Pearl of Wisdom
Verily Allah, Mighty and Exalted, created prosperity and wretchedness before He even created His creation. So whoever Allah knows will be prosperous, He will never despise, and even when he commits an evil deed, He will despise the deed but not the person. And if He knows that someone will be wretched, He will never love him, and even when he performs a good deed, He will love the deed but despise the person because of what he is to become.'
Imam Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq [as] al-Tawhid, p. 357, no. 5
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Contentedness |
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If a man of contentedness were to swear that he would eventually be in charge of his two abodes, Allah would confirm him in that, realizing his hope through the immensity of his contentment. How can Allah's servant not be content with what He has allotted him when He says,
We distribute among them their livelihood between them in the life of this world. (43:32)
Whoever yields to Allah, and is not heedless in affirming Him in what He wishes and whenever He wishes, whoever has certainty of His lordship ascribes of necessity the allotment of each man's provision directly to Himself, and does not recognize the reality of causes. Whoever is content with what is allotted is relieved of care, grief and fatigue. Whenever he decreases in contentment, he increases in desire. Greed for this world is the root of every evil; the person who has it is not saved from the Fire unless he repents.
That is why the Holy Prophet said, 'Contentment is a kingdom which does not vanish.' It is the ship of Allah's pleasure, bearing whoever is on board it to His House. Have excellent trust in what you have not been given, and pleasure in what you have been given. Be patient in what befalls you, for this indeed is one of the greatest tasks.
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