Contentment
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1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ عَمَّارِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ عَنْ زَيْدٍ الشَّحَّامِ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ هِلالٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) إِيَّاكَ أَنْ تُطْمِحَ بَصَرَكَ إِلَى مَنْ فَوْقَكَ فَكَفَى بِمَا قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لِنَبِيِّهِ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) فَلا تُعْجِبْكَ أَمْوالُهُمْ وَلا أَوْلادُهُمْ وَقَالَ وَلا تَمُدَّنَّ عَيْنَيْكَ إِلى‏ ما مَتَّعْنا بِهِ أَزْواجاً مِنْهُمْ زَهْرَةَ الْحَياةِ الدُّنْيا فَإِنْ دَخَلَكَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ شَيْ‏ءٌ فَاذْكُرْ عَيْشَ رَسُولِ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) فَإِنَّمَا كَانَ قُوتُهُ الشَّعِيرَ وَحَلْوَاهُ التَّمْرَ وَوَقُودُهُ السَّعَفَ إِذَا وَجَدَهُ.
1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Sinan from ‘Ammar ibn Marwan from Zayd al-Shahham from ‘Amr ibn Hilal who has said the following: “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 His Messenger are enough evidence to support it. “Let not their property and children tempt you. . . .” (9:55) ‘Do not yearn for other people’s property and wives and do not grieve. . . .’ (15:88) If you sense such a feeling then consider the life of the Messenger of Allah. He lived on barley loaves and sweetness from dates. For fuel he would use palm tree twigs if he could find them.”’
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2ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَامِرٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ صَالِحِ بْنِ أَبِي حَمَّادٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ الْوَشَّاءِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عَائِذٍ عَنْ أَبِي خَدِيجَةَ سَالِمِ بْنِ مُكْرَمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) مَنْ سَأَلَنَا أَعْطَيْنَاهُ وَمَنِ اسْتَغْنَى أَغْنَاهُ الله.
2. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Amir has narrated from Mu’alla ibn Muhammad from Salih ibn abu Hammad all from al-Washsha’ from Ahmad ibn ‘A’ id from abu Khadijah Salim ibn Mukram from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “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.”’
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3ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنِ الْهَيْثَمِ بْنِ وَاقِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ رَضِيَ مِنَ الله بِالْيَسِيرِ مِنَ الْمَعَاشِ رَضِيَ الله مِنْهُ بِالْيَسِيرِ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ.
3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hassan ibn Mahbub from al- Haytham ibn Waqid from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Whoever is happy with the little sustenance (that Allah has given him), Allah becomes happy with his little good deeds.”
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4ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ أَبِي الْمِقْدَامِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَكْتُوبٌ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ ابْنَ آدَمَ كُنْ كَيْفَ شِئْتَ كَمَا تَدِينُ تُدَانُ مَنْ رَضِيَ مِنَ الله بِالْقَلِيلِ مِنَ الرِّزْقِ قَبِلَ الله مِنْهُ الْيَسِيرَ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ وَمَنْ رَضِيَ بِالْيَسِيرِ مِنَ الْحَلالِ خَفَّتْ مَئُونَتُهُ وَزَكَتْ مَكْسَبَتُهُ وَخَرَجَ مِنْ حَدِّ الْفُجُورِ.
4. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn abu ‘Abd Allah from his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Qasim from ‘Amr ibn abu al-Miqdam from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “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 happy with the little but lawful, his expenses become light, his earnings pure and he will be out of the limits (environments) of sins.’”
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5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَرَفَةَ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ لَمْ يُقْنِعْهُ مِنَ الرِّزْقِ إِلا الْكَثِيرُ لَمْ يَكْفِهِ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ إِلا الْكَثِيرُ وَمَنْ كَفَاهُ مِنَ الرِّزْقِ الْقَلِيلُ فَإِنَّهُ يَكْفِيهِ مِنَ الْعَمَلِ الْقَلِيلُ.
5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Muhammad ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn ‘Arafah from abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) who has said the following: “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 be sufficient for him.”
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6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ كَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) يَقُولُ ابْنَ آدَمَ إِنْ كُنْتَ تُرِيدُ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا مَا يَكْفِيكَ فَإِنَّ أَيْسَرَ مَا فِيهَا يَكْفِيكَ وَإِنْ كُنْتَ إِنَّمَا تُرِيدُ مَا لا يَكْفِيكَ فَإِنَّ كُلَّ مَا فِيهَا لا يَكْفِيكَ.
6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “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 basic necessities but want more than the basic needs, then the whole thing that is there will not be sufficient for you. ’”
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7ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الأسَدِيِّ عَنْ سَالِمِ بْنِ مُكْرَمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ اشْتَدَّتْ حَالُ رَجُلٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) فَقَالَتْ لَهُ امْرَأَتُهُ لَوْ أَتَيْتَ رَسُولَ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) فَسَأَلْتَهُ فَجَاءَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) فَلَمَّا رَآهُ النَّبِيُّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) قَالَ مَنْ سَأَلَنَا أَعْطَيْنَاهُ وَمَنِ اسْتَغْنَى أَغْنَاهُ الله فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ مَا يَعْنِي غَيْرِي فَرَجَعَ إِلَى امْرَأَتِهِ فَأَعْلَمَهَا فَقَالَتْ إِنَّ رَسُولَ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) بَشَرٌ فَأَعْلِمْهُ فَأَتَاهُ فَلَمَّا رَآهُ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) قَالَ مَنْ سَأَلَنَا أَعْطَيْنَاهُ وَمَنِ اسْتَغْنَى أَغْنَاهُ الله حَتَّى فَعَلَ الرَّجُلُ ذَلِكَ ثَلاثاً ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ الرَّجُلُ فَاسْتَعَارَ مِعْوَلاً ثُمَّ أَتَى الْجَبَلَ فَصَعِدَهُ فَقَطَعَ حَطَباً ثُمَّ جَاءَ بِهِ فَبَاعَهُ بِنِصْفِ مُدٍّ مِنْ دَقِيقٍ فَرَجَعَ بِهِ فَأَكَلَهُ ثُمَّ ذَهَبَ مِنَ الْغَدِ فَجَاءَ بِأَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ فَبَاعَهُ فَلَمْ يَزَلْ يَعْمَلُ وَيَجْمَعُ حَتَّى اشْتَرَى مِعْوَلاً ثُمَّ جَمَعَ حَتَّى اشْتَرَى بَكْرَيْنِ وَغُلاماً ثُمَّ أَثْرَى حَتَّى أَيْسَرَ فَجَاءَ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) فَأَعْلَمَهُ كَيْفَ جَاءَ يَسْأَلُهُ وَكَيْفَ سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) قُلْتُ لَكَ مَنْ سَأَلَنَا أَعْطَيْنَاهُ وَمَنِ اسْتَغْنَى أَغْنَاهُ الله.
7. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Husayn from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad al-Asadi from Salim ibn Mukram from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “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, when the Holy Prophet saw him, he said, ‘Whoever asks us for help, we help, but whoever appears to be rich when, in fact, he is not so, Allah will make him rich. ’ The man thought the Holy Prophet had addressed him only. He returned to his wife and told her the story. She said, ‘The Messenger of Allah is only a man. Let him know what you need.’ He went back and, when the Messenger of Allah saw him, he said, ‘Whoever asks us for help we help but whoever appears to be rich when, in fact, he is not so, Allah will make him rich. ’ This was repeated with that man three times. Thereafter, he borrowed a pick and went to the mountains, climbed it and cut down a certain amount of firewood. He climbed down and sold the firewood for half a mud (a certain measure) of flour, came home and used it for food. The next day he did the same thing and saved a little on the side until he was able to buy a pick of his own and sometime later he bought two young camels and a slave and then he became rich until he became very affluent. One day he went to see the Holy Prophet. He informed him of his whole story. The Holy Prophet said, ‘I told you, whoever asks us for help we help, but whoever appears to be rich when, in fact, he is not so, Allah will make him rich.’”
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8ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْفُرَاتِ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شِمْرٍ عَنْ جَابِرٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) مَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَكُونَ أَغْنَى النَّاسِ فَلْيَكُنْ بِمَا فِي يَدِ الله أَوْثَقَ مِنْهُ بِمَا فِي يَدِ غَيْرِهِ.
8. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Ali ibn al-Hakam from al-Husayn ibn al-Farat from ‘Amr ibn Shamir from Jabir from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “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.’”
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9ـ عَنْهُ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ حُمَيْدٍ عَنْ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ أَوْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ قَنِعَ بِمَا رَزَقَهُ الله فَهُوَ مِنْ أَغْنَى النَّاسِ.
9. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from ibn Faddal from ‘Asim ibn Humayd from abu Hamza from abu Ja’far or Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Whoever is content with what Allah has given him for his sustenance is the richest person of the people.”
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10ـ عَنْهُ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمْزَةَ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ قَالَ شَكَا رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ يَطْلُبُ فَيُصِيبُ وَلا يَقْنَعُ وَتُنَازِعُهُ نَفْسُهُ إِلَى مَا هُوَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْهُ وَقَالَ عَلِّمْنِي شَيْئاً أَنْتَفِعْ بِهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) إِنْ كَانَ مَا يَكْفِيكَ يُغْنِيكَ فَأَدْنَى مَا فِيهَا يُغْنِيكَ وَإِنْ كَانَ مَا يَكْفِيكَ لا يُغْنِيكَ فَكُلُّ مَا فِيهَا لا يُغْنِيكَ.
10. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from ibn Faddal from ibn Bukayr from Hamza ibn Humran who has said the following: “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.) said, ‘If it (earnings) is enough for your necessities then it should make you rich. Thus, the minimum should suffice you. If this does not suffice then all things that are there will not suffice you.’”
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11ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ عِدَّةٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ حَنَانِ بْنِ سَدِيرٍ رَفَعَهُ قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) مَنْ رَضِيَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَا يُجْزِيهِ كَانَ أَيْسَرُ مَا فِيهَا يَكْفِيهِ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَرْضَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا بِمَا يُجْزِيهِ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهَا شَيْ‏ءٌ يَكْفِيهِ.
11. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from a number of our people have narrated from Hannan ibn Sadir in a marfu’ manner from Amir al- Mu’minin (Ali ibn abu Talib) (a.s.) who has said the following: “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.”