Contentment in Islam

[This is article is a Friday sermon. Click here to visit the source of this post. Allah bless the owner/s of this article. Amin.]

First Sermon

Indeed, All praises are to Allah. O Allah, we praise You, beseech You for help and forgiveness and we turn to You for guidance. Whomever Allah guides to the straight path will never go astray, and he who has gone astray, no one can guide. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, the only God Who has no associate. We also bear witness that our master Muhammad is the servant and Messenger of Allah, the noblest of all mankind, the seal of the Prophets and Messengers. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet, his honorable family, his righteous companions and those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment.

Dear brothers and sisters, I urge myself first and all of you to be God-fearing and be submissive to Him. Verily, Allah, Exalted Be He, has declared the truth in His Holy Book:"O you who believe! Fear God as He should be fear, and die not except in a state of Islam."(3:102). Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said:" One who is willing to accept Allah as his Lord, Islam as his religion and Muhammad as God's Messenger has savored the taste of faith."

Dear believers, Contentment is a fundamental requirement of faith. It is reflected in peace of soul and mind and satisfaction with what the Almighty has granted us in this world. It is also a strong inner belief that Allah chooses the best and the most beneficial for His servants. Contentment is a feeling of gratification and happiness with what one has which leads to a relief from fear and anxiety. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: The peak of faith is based on four: patience, contentment with fate, sincere reliance and submission to the will of Allah, The All-Glory. Further, the Caliph Umar ibn al-Khattab once wrote to Abu Musa al-Asha'ri (may Allah be well pleased with both of them) "All goodness resides in contentment, if you are capable of being content. If not, you must be patient."

Anyone who surrenders to Allah and is content with destiny, will willingly accept both blessing and calamity. One who relies on Allah and entrusts oneself to Him believes that everything Allah sends is for a good purpose. A good Muslim will not beg people for money and would not do anything that would lower one's dignity to anyone but Allah. Thawban (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:" Who will accept one condition and I will guarantee Paradise for him? Thawban said:"I said: I am, O Messenger of Allah. He said:" Do not beg people for anything."The sub narrator said: Thawaban's whip would fall while he was riding his camel, but did not ask anyone to hand it to him. He used to get down to take it himself."

Contentment is satisfaction with what one has. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "The greatest wealth you can attain is to be pleased and content with what Allah gave you."

Saad ibn Abi Waqqas came to Madina, and he was blind, people came to him in a hurry, everyone asking him for supplication, for Allah would answer his dua'a. Abdul Allah bin Asae'b told him: you are supplicating Allah for everyone, why don't you supplicate for youself so Allah will give you back your vision. He smiled and said: my son, submission to the destiny of Allah is better for me than my vision."

Dear believers, There is no conflict between being content and being ambitious. The contradiction lies in our misunderstanding; being content doesn't means that one does not aspire to achieve more; and being ambitious to achieve more, is  not a sign that you're not content. The servant of Allah is ordained to be submissive to the Truth and Destiny of Allah, Exalted Be He, and at the same time be ambitious. You must never be complacent about your good deeds that can make you live decently and gain the satisfaction of Allah in the Hereafter. Indeed, Almighty Allah says in the Qur'an:"Whoever works righteousness, man or woman. And has Faith, verily, to him We give a new life, a life that is good and pure  and We will bestow on such their reward according ot the best of their actions."(16:97).

Dear Muslims, We may be afflicted with a misfortune or a calamity such as the death of a child or the loss of a beloved one. Crying in this case does not contradict contentment, as long as one is not angry, upset or impatient. Indeed, Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) cried when He lost his son Ibrahim. He (pbuh) said that one may feel sad, and cry, but must not say anything that would not please Allah, Exalted be He.

It is impossible to find peace of mind and heart in this world without surrendering to Allah and his destiny. Many people mistakenly seek the support and the guardianship of beings who are powerless to achieve anything, and turn their back to the comfort of self satisfaction. Moreover, people who are never satisfied with what they have are always worried and lack peace and happiness.  Muslim must seek the help of All-powerful instead of impotent human beings. Verily, contentment will relieve him/her from worries and anxiety whatever the situation may be.

A major benefit of contentment is to direct all our energy and time to seek the acceptance and forgiveness of Allah. Thus, we follow the good ethics outlined in the Qur'an. Bear in mind, dear Muslim, that Allah rewards contented people with His blessings. Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, "Allah makes calamity befall His servant, if he is content with what Allah gives him, Allah will send  Baraka and more blessings to him."

Al-Hasan (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say" If you are pleased with Allah, Allah will be pleased with you. Give Allah His rights for He says, Exalted be He:"God well-pleased with them, and they with God."(5:119).

O Allah, we seek Your help to be content and to obey You and those You have ordained us to obey. We implore Allah to make us of the people of the Qur'an, those who recite its words and apply its rulings. We beseech You, O Allah,  for help to follow the Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh). 

Second Sermon

O servants of Allah, fear and obey Allah Who tests us to distinguish the believer from the disbeliever. Indeed, Allah tests His servants through calamities or wealth and children. Wealth may distract human beings from Allah, good deeds and the Day of Judgment. A less fortunate person may be fear obey,love Allah and seek refuge in Him in distress. Allah will grant the latter good in this life and the Hereafter. Please remember, dear brothers and sisters, that if you lose a job or a business deal, or you unable to marry the one you wants, or you miss any opportunity, Allah knows what is best for you. Be content with it for Allah shall bestow other favors on you.

Missing out in life may open for you the gates of His mercy and forgiveness.