Which has Priority - Patience or Gratitude? (1/7)

People have different perspectives concerning this matter. Abul-Faraj Ibnul-Jawzi reported three sayings:

First: patience is better than gratitude,

Second: gratitude is better than patience,

And third: both are equal, as 'Umar Ibnul-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "If patience and gratitude were to be in the shape of camels, I would not care which of them I should mount."

In the following lines, we are going to present the proof shown by each sect, and highlight its level of authenticity.

The adherents to patience said: Allah has praised patience and commanded that one has to hold it, and placed on it the acquirement of good in the world and the Hereafter. Moreover, patience is cited in the Qur'an in about ninety places, and many Qur'anic and Prophetic texts indicate that it has priority over gratitude.

To illustrate, we read a Prophetic Hadith in which he said:

"The one who eats gratefully stands on the same footing with the one who fasts patiently."

Thus, the Prophet (Peace be upon him) mentioned the Hadith when preferring patience to gratitude, as he attached the latter to the former. Another Prophetic Hadith reads:

"The addict of Khamr[1] is as the worshiper of idols" [2]

It clearly expresses the same idea. There are also many other texts of the same nature.

They also said: If we make a comparison between the texts reported on patience and their counterparts on gratitude, we will find that the texts on patience highly outnumber those concerning gratitude. To clarify, because Prayers and Jihad are the best of good works, we find Hadiths speaking about them in all chapters of Hadith books. In addition, we find that the Prophetic Hadiths on Prayers and Jihad in their chapters are so numerous that there is no similarity on no other topics.

The proponents of patience added that patience is connected with and attached to every chapter of Hadith, as well as to all matters pertaining to religion. This is why its position in belief, is as the head of the body.

Furthermore, Allah (Glory be to Him) attaches the increase of His favors to holding gratitude; He says:

“And remember! Your Lord caused to be declared (publicly): "'If Ye are grateful, I will add more (favours) unto you.’” (Surah Ibraheem: 7)

He attaches the absolute rewarding to holding patience, but He does not specify the reward for gratitude, as we read in the Qur'an:

“But Allah will swiftly reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude.” (Surah Al-‘Imran: 144),

Yet He confines the reward for patience to beneficence:

“And We will certainly bestow, on those who patiently persevere, their reward according to the best of their actions.” (Surah An-Nahl: 96)

Moreover, they quoted the authenticated Prophetic Hadith reading: "Allah the Almighty says, [3]

"All the deeds of the child of Adam are for him except Fasting, for it is verily Mine and (it is) I (who) gives rewards for it.” [4]

And in another narration, it reads: All the deeds of the child of Adam are multiplied (in number) for him: one good deed is (multiplied) to ten times as much into its credit. Allah the Almighty said: "Except Fasting, for it is verily Mine and (it is) I (who) gives rewards for it". This is only because the fasting person perseveres patiently in preventing himself from submitting to the urge of his desires; we read in the same Qudsi Hadith:

"He abstains from his lust, food and drink for My sake.” [5]

For this reason, when the Prophet was asked about the best of deeds, he said:

"Adhere to Fasting, for there is nothing equal to it.”[6]

Because patience is to abstain from answering the call to desires and lusts, and the nature of fasting requires abstention from answering the call for food, drink and sexual intercourse, "patient perseverance in the Verse reading,

 “Nay, seek (Allah's) help with patient perseverance and Prayer.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 46),

Is interpreted by some scholars to refer to Fasting. Bearing in mind the same reference, some others called Ramadan "The Month of patience". Also, one of the Early Muslims said: "Fasting is a half of patience." This is because patience is to abstain from answering the call of lusts and anger, as the self tends to obtain the thing it desires, so as to get the pleasure of success, and on the other hand becomes angry when it meets something painful or unliked. Yet Fasting is specifically concerned with abstaining from the desires which call to food, drink and sex, but not with the desire which calls to anger. So persevering patiently in resisting both of the two calls is an integral part of perfect Fasting. There is a reference in a Prophetic Hadith that if the fasting person does not abstain from such evil inclinations, Allah will not accept his Fasting; he said:

"Whoever does not give up forged speech and evil actions, Allah is not in need of his leaving of food and drink.”[7]

They added that it is sufficient for establishing the priority of patience over gratitude to quote Allah's Words:

“I have rewarded them this day for their patience and constancy, they are indeed the ones that have achieved bliss.” (Surah Al-Mu’minoon: 111)

Thus, He makes the achieving of bliss as the reward for holding patience. Allah the Almighty also says:

“Allah is with those who steadfastly persevere.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 249)

Nothing is equal to being with Allah, as some people of divine discretion said: "The patient have gone with the good of the world and the Hereafter because they have enjoyed the company of Allah." Again we read in the Qur'an:

“Now await in patience the command of the Lord: for verily thou art in Our eyes.” (Surah At-Tur: 48)

This includes guarding, protection and care as a consequence of patience.

Allah promises that He will give the patient three gifts, each one of which is better than the whale world and what it contains. These three gifts are blessings and mercy in addition to bestowing guidance on them in particular.

Allah the Almighty says:

“They are those on whom (descend) blessings from their Lord, and Mercy. And they are the ones that receive guidance.” (Surah Al-Baqarah: 151)

Also, Allah states in His book that patience is firmness of purpose in the conduct of affairs. He also commands His Messenger to patiently persevere, as all the Messengers of firm resolution did. This has already been discussed.

Continuing to offer their proofs, the proponents of the priority of patience said that evidence proves that holding asceticism and disinterest in the world excels taking much from it. Renouncing its pleasure is always the habit of the patient while taking much of its lawful pleasure is always the case with the grateful. They added that when Jesus (Peace be upon him) was asked about his opinion of the two men who passed by a treasure. One of them did not pay attention to it, but the other man picked it up and spent it in the cause of Allah. The question was literally about which of them was better than his fellow. Jesus (Peace be upon him) said: "The one who did not pay attention to it is better in the sight of Allah.”

They moreover quoted the Hadith stating that when the keys of the treasures of the earth were presented to the Prophet (Peace be upon him) he rejected them, and said:

"I prefer to be hungry on one day and satisfied on another.” [8]

Had he taken the keys, he would have indeed spent them in the cause of Allah! Nevertheless, he preferred to hold patience in the face of them.

Human perfection resides in three matters: particular knowledge to have, precise works to do, and conditions resulting from both matters. The best of Knowledge is to know Allah and His names, attributes and acts. The best of work is to do what Allah loves, and be ever attracted to Him by love, fear and yearning. This is the most honorable to have or to do in the world. The consequence of such knowledge and work is also the most honorable of rewards in the Hereafter, There is no more glorious objective than having the knowledge of Allah, His love and company, longing for His meeting and enjoying the sweetness of mentioning His name. This is also the most glorious kind of happiness in the world and the Hereafter; and it is the goal that is sought in its own right. When the servant leaves this world for the Hereafter, only then does he understands true and perfect happiness. Yet, in the world he cannot reach perfect happiness due to hindrances and tribulations he meets.

All fields of knowledge must be taken as a means to this realm of knowledge. These fields must be evaluated positively or negatively according to their nearness to this base. Every kind of knowledge that leads to more knowledge about the might, names and attributes of Allah must be set as being on a higher level than the other kinds which do not lead to this. The conditions of the heart are to be looked at similarly. Whenever a condition of the heart is in accordance with the objective for which it has been created, then it is regarded as more honorable than the conditions which are not. This is also the case with works; the more near the work is to its objective, the more it is appreciated. This is why Prayer and Jihad are counted as of the best of works, as they are very close to their objectives. This is the methodology in which these issues must be handled. The work, which prepares the heart to be ready to receive knowledge of Allah, His names and attributes, and to love, fear and yearn for Him is to be given priority. If however a number of works participate in achieving an objective, the best of them is the one nearest to achieving the objective concerned. For this reason, different forms of obedience are commanded, since they all participate in achieving the objective of obedience. Sins, on the other hand, are forbidden, as they distract and stumble the heart so as not to be obedient. The impact of obedience or disobedience relies on the degree of the individual's inclinations.

(Continued)