THE TRUE MEANING OF CONTENTMENT (قناعت)
The purpose of going into all the detail above was to
explain the true meaning of contentment. Contentment means that the person is
happy and satisfied with whatever Allah Ta’alah has given him. However, while a
person is happy with what he has been given but also thinks that there is some
problem with his house and he wishes to get it rectified, and he can do so
within his means and with his Halal income, then this wish is not against
contentment and does not constitute greed (حرص). Similarly, if a person thinks that while his house is
comfortable but wants to plant a garden so that he will enjoy it, then that is
also permissible and doesn’t constitute greed, as long as the person can do it
with his Halal income. Both these situations are not against being content.
However, if a person wants to upgrade his house because
he wants other people to think of him as rich, wants people to praise him and
his wealth, and do not want others to think of him as poor, then doing the same
thing is Hara’am and is included in greed. Similarly, if a person wants to make
his house more comfortable which would have been otherwise permissible, but
resorts to unfair means of income, for example, by taking bribes or robbing
others, then this too goes against contentment and is included in greed and is
Hara’am.
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