Qanaah
/qəˈnɑːʔ/noun
A state of spiritual contentment and acceptance of what one has, especially in Islamic ethics.
Did you know?In Islamic thought, qanaah is not passive resignation; it traditionally means freedom from envy and dependence on what others possess.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
Proto-Semitic
*q-n-ʿ
“A reconstructed root associated with being satisfied, content, or restrained in desire.”
Classical Arabic
Arabic
qanāʿa (قناعة)
“Contentment, satisfaction, and acceptance of one's allotted share.”
Medieval Islamic Arabic
Arabic
qanāʿah
“A moral and spiritual virtue: inner sufficiency without coveting what belongs to others.”
19th–20th Century
English
qana'ah / qanaah
“A transliterated Islamic ethical term used in English religious and academic writing.”
Modern English
English
qanaah
“Spiritual contentment, particularly the practice of being satisfied with one's circumstances.”