7.4. THE TYPES OF CONTENTMENT
1. The first type: contentment (rida) with following orders and abstaining from the unlawful, which naturally means only doing what Allah has permitted and abstaining from the unlawful; Allah says:
“But Allah and His Messenger are more worthy for them to satisfy….” (al-Tawbah (9): 62)
And
“If only they had been satisfied with what Allah and His Messenger gave them and said, ‘Sufficient for us is Allah’; Allah will give us of His bounty, and (so will) His Messenger; indeed, we are desirous toward Allah.” (al-Tawbah (9): 59)
This type of contentment is obligatory, which is why He rebukes those who do not have it:
‘And among them are some who criticize you concerning the (distribution of) charities. If they are given from them, they approve; but if they are not given from them, at once they become angry. If only they had been satisfied with what Allah and his Messenger gave them and said, ‘Sufficient for us is Allah. Allah will give us of his bounty, and (so will) his Messenger.’ (al-Tawbah (9): 58-59)
2. The second type:contentment (rida) with difficulties (masa’ib) like poverty (faqr), illness (marad), and humiliation (dhull); This type of contentment is recommended but not obligatory according to one scholarly opinion while others have stated that it is indeed obligatory. The correct opinion, however, is that the obligatory thing is patience. Al-Hasan once said; ‘Contentment is in the nature, but patience is the reliance of the believer.’ Ibn ‘Abbas (radiyAllahu ‘anhuma) narrates that the Prophet said: ‘If you are able to act with contentment alongside certainty, do so. If you cannot, then there is abundant good in having patience with what you dislike.’
As for being pleased with unbelief, sins, and disobedience, the Imams of our have stated that this must not happen because Allah Himself not with them:
“And He does not approve for His servants disbelief ” (al-Zumar (39): 7)
And
“And Allah does not like corruption.” (al- Baqarah (2): 205)
And
“But if you should be satisfied with them indeed, Allah is not satisfied with a defiantly disobedient people.’’ (al-tawbah (9): 96)
And
“His recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment.” (al-Nisa (4): 93)
And
“That is because they followed what angered Allah and disliked [what earns] His pleasure, so He rendered worthless their deeds.’’ (Muhammad (47): 28)
And
“Allah has promised the hypocrite men and hypocrite women and the disbelievers the fire of Hell, wherein they will abide eternally. It is sufficient for them.” (al-Tawbah (9): 68)
And
“How wretched is that which they have put forth for themselves in that Allah has become angry with them, and in the punishment they will abide eternally.” (al-Ma’idah (5): 80)
And
“And when they angered Us, We took retribution from them…” (al-Zukhruf (43): 55)
If this is the case and instead of approving of their actions, Allah, Exalted, is displeased with them and thus angry at those who do them, how could it be lawful for a believer to be pleased with them? How could it be permissible for him to not become upset and angry by actions that anger Allah?
By Shaykhu’l-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah
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