Contentment

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.”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

63. Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad Bin Isa, from Al-Hassan Bin Mahboub, from Ali Bin Ra’ab and Hashaam Bin Saalim, from Abu Baseer who said: ‘I asked Abu Ja’far (asws) about the four types of winds – the North, the South, Al-Saba and Al-Dabour, and I said that the people are mentioning that the North (wind) is from the Paradise, and the South (wind) is from the Fire’. So he (asws) said: ‘Allah (azwj) has armies of winds by which He (azwj) Punishes whomsoever that He (azwj) so Wishes to from the ones who disobey Him (azwj), and from every wind from these is an Angel allocated to it. So if Allah (azwj) Intends to Punish a people by some kind of torment, He (azwj) Reveals to the Angel in charge of that particular type of the winds by which He (azwj) Intends to Punish them by. So the Angel orders it and it get excited like a lion gets excited when bothered’. He (asws) said: ‘And for every wind from these is a name. Have you not heard the Words of the High (azwj): “[54:19] For We sent against them a furious wind (Sarsara), on a Day of violent Disaster”, and Said: “[51:41] When We sent upon them the destructive wind (Al-Aqeem)”, and Said: “[46:24] a blast of wind in which is a painful punishment,”, and Said: “[2:266] that it should be caught in a whirlwind, with fire therein, and be burnt up”. And (others) from winds which have not been Mentioned by which Allah (azwj) Punishes the ones who disobey Him (azwj)’. He (asws) said: ‘And Allah (azwj) Mighty is His (azwj) mention has winds of Mercy which occur, and others besides that which He (azwj) Displays His (azwj) Mercy. From these is that which incites clouds for the rain, and from these is a wind which holds up the clouds in between the sky and the earth, and the winds which squeeze the clouds so they make rain by the Permission of Allah (azwj), and from these are winds which Allah (azwj) has Counted in His (azwj) Book. As for the four winds – the North, and the South, and Al-Saba, and Al-Dabour, so these are the names of the Angels who have been allocated to these. So if Allah (azwj) Intends the North wind to blow, He (azwj) Commands the Angel whose name is the North (Al-Shimaal), so he descends upon the Sacred House (Al-Bayt Al-Haram), stands upon the Al-Shamy corner of it and flaps his wings. So the North wind disperses in the land and the sea wherever Allah (azwj) Desires it to. And if Allah (azwj) Intends to Send the South winds, He (azwj) Commands the Angel whose name is the South (Al-Junoub), so he descends upon the Sacred House (Al-Bayt Al-Haram), stands upon the Al-Shamy corner of it and flaps his wings. So the South wind disperses in the land and the sea wherever Allah (azwj) Desires it to. And if Allah (azwj) Intends to Send Al-Saba wind, He (azwj) Commands the Angel whose name is Al-Saba, so he descends upon the Sacred House, stands upon the Al-Shamy corner of it and flaps his wings. So the Al-Saba wind disperses in the land and the sea wherever Allah (azwj) Desires it to. And if Allah (azwj) Intends to Send Daboura, He (azwj) Commands the Angel whose name is Al-Dabour, so he descends upon the Sacred House, stands upon the Al-Shamy corner of it and flaps his wings. So Al-Dabour wind disperses in the land and the sea wherever Allah (azwj) Desires it to’. Then Abu Ja’far (asws) said: ‘As for your hearing their words – the North wind, and the South wind, and Al-Dabour wind, and Al-Saba wind, but rather these are the Angels who have been entrusted with these.

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

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.”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

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.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

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.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

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.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

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. ’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

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.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

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.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

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.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

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.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

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.”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.