What does « Contentment / To consent » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word Contentment / To consent (قنع) in the Quran, with 2 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

قنع

Contentment / To consent

Root: ق - ن - ع

Jurisprudence (fiqh) 2 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 1 min read

Definition of Contentment / To consent

Al-Qanā'ah refers to satisfaction with little.

The Almighty says: 'And the ones who are content with little and those who ask' (Al-Hajj 36), meaning the satisfied poor who doesn't ask and the one who asks.

Al-qāni' is the satisfied one who doesn't beg.

Contentment / To consent in the Quran (2)

Meccan: 1 Medinan: 1

Distribution of verses by surah

Ibrahim 1

Al-Hajj 1

Surah Ibrahim : 43 Meccan

﴿مُهْطِعِينَ مُقْنِعِى رُءُوسِهِمْ لَا يَرْتَدُّ إِلَيْهِمْ طَرْفُهُمْ وَأَفْـِٔدَتُهُمْ هَوَآءٌ﴾

Racing ahead, their heads raised up, their glance does not come back to them, and their hearts are void.

Surah Al-Hajj : 36 Medinan

﴿وَٱلْبُدْنَ جَعَلْنَٰهَا لَكُم مِّن شَعَٰٓئِرِ ٱللَّهِ لَكُمْ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ فَٱذْكُرُوا۟ ٱسْمَ ٱللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا صَوَآفَّ فَإِذَا وَجَبَتْ جُنُوبُهَا فَكُلُوا۟ مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا۟ ٱلْقَانِعَ وَٱلْمُعْتَرَّ كَذَٰلِكَ سَخَّرْنَٰهَا لَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ﴾

And the camels and cattle We have appointed for you as among the symbols of Allah; for you therein is good. So mention the name of Allah upon them when lined up [for sacrifice]; and when they are [lifeless] on their sides, then eat from them and feed the needy and the beggar. Thus have We subjected them to you that you may be grateful.