Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, “Wealth does not mean having a lot of property. Wealth means having self-contentment.” (Sound Hadith). Perhaps this quoted statement that wealth means having self-contentment may sound authentic to some and controversial to others. The controversy arises from the fact that existing knowledge or wider understanding of people on wealth has rarely described wealth as such. However, there is an increasing acceptance that wealth is not about money or a lot of properties but it is about the welfare of an individual at a given time.
One such component of human welfare that is so valuable is self-contentment. So what is self-contentment? In my view, self-contentment is a state of mind and heart of a person who make ‘rightful’ use of his endowed abilities or competencies to his level best and each time he gets the outcome, he feels happy, be it a positive or negative outcome. Briefly, it is a state of being happy with yourself for what you have rightfully done. It is a state whereby having much or little does not have any impact to your level of joy.
Self-contentment is unlike other valuables in human life, it has no price or quantifiable value for exchange. As such it can be granted to anyone with the right set of understanding, but not to any kind of understanding. This article aims to share with you what you must know and practice in order to attain ‘ghina nafsi’ (self-contentment).
ABU HURAYRA REPORTED THAT THE PROPHET, MAY ALLAH BLESS HIM AND GRANT HIM PEACE, SAID, “WEALTH DOES NOT MEAN HAVING A LOT OF PROPERTY. WEALTH MEANS HAVING SELF-CON- TENTMENT.” (SOUND HADITH).”
HERE ARE THE NINE POINTS:
- Follow the lifestyle of the noblest being, Prophet Muhammad, may peace be upon him. He never used to fill his belly, but go hungry for some days while spending little he has with his family and feeding the poor around him. He worked hard to earn his living but he never bothered to enjoy himself with his family but with the destitute in his surroundings. He choose to be normal person at the same time Prophet of God rather than a King and prophet of God! One of his companion, Abu Dhar Al Ghaffari said to inform people “treat the world as a place/station for two thing; one, a place for seeking your permissible provision (rizkul halal) and second, for seeking rewards of the hereafter (thawabal al akhira); a third goal will do more harm than benefit you, so leave it…. treat your money as if it is two coins; one spend it for providing your family and second, spend it for seeking rewards of hereafter; a third spending will do harm than benefit, so leave it.”
- “World is place of trials” attitude. The prophet peace be upon him said “The highly tested people are messengers, then the righteous and the like of them” The heart should prepare patience for what you dislike and prepare gratitude for what you like, surely good and bad, are life experience tests! The good of the trials is that the Prophet peace be upon him said ‘A Muslim, male or female, continues to remain under trial in respect of his life, property and offspring until he faces Allah, the Exalted, with no sin record’. No sin!
- Make your life goal and work is for seeking rewards of hereafter. The prophet peace be upon him said; “ Whoever makes the Hereafter his goal, Allah makes his heart rich, and organizes his affairs, and the world comes to him whether it wants to or not. And whoever makes the world his goal, Allah puts his poverty right before his eyes, and disorganizes his affairs, and the world does not come to him, except what has been decreed for him.” (Sound Hadith).
- Total reliance to Almighty, the owner of everything. Allah said “…He who rely from Allah, he will suffice him..” In as much as you make an effort, your heart is totally relying from the owner of heaven and earth. One wise, used to say: I have seen people who rely on their trade, health, offspring, education… I chose to rely on Him, the originator of all. Another saying of pious is “I knew my provision won’t be eaten by anyone else, my heart got peace with this understanding. I knew my work won’t be done by others, I decided to do it myself. I knew that I am not hidden from the sight of almighty, thus I feel shy before him.”
- “All affairs are in the control of Allah” attitude. Prophet peace be upon him told Ibn Abbass “Know that which did not befall you, it was not meant by Allah to occur to you. And that which happen to you, it was meant by Allah to occur to you…” The belief in destiny is crucial since Allah planned for everything that occurred, occurs and that shall occur. Allah plans is better than ours. Plan and execute and more importantly accept the results with joy, whatever they may be!
- “World is transient station, hereafter is the destination” attitude. Almighty describe to us that world has been made to seem fair in the eyes of disbelievers, they seek pleasures or enjoy lawfully and unlawfully and have nothing they expect but pleasant life of the world. A believer mindset is that the world is work station, to do good in order to reap well and reach safely at the destination. For sure, disbelievers enjoy for a second but shall suffer pain for unlimited period…Is he who is promised Gardens in the hereafter and works for it, like the one made to enjoy life in the world then he suffers pain in hellfire on the judgement day? “All on earth shall perish, only He shall remain.” “Give your back pleasures of the world (Zuhd), Allah will love you. Leave what in the hands of people, they will love you!”
- look at those with little possessions than yours and abstain from looking those with extra means than you. We all have some valuables. Be materials or a state of welfare such as health! The more you look those with what you don’t have, your heart likely to demand such items and you will think lowly about yourself or think what you have is of no significance. Look at those below you in worldly possessions, you will see how plentiful you are. However, keep looking for those who are ahead of your in righteous deeds and strive to super pass them.
- Make Duah (Supplication). I just came across a book title on “Duas for the contentment of the heart”, very strong title. Get it. As supplication is the secret weapon of a believer. Pray to Almighty to grant you contentment, for he who has it knows the true meaning of happiness.
- Keep hunger as part of your life. Though the prophet had experienced hunger several times in his life due to various reasons beyond his control, no doubt filling the stomach every day is not noble. Fasting of Ramadhan should remind us the trial of hunger and exert efforts to eradicate hunger. However, it is noble for some days to go without eating even if you can afford to eat through fasting. Yusuf peace be upon him used to fast several times. His people asked him why he does that while the treasure of food in Misr is under his watch. He said: I fear to eat and forget the hungry. Hunger remove the taste of worldly life while constant fill of stomach kill the spiritual health of the heart. A Prophet peace be upon him said;’ The human does not fill any container that is worse than his stomach. It is sufficient for the son of Adam to eat what will support his back. If this is not possible, then a third for food, a third for drink, and third for his breath.” “Glad tiding to someone guided to follow Islam, provided with minimum he requires to live with and he is contented.”
It may sound very difficult points to act on. You are right! Isn’t that the price of being wealthy through self-contentment? They say there is no free lunch, I say there is no free wealth! Practice above points, you become one! All the best.
For more on this topic, read a book called “Kayfa Tuhakik Ghina nafsi, was’atul rizk” by Saeed Abdul ‘Adhwim
