Islam Rediscovered
9. The Islamic Way of Life
~ 130 ~
one who spends in charity and cause destruction
to one who holds his wealth back.” (
Nasai
)
(d)
Contentment:
To attain inner peace and real
happiness, one has to remain content with what
one has been able to earn independently and
lawfully. The Prophet Muhammad, may peace
be upon him, says in this respect: “Indeed, he has
attained eternal success and prosperity who
accepted Islam, and God has filled his heart with
contentment towards whatever he was given.”
He also said: “A little that suffices is much better
than a surfeit that causes disturbance.” (
Al-
Bayhaqi
)
(e)
Simplicity:
Last, but not least, an important
Islamic principle concerning one’s livelihood is
simplicity. The Prophet’s own life style was a
unique example of simplicity. In one of his
sayings he has even considered it one of the
signs of true faith (
Ibn Majah
). In another
hadith
,
he warns his companions: “Stay away from the
luxurious life. For the servants of God do not
indulge in luxury.” (
Musnad Ahmad
)
