SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND CONTENTMENT

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

Allah said:

وَمَا مِن دَابَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا عَلَى اللَّهِ رِزْقُهَا

There is no creature on earth but that upon Allah is its provision.

Surah Hud 11:6

And Allah said:

لِلْفُقَرَاءِ الَّذِينَ أُحْصِرُوا فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ ضَرْبًا فِي الْأَرْضِ يَحْسَبُهُمُ الْجَاهِلُ أَغْنِيَاءَ مِنَ التَّعَفُّفِ تَعْرِفُهُم بِسِيمَاهُمْ لَا يَسْأَلُونَ النَّاسَ إِلْحَافًا وَمَا تُنفِقُوا مِنْ خَيْرٍ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ بِهِ عَلِيمٌ

Charity is for the poor who have been restricted for the cause of Allah, unable to move about in the land. An ignorant person would think them self-sufficient because of their restraint, but you will know them by their sign. They do not ask people persistently. Whatever you spend of good, verily, Allah knows it.

Surah Al-Baqarah 2:273

And Allah said:

وَالَّذِينَ إِذَا أَنفَقُوا لَمْ يُسْرِفُوا وَلَمْ يَقْتُرُوا وَكَانَ بَيْنَ ذَٰلِكَ قَوَامًا

They are those who, when they spend, do so not excessively or sparingly but rather are moderate in between them.

Surah Al-Furqan 25:67

And Allah said:

وَمَا خَلَقْتُ الْجِنَّ وَالْإِنسَ إِلَّا لِيَعْبُدُونِ مَا أُرِيدُ مِنْهُم مِّن رِّزْقٍ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَن يُطْعِمُونِ

I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. I do not want from them any provision, nor do I want them to feed Me.

Surah Adh-Dhariyat 51:56-57

Abu Huraira, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

لَيْسَ الْغِنَى عَنْ كَثْرَةِ الْعَرَضِ، وَلَكِنَّ الْغِنَى غِنَى النَّفْسِ

Richness is not having many possessions. Rather, true richness is the richness of the soul.

Source: Sahih Bukhari 6081, Grade: Sahih

Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ أَسْلَمَ وَرُزِقَ كَفَافًا وَقَنَّعَهُ اللَّهُ بِمَا آتَاهُ

He has succeeded who embraces Islam, whose provision is sufficient, and who is content with what Allah has given him.

Source: Sahih Muslim 1054, Grade: Sahih

Hakeem ibn Hizam, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: I asked the Prophet and he gave me, then I asked the Prophet and he gave me, then I asked the Prophet and he gave me. Then the Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

إِنَّ هَذَا الْمَالَ خَضِرَةٌ حُلْوَةٌ فَمَنْ أَخَذَهُ بِطِيبِ نَفْسٍ بُورِكَ لَهُ فِيهِ وَمَنْ أَخَذَهُ بِإِشْرَافِ نَفْسٍ لَمْ يُبَارَكْ لَهُ فِيهِ وَكَانَ كَالَّذِي يَأْكُلُ وَلَا يَشْبَعُ وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى

Verily, this wealth is green and sweet, so whoever receives it with a cheerful heart will be blessed in it and whoever receives it with a greedy heart will not be blessed in it, for he would be like one who eats without being satisfied. The upper hand that gives is better than the lower hand that takes.

Source: Sahih Bukhari 1403, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Hakeem ibn Hizam, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ وَخَيْرُ الصَّدَقَةِ عَنْ ظَهْرِ غِنًى وَمَنْ يَسْتَعْفِفْ يُعِفَّهُ اللَّهُ وَمَنْ يَسْتَغْنِ يُغْنِهِ اللَّهُ

The upper hand is better than the lower hand. One should start by spending on his dependents. The best charity is what is given by a wealthy person, and if a person would be abstinent then Allah will make him abstinent, and if a person would be self-sufficient then Allah will make him self-sufficient.

Source: Sahih Bukhari 1361, Grade: Sahih

Mu’awiya, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

لَا تُلْحِفُوا فِي الْمَسْأَلَةِ فَوَاللَّهِ لَا يَسْأَلُنِي أَحَدٌ مِنْكُمْ شَيْئًا فَتُخْرِجَ لَهُ مَسْأَلَتُهُ مِنِّي شَيْئًا وَأَنَا لَهُ كَارِهٌ فَيُبَارَكَ لَهُ فِيمَا أَعْطَيْتُهُ

Do not be persistent in begging. By Allah, if one of you asks me for something and I give it to him unwillingly, then there is no blessing in what I have given him.

Source: Sahih Muslim 1038, Grade: Sahih

Awf ibn Malik, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: We were with the Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, while there were seven, or eight, or nine of us and the Prophet said:

أَلَا تُبَايِعُونَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ

Will you not give your pledge of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah?

Someone said, “O Messenger of Allah, we have already given you our pledge, so what are we pledging to now?” The Prophet said:

أَنْ تَعْبُدُوا اللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا وَتُصَلُّوا الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسَ وَتَسْمَعُوا وَتُطِيعُوا وَلَا تَسْأَلُوا النَّاسَ شَيْئًا

That you worship Allah and do not associate any partners with Him, that you pray for five prayers, that you listen and obey, and that you do not ask people for anything.

Source: Sahih Muslim 1043, Grade: Sahih

Ibn Umar, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

مَا يَزَالُ الرَّجُلُ يَسْأَلُ النَّاسَ حَتَّى يَأْتِيَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ لَيْسَ فِي وَجْهِهِ مُزْعَةُ لَحْمٍ

A man continues to beg people until he will come on the Day of Resurrection without any flesh on his face.

Source: Sahih Bukhari 1405, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Ibn Umar, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, was upon the pulpit mentioning charity and abstaining from begging and he said:

الْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَالْيَدُ الْعُلْيَا الْمُنْفِقَةُ وَالسُّفْلَى السَّائِلَةُ

The upper hand is better than the lower hand, the upper hand being the one that gives and the lower hand being the one that receives.

Source: Sahih Muslim 1033, Grade: Sahih

Abu Huraira, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

مَنْ سَأَلَ النَّاسَ أَمْوَالَهُمْ تَكَثُّرًا فَإِنَّمَا يَسْأَلُ جَمْرًا فَلْيَسْتَقِلَّ أَوْ لِيَسْتَكْثِرْ

Whoever begs for the wealth of people in order to accumulate more riches, then verily he is only asking for a live coal from the Hellfire, so let him ask for a little or a lot.

Source: Sahih Muslim 1041, Grade: Sahih

Samurah ibn Jundub, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

الْمَسَائِلُ كُدُوحٌ يَكْدَحُ بِهَا الرَّجُلُ وَجْهَهُ فَمَنْ شَاءَ أَبْقَى عَلَى وَجْهِهِ وَمَنْ شَاءَ تَرَكَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَسْأَلَ الرَّجُلُ ذَا سُلْطَانٍ أَوْ فِي أَمْرٍ لَا يَجِدُ مِنْهُ بُدًّا

Acts of begging are lacerations with which a man disfigures his face, so whoever wishes may preserve his dignity and whoever wishes may abandon it, but a man may ask from those in authority or if he cannot find another way.

Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 1639, Grade: Sahih

Ibn Mas’ud, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

مَنْ أَصَابَتْهُ فَاقَةٌ فَأَنْزَلَهَا بِالنَّاسِ لَمْ تُسَدَّ فَاقَتُهُ وَمَنْ أَنْزَلَهَا بِاللَّهِ أَوْشَكَ اللَّهُ لَهُ بِالْغِنَى إِمَّا بِمَوْتٍ عَاجِلٍ أَوْ غِنًى عَاجِلٍ

Whoever is afflicted with poverty and seeks relief from people, then he will never be relieved, but whoever seeks relief from Allah, then Allah will soon give him relief, either by quickly sufficing him or causing his death.

Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 1645, Grade: Sahih

Thawban, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

مَنْ يَكْفُلُ لِي أَنْ لَا يَسْأَلَ النَّاسَ شَيْئًا وَأَتَكَفَّلُ لَهُ بِالْجَنَّةِ

Who will guarantee for me that he will not ask people for anything and I will guarantee for him Paradise?

Source: Sunan Abu Dawud 1643, Grade: Sahih

Thawban said, “I will,” and after that he would not ask anyone for anything

Qabisa ibn Mukhariq, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: I was under debt so I came to the Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, and I asked him about it. The Prophet said:

أَقِمْ حَتَّى تَأْتِيَنَا الصَّدَقَةُ فَنَأْمُرَ لَكَ بِهَا

Wait until we receive charity, so we will order it to be given to you.

Then the Prophet said:

يَا قَبِيصَةُ إِنَّ الْمَسْأَلَةَ لَا تَحِلُّ إِلَّا لِأَحَدِ ثَلَاثَةٍ رَجُلٍ تَحَمَّلَ حَمَالَةً فَحَلَّتْ لَهُ الْمَسْأَلَةُ حَتَّى يُصِيبَهَا ثُمَّ يُمْسِكُ وَرَجُلٌ أَصَابَتْهُ جَائِحَةٌ اجْتَاحَتْ مَالَهُ فَحَلَّتْ لَهُ الْمَسْأَلَةُ حَتَّى يُصِيبَ قِوَامًا مِنْ عَيْشٍ أَوْ قَالَ سِدَادًا مِنْ عَيْشٍ وَرَجُلٌ أَصَابَتْهُ فَاقَةٌ حَتَّى يَقُومَ ثَلَاثَةٌ مِنْ ذَوِي الْحِجَا مِنْ قَوْمِهِ لَقَدْ أَصَابَتْ فُلَانًا فَاقَةٌ فَحَلَّتْ لَهُ الْمَسْأَلَةُ حَتَّى يُصِيبَ قِوَامًا مِنْ عَيْشٍ أَوْ قَالَ سِدَادًا مِنْ عَيْشٍ فَمَا سِوَاهُنَّ مِنْ الْمَسْأَلَةِ يَا قَبِيصَةُ سُحْتًا يَأْكُلُهَا صَاحِبُهَا سُحْتًا

O Qabisa, begging is not lawful except for one of three cases: a man who is in heavy debt, so begging is permissible for him until he pays it, after which he must stop; a man whose property is destroyed by a calamity, so begging is permissible for him until he can support himself; and a man who is afflicted by poverty attested to by three astute members of his people, so begging is permissible for him until he can support himself. O Qabisa, besides these three begging is forbidden and the beggar consumes what is forbidden.

Source: Sahih Muslim 1044, Grade: Sahih

Abu Huraira, RadiyAllahu Anhu, reported: The Messenger of Allah, SallAllahu Alaihi Wa Sallam, said:

لَيْسَ الْمِسْكِينُ بِهَذَا الطَّوَّافِ الَّذِي يَطُوفُ عَلَى النَّاسِ فَتَرُدُّهُ اللُّقْمَةُ وَاللُّقْمَتَانِ وَالتَّمْرَةُ وَالتَّمْرَتَانِ

The poor person is not the one who goes around to the people and is dismissed with one or two morsels or dates.

They said, “O Messenger of Allah, then who is the poor person?” The Prophet said:

الَّذِي لَا يَجِدُ غِنًى يُغْنِيهِ وَلَا يُفْطَنُ لَهُ فَيُتَصَدَّقَ عَلَيْهِ وَلَا يَسْأَلُ النَّاسَ شَيْئًا

The one who does not get enough, who is not considered poor such that he is given charity, and who does not beg people for anything.

Source: Sahih Muslim 1039, Grade: Sahih

In another narration, the Prophet said:

اقْرَءُوا إِنْ شِئْتُمْ لَا يَسْأَلُونَ النَّاسَ إِلْحَافًا

Recite the verse if you wish: They do not ask people persistently. (2:273)

Source: Sahih Bukhari 4265, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi

Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.