Life is full of trials that an individual must face with patience. Patience is basically when a person restrains himself from being fearful during hard times. In the Arabic language, (Sabr) Patience means to confine or contain. Patience is to keep ourselves on the right track, constantly remind ourselves of what others have been through. Allah says:
إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ
“Except those who believe and do righteous deeds and enjoin (each other) to the truth and enjoin (each other) to [the] patience.” (Surah Al-Asr 103:3)
Patience is mentioned at many places in the Quran and Sunnah of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW), which shows the virtues and greatness of Patience. Patience is of best from deeds and has a great reward with no limit. Allah says:
فَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تُطِعْ مِنْهُمْ آثِمًا أَوْ كَفُورًا
“So be patient for (the) Command (of) your Lord and (do) not obey from them any sinner or disbeliever.” (Surah Al-Insan 76:24)
A Muslim believer has a patient attitude during times of difficulties:
- Allah made patience a determination in the conduct of one’s affairs
- Allah has made patience of receiving many blessings
- Allah has made patience a condition of His love
- Allah has made patience a standard of courage
- Allah will reward those who have patience
- Patience and taqwa are great protection
- Patience is a condition of prosperity
- Patience brings power and strength
- Patience is enjoined upon believers
- Patience brings guidance
- Patience is one of the best qualities
- Patience brings power and strength
- Patience is enjoined upon believers
- Patience is made a condition of success
- Patience is a means of seeking Allah’s help
- Patience and taqwa are conditions for Allah’s help
- Patience also brings an amazing source of support
- Patience and Eemaan are prerequisites for leadership
- Patience is the way to earn the companionship of Allah
- Patience “Woe to you! The reward of Allah (in the Hereafter)
إنا وجدناه صابرا نعم العبد إنه أواب
“…Indeed, We found him patient, an excellent servant. Indeed, he was one repeatedly turning back [to Allah]. “ (Surah Sad 38:44)
The believers will see difficulty as an opportunity to worship Allah, they will exhibit calmness and say Alhamdulillah for the chance to come closer to Him. Whatever we lost in the difficulty, came from Allah anyway so it ultimately doesn’t matter because we all have to go back to Him. Thus staying away from sins requires patience. It is important to have patience when the opportunity for sins arises. Allah says:
وَاسْتَعِينُوا بِالصَّبْرِ وَالصَّلَاةِ ۚ وَإِنَّهَا لَكَبِيرَةٌ إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ
“And seek help through patience and prayer. Indeed, it is a burden except for the humble.” (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:45)
Patience is an excellent means of strength against adversities, harms, hardships and anxieties. When we are faced with hardships and events that test our character, let us remind ourselves that we want Allah to be with us, and that is through beautiful patience.
There are three types of Patience (Sabr) mentioned below that all of us should know about:
- Patience (Sabr) when facing difficulties: When a person practices patience during times of hardship without complaints is known to be Patience while facing difficulties. One must not complain about anything because Allah predestines their hardship.
- Patience refraining from sins: The type of patience when a person abstains from prohibited acts and evil deeds. Abstaining from prohibited acts requires a great struggle against one’s desires, and takes much patience in refraining from the evil influences of Shaytan.
- Patience in doing good deeds: Patience is when a person works constantly to fulfil obligations and to do righteous deeds for pleasing Allah. Allah commands His servants. One should be steadfast in the good deeds that he/she is doing, be focused, and have the patience to do them in the best possible way.
- “Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, so worship Him and be constant and patient in His worship.” (Quran, 19:65).
The life of this world is a short, temporary life, that will end soon. Bearing the struggles of this life by holding fast to the rope of Allah and being patient, for only a few short years after which a great reward awaits.
Categories of Patience, Patience is of two kinds: Physical and Mental. Each one of them is either optional or obligatory and can be divided into four categories.
- The first is physical and obligatory: Undertaking voluntarily difficult actions.
- Second is physical and obligatory: Enduring the pain of beating, illness, wound, cold, heat, etc.
- Third is psychological and optional: To restrain oneself from doing what is not good religiously and rationally.
- Fourth is psychological and obligatory: Restraining the soul forcibly from what it loves when there is a barrier to achieving it.
The reward of paradise and deliverance from the hellfire is reserved for those who were patient. Controlling the emotions here in the sense that we must guard and manage our emotions both as well as the deeds we will do.
The patient will be rewarded with the highest place in Heaven:
- Allah s.w.t. is with those who are patient: Allah s.w.t is sufficient for us and He knows everything that we are going through.
- Enjoining good and forbidding wrong requires patience: Facing hardships is inevitable when we are enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. Therefore, patience is required.
- Allah s.w.t does not lose the reward of those who are patient: Patience is considered as a virtuous good deed. At times, we may think that we are at a loss when our patience does not bear the result that we aspire to. Verily Allah reminds us that those who are patient are among the good-doers whose rewards are promised.
- Allah s.w.t. loves those who are patient: One of the most pleasured rewards in this world and the next is to receive the love of Allah s.w.t. Having patience entails love from The Most Loving.
وَٱصۡبِرۡ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجۡرَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِين
“And be patient; verily, Allah loses not the reward of the good-doers.” (Surah Hud, 11:115)
Always keep in mind when faced with a difficulty, challenge, or obstacle that it is all part of a test. In other words, the Quran and the hadith tell Muslims that God tests believers and that difficulties are a fact of this world.
Patience can be divided into five categories:
- Obligatory: Patience in resisting what is prohibited, patience in carrying out obligatory deeds, patience in tribulation over which a person is helpless, such as illness, poverty, etc.
- Desirable: To restrain one’s self from worrying over unpleasant matters, to remain constant in doing desirable deeds, and to restrain from retaliating when one faces an aggressor or other acts of aggression.
- Forbidden: Consists of refraining from food and drink until death. It also applies to refusing to eat dead meat, blood or meat of swine when there is a danger of starvation.
- Reprehensible: To resist oneself from food, drink, dress and sexual intercourse to the extent of causing harm to the body. To restrain the self from doing what is recommended.
- Permissible: To restrain from anything that has indifferent consequences of both; doing and avoiding.
إنا وجدناه صابرا نعم العبد إنه أواب
“…Indeed, We found him patient, an excellent servant. Indeed, he was one repeatedly turning back [to Allah]. “ (Surah Sad 38:44)
Allah has given a general ruling that whoever does not have faith and does not belong to the people of truth and patience, is in a state of loss.
Allah Almighty says in The Holy Quran:
- “Except those who show patience and do righteous good deeds: those, theirs will be forgiveness and a great reward (Paradise).” (Hood 11:11)
- “And verily, whosoever shows patience and forgives, that would truly be from the things recommended by Allaah.” (Shura 42:34)
- “And whatever misfortune befalls you it is because of what your hands have earned. And He pardons much.” (Quran 42:30)
- “And We made from among them leaders, giving guidance under Our Command when they were patient.” (Quran 32:24)
- “O you who believe! Seek Help in Patience and salah. Truly, Allah is with those that are patient.” (Quran 2:153)
- “So wait patiently (O Muhammad) for the Decision of your Lord, for verily, you are under Our Eyes.” (Toor 52:48)
- “And we tested them with good (blessings) and evil (calamities) so that they might turn back.” (Quran 7:168)
The ultimate concept of patience is having patience over this life for the next. True patience is foregoing the bounties of this life for the bounties of the next life. Allah says:
وَٱصۡبِرۡ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُضِيعُ أَجۡرَ ٱلۡمُحۡسِنِين
“And be patient; verily, Allah loses not the reward of the good-doers.” (Surah Hud, 11:115)
In conclusion, patience is the key to success in this life and the hereafter. Therefore, we should try hard to practise patience in our lives; we also should know that we could all gain patience with practice and struggle. May Almighty Allah make us among those who are patient! Ameen
