Qanāʿa
Definition
Qanaʿa is the felt sense of 'enough' — the inner sufficiency that does not reach for more simply because more is available. Al-Ghazali presents it as the practical fruit of zuhd in daily life: the zahid experiences qanaʿa in their relationship to food, clothing, shelter, and status. They take what is needed, do not stretch for excess, and feel genuinely satisfied rather than deprived. He is careful to distinguish qanaʿa from laziness or the failure to earn one's livelihood — a person may work diligently and lawfully while still practicing qanaʿa, in that they are content with what they earn and do not allow the desire for more to distort their character or crowd out their remembrance of God.
As understood in the classical tradition of Imam al-Ghazali and the scholars of his school.
Appears in
3 books in the library
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