Contentment is Bliss





Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqaas may Allaah be pleased with him traveled to Makkah after he had become blind. Upon his arrival the people hastened to him and kept on asking him to make supplication for them, and he did, as Allaah always accepted his supplication. ‘Abdullaah ibn As-Saa’ib may Allaah be pleased with him said, “I came to him when I was still a young boy and became acquainted with him, so he knew me and said to me, ‘Are you the one who recites the Quran for the people of Makkah?’ I replied, ‘Yes.’ Then I asked him, ‘You supplicate to Allaah for all the people, so why do you not supplicate to Allaah for yourself so that He would cure you?’ He smiled, and said, ‘O son! The decree of Allaah is better for me than my sight.’”

This is the satisfaction that the Companions may Allaah be pleased with them adjusted themselves to, and the decree of Allaah The Almighty became more beloved to them than their desires, and so they loved nothing more than what Allaah the Almighty had decreed. ‘Umar ibn ‘Abd Al-‘Azeez may Allaah have mercy upon him said, “I do not want anything except what Allaah The Almighty decrees.” What confirms the importance of this satisfaction is that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) would ask Allaah The Almighty to grant him satisfaction with His decree, and it is well-known that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) only asked Allaah The Almighty for the highest ranks. Satisfaction is sincerely giving precedence to all that Allaah The Almighty has ordained, without being hesitant or objecting.

This is exactly what the righteous predecessors sought and strived for. They were fully content in matters pertaining to their fate and what Allaah The Almighty had inscribed in the Preserved Slate and never desired anything contrary to what He had decreed for them. However, as for matters of religion that pertain to His orders or prohibitions, one must always progress and aspire to what is better.