Contentment

“I heard abu Ja’far (a.s.) saying, ‘You must never allow your eyes aim for one who is above you (in worldly matters that may tempt you wish for his opportunity). The words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, to…

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever asks us for help, we help, and whoever shows himself as rich, even though not so in reality, Allah will make him rich.”’

“Whoever is happy with the little sustenance (that Allah has given him), Allah becomes happy with his little good deeds.”

“It is written in the Torah: ‘O sons of Adam, be as you like to be. You shall reap as you sow. Whoever becomes happy with Allah for a little amount of sustenance, Allah will accept his little good deeds. Whoever becomes…

“Whoever is not satisfied with anything but a large quantity of sustenance, his deeds will not be enough unless they are a great deal. Whoever is comfortable with little amount of sustenance, even little good deeds will…

“Amir al-Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) would say, ‘O sons of Adam, if you want from the world that much that is sufficient for you, the little that is there will suffice you. However, if you are not satisfied with…

“At one time, among the companions of the Messenger of Allah, the financial conditions of one man became very difficult and his wife suggested that he see the Messenger of Allah about it. He went to the Holy Prophet and,…

“The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Whoever wants to be the richest among the people, what is with Allah should be more reliable to him than what is in the hands of others.’”

“Whoever is content with what Allah has given him for his sustenance is the richest person of the people.”

“A man complained before Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) that he works and earns but is not content and his soul’s desires compel him to find more. The man asked the Imam to teach him something to benefit him. Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.)…

“Whoever is content, with worldly matters, with bare necessities, the minimum suffices him. Whoever is not content. with worldly matters, with bare necessities, then nothing will be able to suffice him.”