes you to transgress.”

Samît ibn ‘Ajlân rahimahullâh said: “O man! Your stomach is merely one span by one span in size. Why, then, should it cause you to enter the Hell-fire?” A wise person was asked: “What is your wealth?” He replied: “To beautify yourself outwardly, to be balanced internally, and to renounce what people possess.”

It is related that Allâh said: “O man! If the entire world belonged to you, you would have only had your most basic food thereof. Since I am giving you your basic food from the world and made the account thereof to others besides you, I am being extremely kind to you.”

Ibn Mas‘ûd said: “If any of you has to make a request for some need, he should do so very mildly. He should not go to a person and say: ‘You are like this and like that’ [praising him] and breaking his back [i.e. forcing him to give you something], because whatever sustenance is written in your favour will certainly come to you.”

A person from the Banû Umayyah wrote to Abû Hâzim demanding that he should present his needs to him. He wrote in reply: “I presented my needs before my Master [Allâh ]. I accepted whatever He gave me, and remained content with whatever He held back from me.”

A wise person was asked: “What causes the most happiness to an intelligent person? And what is most helpful in repulsing grief?” He replied: “The good deeds that he sends forward cause the most happiness. And the thing that is most helpful in repulsing grief is for him to be pleased with whatever has been destined for him.”

A wise person said: “I found the one who is envious to be in the lengthiest grief, the one who enjoys life the most to be the one who is content, the one who is greedy when covetous to be the most patient in bearing harm, the one leading the most comfortable life to be the one who renounces the world the most, and the ‘âlim who commits excesses to be the one who has the greatest remorse.”

A poet says:

“The most comfortable condition is that of a youth who has full conviction that the being who distributes sustenance [Allâh ] will provide him with sustenance. The honour of such a person is protected and never tainted. His face is new, never worn out. Whoever descends onto the field of contentment will never ever experience sleeplessness in his life.”

A poet says:

“For how long am I going to continue settling down and travelling, moving about for lengthy periods of time, going and coming? For how long am I going to remain distant from my house, far away from beloved ones who do not know what my condition is? I am in the east for some time and then in the west – not even thinking about death because of my greed over my self. Had I been content, sustenance would have come meekly to me. The person who is content is really the wealthy one, not the person who has a lot of wealth.”

‘Umar said: “Should I not inform you of what I consider to be lawful of the wealth given by Allâh ? Two sets of clothing for my winter and my summer, and a conveyance that is sufficient for myhajj and ‘umrah. Thereafter, my food should be like the food of any other person from the Quraysh – I am neither loftier than them nor lower than them. I take an oath by Allâh that I do not know whether even this is lawful for me or not.” In other words, he doubted whether this amount is more than the sufficient amount on which it is incumbent to be content.

A Bedouin reprimanded his brother for his covetousness and said to him: “You are seeking and you are also sought. The one [death] who will certainly catch you is seeking you while you yourself are seeking something that has already been destined for you. It is as though what is hidden from you has exposed itself before you and you have moved away from what you are in. O my brother! You are behaving as though you have never seen a covetous person who is deprived nor an abstentious person who is provided with sustenance.”

It is in this regard that a poet says:

“I see wealth increasing your greed for this world as though you are not going to die. Do you have any limit, which, if you reach one day, you will say to yourself: ‘This is enough for me. I am now satisfied.’?”

Ash-Sha‘bî rahimahullâh said: “It is related that a person trapped a lark. The lark asked him: ‘What do you want to do with me?’ He replied: ‘I will slaughter you and eat you.’ The lark said: ‘By Allâh, I will not be able to satisfy a little hunger nor will I be able to satisfy a full hunger. However, I will teach you three things that will be better for you than your eating me. I will teach you the first thing while I am in your hand, the second thing when I am on the tree, and the third thing when I am on the mountain.’ The man said: ‘Okay, tell me the first thing.’ The lark said: ‘Do not lament over what you have missed.’ The man set it free. When it went onto the tree, he said to it: ‘Tell me the second thing.’ The lark said: ‘Do not believe the impossible to be possible.’ The lark then flew to the mountain and said: ‘O wretched one! Had you slaughtered me you would have taken out from my craw (stomach) two pearls the weight of each one being 20 mithqâls(93.6g).’ [When the man heard this], he bit his lip in regret and said: ‘Tell me the third thing.’ The lark replied: ‘You have already forgotten the first two, now how can I tell you the third thing? Did I not tell you not to lament over what you have missed? And that you should not believe the impossible to be possible? My flesh, blood and feathers cannot even weigh 20 mithqâls, how can there be two pearls in my craw, each one weighing 20 mithqâls?!’ The lark then flew away.” This is an example of man’s excessive greed. This greed causes him to become so blind that he is unable to fathom the truth to such an extent that he considers the impossible to be possible.

Ibn as-Simâk rahimahullâh said: “Hope is a rope around your heart and a shackle around your feet. Remove hope from your heart and the shackle from your feet will come out automatically.”

Abû Muhammad al-Yazîdî rahimahullâh said: “I went to [Hârûn] ar-Rashîd rahimahullâh and I found him looking at a page which was written with gold. When he saw me, he smiled. I said: ‘Tell me something beneficial, may Allâh honour the Amîr al-Mu’minîn.’ He said: ‘Yes, I found these two lines of poetry in one of the treasure chests of the Banû Umayyah. I liked these two lines and added a third line to them.’ He then said the following lines:

“If one door is shut off to you from fulfilling a need, leave it and turn to another one and its door will be opened for you. It is sufficient for you to fill the receptacle of the stomach and it is sufficient for you to abstain from harmful matters. Do not sacrifice your honour. Abstain from committing sins and their retribution will keep away from you.”

‘Abdullâh ibn Salâm asked Ka‘b : “What causes knowledge to disappear from the hearts of ‘ulamâ’ after they memorized it and understood it?” He replied: “Covetousness, greed of the soul and going around seeking the fulfilment of needs.” A person asked al-Fudayl rahimahullâh: “Explain this statement of Ka‘b to me.” He replied: “A person covets a particular thing and therefore goes in quest of it. This causes his Islam to disappear. As for greed, it refers to the greed of the soul in this and that [in everything]. This is to such an extent that you do not want it to miss anything. And you have a need for this and for that. When that need is fulfilled for you, it pierces your nose and leads you wherever it wills. It takes control of you while you have submitted before it. Therefore, whoever loves you for worldly reasons, you will greet him if you pass by him, and you will visit him when he falls ill. You neither greeted him nor visited him for the sake of Allâh . Therefore, if you had no need for him it would have been better for you.”