What does Islam say about contentment (qanāʿah)?
The Prophet ﷺ said richness is not much wealth; richness is richness of the soul. The classical scholars on the contentment that closes the door to envy, greed, and despair.
3 passages from 3 books in the library
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 3 books by Imam al-Ghazali — part of the classical Sunni tradition that carries over a thousand years of reflection on the Qurʾān, the authentic Sunnah, and the consensus of the early community. Nothing below is a paraphrase. The words are the scholars' own, translated from the original Arabic manuscripts.
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"This is the sin of envy itself, not to mention how envy leads to discord, denial of truth, and letting loose the tongue and hand in vile acts in satisfaction from enemies."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"And the groom responds, Praise be to Allah, and prayers upon the Messenger of Allah. I accept her marriage with this dowry."
11th–12th century · Ṭūs, Khurāsān
Reviving the inner life of Islam through the Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn — one of the most influential works ever written in any religious tradition.
More on Imam al-Ghazali →
· Provenance →
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"O Allah, lighten the earth on his sides and open the gates of heaven for his soul and accept him with a good acceptance."
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