Qana'ah
/qa.naː.ʕa/noun
A state of contentment and acceptance of what one possesses, especially in Islamic ethical thought.
Did you know?In Islamic spirituality, qana'ah is not passive resignation but disciplined freedom from greed, often treated as a virtue that protects the heart from endless wanting.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic (proposed)
Proto-Semitic
*qnʿ
“A reconstructed root associated with contentment or being satisfied; the exact prehistoric form is uncertain.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
قَنَاعَة (qanāʿa)
“Contentment, satisfaction, or acceptance of one's allotted share.”
Medieval Islamic scholarship
Arabic
qanāʿa
“A moral and spiritual virtue involving freedom from greed and reliance on God.”
20th Century
English
qana'ah
“An Islamic concept of contentment, appearing in English writing on religion and spirituality.”
Modern English
English
qana'ah
“Contentment or inner sufficiency, especially in Muslim spiritual and self-development contexts.”