Qana'ah
/qɑːˈnɑːʕə/noun
An Islamic ethical concept of contentment with what one has and acceptance of divine provision.
Did you know?In Islamic thought, qana'ah is not passive resignation but disciplined freedom from envy, greed, and dependence on worldly possessions.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Arabic
Arabic
قَنَاعَة (qanāʿah)
“Contentment, satisfaction, or acceptance of one’s allotted share”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
قَنِعَ (qaniʿa)
“He was content, satisfied, or accepted what he had”
Medieval Islamic scholarship
Arabic
qanāʿah
“A religious virtue involving freedom from covetousness and reliance on divine provision”
19th–20th Century
English
qana'ah / qanāʿah
“A transliterated Islamic ethical term used in English religious and academic writing”
Modern English
English
qana'ah
“Contentment, especially as a spiritual or Islamic virtue”