Contentment

“I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying, ‘You must never allow your eyes aim for one who is above you (in worldly matters that may tempt you wish for his opportunity). The words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, to His Messenger are enough evidence to support it. “Let not their property and children tempt you. . . .” (9:55) ‘Do not yearn for other people’s property and wives and do not grieve. . . .’ (15:88) If you sense such a feeling then consider the life of the Messenger of Allah. He lived on barley loaves and sweetness from dates. For fuel he would use palm tree twigs if he could find them.”’

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever asks us for help, we help, and whoever shows himself as rich, even though not so in reality, Allah will make him rich.”’

“Whoever is happy with the little sustenance (that Allah has given him), Allah becomes happy with his little good deeds.”

“It is written in the Torah: ‘O sons of Adam, be as you like to be. You shall reap as you sow. Whoever becomes happy with Allah for a little amount of sustenance, Allah will accept his little good deeds. Whoever becomes happy with the little but lawful, his expenses become light, his earnings pure and he will be out of the limits (environments) of sins.’”

“Whoever is not satisfied with anything but a large quantity of sustenance, his deeds will not be enough unless they are a great deal. Whoever is comfortable with little amount of sustenance, even little good deeds will be sufficient for him.”

“Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) would say, ‘O sons of Adam, if you want from the world that much that is sufficient for you, the little that is there will suffice you. However, if you are not satisfied with basic necessities but want more than the basic needs, then the whole thing that is there will not be sufficient for you. ’”

“At one time, among the companions of the Messenger of Allah, the financial conditions of one man became very difficult and his wife suggested that he see the Messenger of Allah about it. He went to the Holy Prophet and, when the Holy Prophet saw him, he said, ‘Whoever asks us for help, we help, but whoever appears to be rich when, in fact, he is not so, Allah will make him rich. ’ The man thought the Holy Prophet had addressed him only. He returned to his wife and told her the story. She said, ‘The Messenger of Allah is only a man. Let him know what you need.’ He went back and, when the Messenger of Allah saw him, he said, ‘Whoever asks us for help we help but whoever appears to be rich when, in fact, he is not so, Allah will make him rich. ’ This was repeated with that man three times. Thereafter, he borrowed a pick and went to the mountains, climbed it and cut down a certain amount of firewood. He climbed down and sold the firewood for half a mud (a certain measure) of flour, came home and used it for food. The next day he did the same thing and saved a little on the side until he was able to buy a pick of his own and sometime later he bought two young camels and a slave and then he became rich until he became very affluent. One day he went to see the Holy Prophet. He informed him of his whole story. The Holy Prophet said, ‘I told you, whoever asks us for help we help, but whoever appears to be rich when, in fact, he is not so, Allah will make him rich.’”

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever wants to be the richest among the people, what is with Allah should be more reliable to him than what is in the hands of others.’”

“Whoever is content with what Allah has given him for his sustenance is the richest person of the people.”

“A man complained before Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) that he works and earns but is not content and his soul’s desires compel him to find more. The man asked the Imam to teach him something to benefit him. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) said, ‘If it (earnings) is enough for your necessities then it should make you rich. Thus, the minimum should suffice you. If this does not suffice then all things that are there will not suffice you.’”

“Whoever is content, with worldly matters, with bare necessities, the minimum suffices him. Whoever is not content. with worldly matters, with bare necessities, then nothing will be able to suffice him.”