Hawzah News Agency | Imam Ali, peace be upon him, in Nahj al-Balagha, speaks about the virtue of contentment in this way:
«طُوبَی لِمَنْ ... قَنِعَ بِالْکَفَافِ.»
"Blessed is the person who is satisfied with what suffices." (Wisdom no. 44)
Explanation:
One of the reasons that causes individuals to develop greed and attachment to worldly possessions is their quest for self-sufficiency and wealth. However, true self-sufficiency is incompatible with greed, covetousness, and hoarding wealth. To achieve genuine prosperity, a different path must be taken—one that God Himself revealed in a sacred narration (Hadith Qudsi) to Prophet David, peace be upon him:
«یَا دَاوُدُ! إِنِّي وَضَعْتُ اَلْغِنَی فِی اَلْقَنَاعَةِ وَ هُمْ یَطْلُبُونَهُ فِی کَثْرَةِ اَلْمَالِ فَلاَ یَجِدُونَهُ.»
"O David! I have placed self-sufficiency in contentment, but people seek it in wealth, and they will never find it." (Bihar al-Anwar, v. 75, p. 453)
Another important point about contentment is that the worldly attachments people pursue in their desire for prosperity and self-sufficiency are all perishable. On the other hand, the wealth of contentment is eternal and inexhaustible. Imam Ali, peace be upon him, highlights this truth as follows:
«القَناعَةُ مالٌ لا یَنفَدُ.»
"Contentment is an inexhaustible wealth." (Ghurar al-Hikam, v. 1, p. 128)
Therefore, we must cultivate contentment—this imperishable wealth—within ourselves, for a wise person never chases after fleeting matters.
What makes the discussion of contentment and being satisfied with divine provisions even more beautiful is a luminous narration from Imam Ridha, peace be upon him.
In the lives of each of us, there exists, in some way, a sense of deficiency or shortcoming. At the same time, our actions are also limited and full of flaws to the extent that we are all at fault before the Almighty God. None of us worship Him in a manner that truly befits His sacred essence.
Question:
How can this deficiency in our deeds be compensated for in the presence of God?
Imam Ridha, peace be upon him, provides us with a solution—a solution that can be seen as the fruit of the virtue of contentment. He, peace be upon him, says:
«مَنْ رَضِیَ مِنَ اَللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِالْقَلِیلِ مِنَ اَلرِّزْقِ رَضِیَ اَللَّهُ مِنْهُ بِالْقَلِیلِ مِنَ اَلْعَمَلِ.»
"Whoever is content with little sustenance from God, God will be content with their little deeds." (Kashf al-Ghimmah, v. 2, p. 310)
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