Contentment
Al-Kāfi|Volume 2|Book 1|Chapter 63
10ـ عَنْهُ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنِ ابْنِ بُكَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمْزَةَ بْنِ حُمْرَانَ قَالَ شَكَا رَجُلٌ إِلَى أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ يَطْلُبُ فَيُصِيبُ وَلا يَقْنَعُ وَتُنَازِعُهُ نَفْسُهُ إِلَى مَا هُوَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْهُ وَقَالَ عَلِّمْنِي شَيْئاً أَنْتَفِعْ بِهِ فَقَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) إِنْ كَانَ مَا يَكْفِيكَ يُغْنِيكَ فَأَدْنَى مَا فِيهَا يُغْنِيكَ وَإِنْ كَانَ مَا يَكْفِيكَ لا يُغْنِيكَ فَكُلُّ مَا فِيهَا لا يُغْنِيكَ.
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 عليه السلام 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 عليه السلام 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.’”
- Mirʾāt al-ʿUqūl fī Sharḥ Akhbār Āl al-Rasūl (8/327)
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Kāfī