Verses Reflecting Contentment in the Holy Quran
The Quran contains numerous verses that discuss the concept of contentment. Here are some notable examples:
- (Say, “Shall I inform you of something better than that? For those who fear their Lord are gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide eternally, and purified spouses, and the pleasure of Allah. And Allah is All-Seer of the servants.”) – Surah Aal-E-Imran.
- (This is a Day when the truthful will benefit from their truthfulness. For them are gardens in which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. That is the great success.) – Surah Al-Ma’idah.
- (Allah has promised the believing men and women gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide eternally, and goodly dwellings in gardens of Eden, and the pleasure of Allah is greater. That is the great success.) – Surah At-Tawbah.
- (Indeed, Allah was pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you under the tree. He knew what was in their hearts and sent down tranquility upon them and rewarded them with a near victory.) – Surah Al-Fath.
- (And I hastened to You, my Lord, that You be pleased.) – Surah Ta-Ha.
- (O tranquil soul! Return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing.) – Surah Al-Fajr.
- (Their reward with their Lord will be gardens of Eden, beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide eternally; Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him. This is for whoever fears his Lord.) – Surah Al-Bayyina.
- (And the foremost are the first of the emigrants and the helpers, and those who followed them in goodness. Allah is pleased with them, and they are pleased with Him, and He has prepared for them gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they will abide forever. That is the great success.) – Surah At-Tawbah.
Prophetic Sayings on Contentment
Here are some hadiths concerning the topic of contentment:
- According to Aisha, Mother of the Believers (may Allah be pleased with her), she said: “When the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) intended to undertake a journey, he would draw lots among his wives. Whomever the lot fell upon would accompany him. He would allocate for each wife her day and night, except for Sawda bint Zam’a, who gifted her day and night to Aisha, seeking thereby the pleasure of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him).”
- The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “The pleasure of the Lord is in the pleasure of the parents, and the displeasure of the Lord is in the displeasure of the parents.”
- He also said: “Whoever seeks the pleasure of Allah by displeasing people, Allah will suffice him against the people. Whoever seeks the pleasure of people by displeasing Allah, Allah will leave him to the people.”
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) mentioned: “There is no person who leaves their home in pursuit of knowledge unless the angels lower their wings, pleased with what he does, until he returns.”
Qudsi Hadith on Contentment
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) related from his Lord, who said: “O My servants! I have forbidden oppression upon Myself and made it forbidden among you, so do not oppress one another. O My servants! All of you are lost except for whom I have guided, so seek guidance from Me; I will guide you. O My servants! All of you are hungry except for whom I have fed, so seek food from Me; I will feed you. O My servants! All of you are naked except for whom I have clothed, so seek clothing from Me; I will clothe you. O My servants! You sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins; seek forgiveness from Me, and I will forgive you.
The continuation of the hadith is: “O My servants! You will not reach Me with harm to harm Me, nor will you reach Me with good to benefit Me. O My servants! If the first of you and the last of you, and all of mankind and all of jinn, were on the heart of the most pious among you, it would not increase My dominion. O My servants! If the first of you and the last of you, and all of mankind and all of jinn, were on the heart of the most wicked among you, it would not decrease My dominion. O My servants! If the first of you and the last of you, and all of mankind and all of jinn, stood together in a single place and each asked Me, and I gave everyone their request, it would not decrease what I possess any more than a needle decreases the sea when it is dipped into it. O My servants! These are your deeds; I account for them for you, and then I will pay you your due. Whoever finds good, let him praise Allah, and whoever finds other than that, let him blame no one except himself.” In another narration: “Indeed, I have forbidden oppression to Myself and to My servants, so do not oppress one another.”