Contentment means to be satisfied with what Allah has given, even if it is slight, and not to look to what is in the other’s hand. It is regarded as the mark of sincere faith in Allah. The Prophet says:
قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ، وَرُزِقَ كَفَافاً، وَقَنَّعَهُ اللّهُ بِمَا آتَاهُ[1]
Verily, a successful person is one who (1) has submitted himself to Allah (became Muslim), (2) and is bestowed with sustenance. (3) and is satisfied with what Allah has given to him.
Here, Prophet r pointed out three things needed to be successful.
Having too much money does not indicate happiness. As such, missing a luxurious life does not mean sorrow or grief. One has to satisfy himself with what Allah has given to him, and then he will enjoy real happiness.
In another Hadith, it reads:
ليس الغِنَى عَنْ كَثْرَةِ العَرَض، وَلَكِنَّ الغِنَى غِنَى النَّفْسِ [2]
The richness is not the result of having too much money, but the richness is the abstinence of selfishness or greed.
Prophet r says:
وارْضَ بما قَسَمَ اللهُ لَكَ تَكُنْ أَغْنَى النَّاسِ[3]
Satisfy yourself with what Allah has allocated to you, (then) you will become the richest man.
Contentment prevents one from begging. He is always rich in his inner thoughts. It allows him to perceive Baraka in his life, Without Qana’a (contentment) one cannot feel Baraka in food, clothing, house or in any other area of his life.
Turmudi and Ibn Maja report a hadith as follows:
مَنْ أصْبَحَ مِنْكُمْ آمِنًا في سربِهِ، مُعَافَىً في جَسَدِهِ، عِنْدَهُ قُوتُ يَوْمِهِ، فَكَأنَّمَا حِيزَتْ لَهُ الدُّنْيَا ». [4]
One who is secure in his property, healthy in his body and has food for his day is like a man who possesses the whole world!.
But this contentment applies only to worldly matters. As for the worship related to good things, one has to strive hard to get reward from Allah and he is allowed to compete with others with the hope of increasing his Ibadah.
However, conviction (Qana’a) does not mean surrender to the status-quo and live in despair and helplessness. Rather, it is the request to explore the talents within oneself and not to look into others’ wealth and become greedy about it.
A short story explains what the result of greed and lust is.
The three men were walking on the road and found the treasure, and agreed to divide it equally among them. They were hungry, so they sent one of them to the city to bring food to them. They agreed to keep the news secret, so that someone from outside would not come in. During the absence of the third man, who went to bring food, the two men agreed to kill him on his arrival so that they could divide the treasure themselves. At the same time, the third man puts poison in the food so that he can possess all the treasure. What both parties planned was done and all three people died.