القَناعَةُ
Contentment
1ـ أوحَى اللّهُ تعالى إلى داوودَ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): وَضَعتُ الغِنى في القَناعَةِ وهُم يَطلُبُونَهُ في كَثرَةِ المالِ فلا يَجِدُونَهُ.
1- ‘Uddat al-Da`ai: ‘Allah Almighty revealed unto Prophet David (AS) saying, ‘I put wealth in contentment, whilst they seek it [contentment] in abundance of wealth but do not find it.’[‘Uddat al-Da`ai, p. 166; Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 453, no. 21]
2ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): القَناعَةُ مالٌ لا يَنفَدُ.
2– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Contentment is wealth that does not deplete.’[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 7080]
3ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ لمّا سُئلَ عن قولِهِ تعالى: «فَلَنُحْيِيَنَّهُ حَياةً طَيِّبةً» ـ: هِي القَناعَةُ.
3– Imam Ali (AS), when asked about Allah’s verse in the Qur’an: “We shall revive him with a good life”[ Qur’an 16:97] said, ‘It is contentment.’[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 229]
4ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): أشكَرُ الناسِ أقنَعُهُم، وأكفَرُهُم لِلنِّعَمِ أجشَعُهُم.
4– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The most thankful of people are the most content, and the most ungrateful for blessings are the greediest.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 422, no. 40]
5ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): طَلَبتُ الغِنى فما وَجَدتُ إلّا بالقَناعَةِ، علَيكُم بالقَناعَةِ تَستَغنُوا .
5– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘I searched for wealth and I did not find it other than through contentment. Adhere to contentment and you will become rich.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 69, p. 399, no. 91]
6ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): لا كَنزَ أغنى مِن القَناعَةِ .
6– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘There is no treasure richer than contentment.’[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 371]
7ـ الإمامُ الحسنُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): اعلمْ أنَّ مُروَّةَ القَناعَةِ والرِّضا أكثرُ مِن مُرُوّةِ الإعطاءِ .
7– Imam Hasan (AS) said, ‘Know that the valour in contentment and satisfaction is greater than the valour in giving.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 111, no. 6]
ما يورِثُ القَناعَةَ
What Brings About Contentment
8ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): على قَدرِ العِفَّةِ تكونُ القَناعَةُ.
8– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Contentment is proportionate to the degree of self-restraint.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6179]
9ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن عَقلَ قَنِعَ.
9– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘He who uses his intellect is content.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 7724]
10ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): اُنظُرْ إلى مَن هُو دُونَكَ في المَقدُرَةِ ولا تَنظُرْ إلى مَن هو فَوقَكَ في المَقدُرَةِ، فإنّ ذلكَ أقنَعُ لكَ بما قُسِمَ لكَ.
10– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Look at those who are less capable than you, and do not look at those who are more capable than you, as it is more contenting for you in what has been allotted for you.’[al-Kafi, v. 8 p. 244 no. 338]
ثَمَرَةُ القَناعَةِ
The Fruit of Contentment
11ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): اِقنَعْ بما اُوتِيتَهُ يَخِفَّ علَيكَ الحِسابُ.
11– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Be content with what has been given to you, and the Account [on the Day of Resurrection] will be made easy for you.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 187, no. 37]
12ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): أعوَنُ شيءٍ على صَلاحِ النَّفسِ القَناعَةُ .
12– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The most helpful thing in reforming the self is contentment.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3191]
13ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن قَنِعَ لم يَغتَمَّ .
13– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Whoever is content will not be depressed.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 7771]
14ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): بالقَناعَةِ يكونُ العِزُّ .
14– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Through contentment comes dignity.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 4244]
15ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): أنعَمُ الناسِ عَيشاً مَن مَنَحَهُ اللّهُ سُبحانَهُ القَناعَةَ وأصلَحَ لَهُ زَوجَهُ .
15– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The most blessed of people in his livelihood is he who Allah Almighty has granted contentment to, and has given a righteous spouse.’[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3290]
16ـ الإمامُ الحسينُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): القُنوعُ راحَةُ الأبدانِ .
16– Imam Husayn (AS) said, ‘Contentment is comfort of the body.’[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 128, no. 11]
17ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن رَضِيَ مِن اللّهِ بِاليَسيرِ مِن المَعاشِ رَضِيَ اللّهُ مِنهُ بِاليَسيرِ مِن العَمَلِ .
17– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Whoever accepts from Allah the little livelihood, Allah will accept from him the little in actions.’[al-Kafi,v. 2, p. 138, no. 3]
مَن لَم يُقنِعْهُ اليَسيرُ
Those Who are not Content with the Little
18ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن لم يُقنِعْهُ اليسيرُ لم يَنفَعْهُ الكَثيرُ.
18– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Those who are not content with a little will not be content with a lot.[ Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 71, no. 33]
19ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): اقنَعْ بما قَسَمَ اللّهُ لكَ ولا تَنظُرْ إلى ما عِندَ غيرِكَ ولا تَتَمَنَّ ما لَستَ نائلَهُ ؛ فإنّهُ مَن قَنِعَ شَبِعَ ومَن لم يَقنَعْ لم يَشبَعْ، وخُذْ حَظَّكَ مِن آخِرَتِكَ.
19– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Be content with what Allah has allotted for you, do not look at what others have, and do not wish for what you cannot acquire, for whoever is content will be full and whoever is not content will never be full, and take your portion of your Hereafter.’[al-Kafi, v. 8, p. 243, no. 337]
الموسوي
