Contentment, and the Trial of Gratitude

 Are we supposed to be contented?

Contentment is satiety. 

It is being satisfied with what you have been given. 

But is that really what our great religion teaches us about how we should be, and how we should live? 

Happiness is more than that, and whilst some would argue that it is a fleeting emotion and should not be what we should seek, but here let’s explore this further. 

 

Two orthogonal factors come to mind when we discuss happiness and contentment: expectation and gratitude. 

Shukr (thankfulness) is the basis of our religion, and the first words that emanate from ourselves after the first takbeer that marks the commencement of our prayer: all thanks and gratitude is due to the Lord of all the Worlds. 

It is the recognition that we should be grateful for what we have that makes us happy no matter how much less we have than others. 

The Messenger (saw) informed us that if we, on a daily basis, know where our next meal is coming from and have a roof over our head, then that is enough to be thankful for. And it is this act of gratitude, the five ritual prayers, that marks what it means to be Muslim. 

We can also see that expectation has a bearing on this, that when we expect much and achieve, or are given, less than that then how can we be satisfied, let alone be happy?

And that when your expectations are met, or are low, then that is a sure way of ensuring contentment. 

Should we therefore assume that the two are dependent, and therefore not orthogonal- gratitude and expectation? That to be happy, and contented, we must ensure that we cultivate low expectations as well as a mindset of gratitude. 

But this is not what our sublime religion teaches us. This assumption is quashed by the very heart of our belief: supplication. 

Orthogonality and independence should mean that we see that gratitude and expectation can exist in varying degrees within a man, independent of one another. 

That each of these cases are equally likely:

1- high gratitude, high expectation. 

2- high gratitude, low expectation. 

3- low gratitude, high expectation. 

4- low gratitude, low expectation. 

Our religion has it that the last two cases are the ways of a non-believer, they can never be grateful because they cannot see past their noses to one who is greater than they. And they believe not in the unseen. 

The second case is the one which is a given, and is easy to achieve, and that is the case that most Muslims aim for. 

But it’s the first case that is revolutionary, and is demanded of those that seek to comprehend the true generosity of the Most Gracious. 

That you should ask in supplication for the most that you can fathom, that you should act on that ask and believe fully in it’s ability of being realized with the help of the Most Gracious. 

And crucially if it comes not to pass then that should not dent your gratitude. And it should not stop you from asking again, and believing again and acting as if that belief fully had the ability to be realized by the Grace of the Most Merciful. 

That is the trial of gratitude. 

And what a blessed place to be in. 

Yes it’s true: happiness is fleeting. 

It comes and goes. 

But gratitude to the Most Gracious should ever remain. 

And here we must remember the one whom we were asked to follow:

The Messenger (saw) informed us that on the Day of Decision when we are all brought before the Most Gracious, that he will fall in prostration before the Infinitely Merciful. And he will not rise from that prostration, our sujood, until he had had his fill. 

The implication here is that in this life Muhammad (saw) never had his fill of such. And that we who follow in his footsteps must, in the like, busy ourselves with righting wrongs, upholding other’s rights and helping still others on their paths towards God. 

Knowledge is sought through study and contemplation. Not through lectures, nor talks, nor this above. 

GLOSSARY:

Orthogonal - when two things are orthogonal it means that knowing both fills out the whole space, and that we tried to ensure that one variable is not contained in the other- that both are independent of one another and not interdependent.