What is the station of contentment (riḍā)?
Riḍā is not passive acceptance. It is the highest of the stations of the heart in al-Ghazali's map — a deliberate, disciplined yes to whatever Allah has given.
10 passages from 6 books in the library
Rida is the high station of being satisfied with Allah's decree, which al-Ghazali ranks among the loftiest states of the heart. He explains that satisfaction grows out of patience — "this leads to the state of satisfaction" — and that it is rooted in love, for "the beloved's satisfaction becomes desirable because it is his satisfaction." He lists it among the stations of the soul alongside patience, gratitude, fear, hope, asceticism and trust. Contentment with one's small portion he calls satisfaction, opposed by covetousness; and grasping its rewards, he notes, "can make this process easier."
Drawn from the classical sources below — in the scholars' own words.
The classical approach.
These passages are drawn from 6 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 →
-
"If it means desiring its absence, it is perfection relative to the state of contentment, satisfaction,"
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 →
-
"patience, this leads to the state of satisfaction, as will be discussed in the book on satisfaction."
-
"The other is that the beloved's satisfaction becomes desirable because it is his satisfaction,"
-
"is higher than that of satisfaction, just as the station of satisfaction is higher than"
-
"Contentment with little fortune is called satisfaction, opposed by covetousness."
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 →
-
"patience, gratitude, fear, hope, contentment, asceticism, piety, satisfaction, generosity,"
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 →
-
"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."
-
"Understanding the benefits and desiring the rewards of contentment with Allah's decree can make this process easier."
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 →
-
"Allah the Almighty said, If they give up willingly to you anything of it, then take it in satisfaction and ease."
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 →
-
"fear, hope, poverty, asceticism, love, contentment, longing, reliance, contemplation, and self-accountability."
Want a different angle?
Type your question below — JM Scholar will ground its answer in the same sources.