Patience

Praise be to Allah and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). I bear witness that there is no god but Allah alone who has no partner and I bear witness that Muhammad is His Servant and Messenger.

Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "O you who believe! Seek help in patience and As-Salât (the prayer). Truly! Allâh is with As-Sâbirûn (the patient)." [Surat Al Baqarah: 153]

Ibn Kathir (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul)said about the explanation of this Ayah: Allah (may He be Exalted) explained that the best thing a person can use to bear calamities is patience and Salah.[1]

Allah mentioned patience in multiple positions in His Book and added to it many blessings and degrees, and made them an outcome to patience. Sheikh Al Islam Ibn Taymiyah (may Allah bestow mercy on his soul) said: Allah mentioned patience in more than 90 positions and corelated it with Salah in Allah's Saying: "And seek help in patience and As-Salât (the prayers) and truly it is extremely heavy and hard except for Al-Khâshi'ûn [i.e. the true believers in Allâh - those who obey Allâh with full submission, fear much from His Punishment, and believe in His Promise (Paradise) and in His Warnings (Hell)]." [Surat Al Baqarah: 45].

He made Imamate a result of observing patience and certainty in Allah's Saying: "And We made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient and used to believe with certainty in Our Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)" [Surat As-Sajdah: 24].

The entire religion is based on knowledge and applying this knowledge. Applying knowledge should be mixed by patience and seeking knowledge needs patience. [2]

Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "By Al-'Asr (the time). * Verily, man is in loss, *Except those who believe (in Islâmic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth [i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds (Al-Ma'ruf) which Allâh has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds (Al-Munkar) which Allâh has forbidden], and recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allâh's Cause during preaching His religion of Islâmic Monotheism or Jihâd)." [Surat Al 'Asr: 1 - 3].

Of the proofs which indicate the importance of patience is that Allah commanded His Messenger to observe it as early as the revelation began and commanded him with warning; He said: "O you (Muhammad peace be upon him) enveloped in garments! *Arise and warn! *And magnify your Lord (Allâh)! *And purify your garments! *And keep away from Ar-Rujz (the idols)! *And give not a thing in order to have more (or consider not your deeds of obedience to Allâh as a favour to Him). *And be patient for the sake of your Lord (i.e. perform your duty to Allâh)!" [Surat Al Muddathir: 1 - 7].

As for his saying: "And be patient for the sake of your Lord," it indicates to showing sincerity to Allah in secret not to be said about him: "He is patient" as Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "And those who remain patient, seeking their Lord's Countenance, perform As-Salât (Iqâmat-as-Salât), and spend out of that which We have bestowed on them, secretly and openly, and repel evil with good, for such there is a good end." [Surat Ar-Ra`d: 22].

Some Predecessors said: Amazing is patience: It is used to cure things but nothing is used to cure it. Abu Sa`id Al Khudry (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "And whoever remains patient, Allah will make him patient. And whoever abstains from asking others for some financial help, Allah will give him and save him from asking others, Allah will make him self-sufficient. And there is no gift better and vast (you may be given) than patience." [3]

Imam Muslim reported in his Sahih on the authority of Abu Malik Al Ash`ary who said that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "And endurance is a brightness."[4] `Umar ibn Al Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "We have found the best of our living through patience."[5]

Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Verily, patience with faith is like the head of the body then he raised his voice and said: Indeed, there is no faith for those who do not observe patience.[6]

Patience is dedicating oneself to obedience, stopping it from disobedience, and satisfying with Allah's Destiny and Fate without complain.

Ibn Al Qayyim said: Patience is divided into three sections: Observing patience on commands and ordinances until a person perform them, observing patience on forbidden matters so as not to fall in, and observing patience on destinies and fates so as not to be irritated by them.[7]

As for observing patience on the obedience of Allah, it is because souls do not obey Allah simply and easily. So, they should be tamed and trained and that needs patience. Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "The Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, so worship Him (Alone) and be constant and patient in His worship. Do you know of any who is similar to Him? (of course none is similar or co-equal or comparable to Him, and He has none as partner with Him). [There is nothing like Him and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer]." [Surat Maryam: 65].

Allah (Exalted be He) says: "And enjoin As-Salât (the prayer) on your family, and be patient in offering them [i.e. the Salât (prayers)]. We ask not of you a provision (i.e. to give Us something: money): We provide for you. And the good end (i.e. Paradise) is for the Muttaqûn (the pious)." [Surat Taha: 132]. Allah (Exalted be He) says: "And keep yourself (O Muhammad peace be upon him) patiently with those who call on their Lord (i.e. your companions who remember their Lord with glorification, praising in prayers, and other righteous deeds) morning and afternoon, seeking His Face; and let not your eyes overlook them, desiring the pomp and glitter of the life of the world; and obey not him whose heart We have made heedless of Our Remembrance, and who follows his own lusts, and whose affair (deeds) has been lost." [Surat Al Kahf: 28].

At-Tabarany reported in Al Mu`jam Al Kabir from the Hadith of `Utbah ibn Ghazwan, the brother of Mazin ibn Sa`sa`ah, that Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "You shall witness the days in which patience is dear when the one who holds firm with it shall have the reward of fifty of you. They said: O Prophet of Allah, do you mean "of them"? He said: No but from you." [8]

Imam Ahmad reported in his Musnad from the Hadith of Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Woe to the Arabs from an evil that is approaching, it will be seditions like the darkness of the night. A man would be a believer in the morning and turn to disbelief in the evening, A group of people sells out their religion for few worldly temptations, the one who holds firm with his religion is like the one who grabs embers Or he said: on forks."[9]

This includes patience on obligatory obedience and permissible Sunan, calling to Allah, and seeking knowledge and enjoining goodness and forbidding evil...etc. Second, observing patience on abstaining from disobedience because a person needs to observe patience on the pleasures of the religion and the forbidden lusts. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "And their recompense shall be Paradise, and silken garments, because they were patient." [Surat Al Insan: 12]. Some commentators said: They observed patience and did not disobey Allah. [10]

Third, observing patience on destiny and fate such as losing beloved ones, losing money, loss of health, and all kinds of trials. Allah (Glory be to Him) says: "And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sâbirûn (the patient). * Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: Truly! To Allâh we belong and truly, to Him we shall return. * They are those on whom are the Salawât (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who receive His) Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones." [Surat Al Baqarah: 155 - 157].

At-Tirmidhy reported in his Sunan from the Hadith of Sa`d ibn Abu Waqqas (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "O Messenger of Allah, which people have the greatest affliction? He replied: The Prophets and then the righteous. A man is tried according to [the power of] his religion. If he is firm on his religion then the trial is severe and if he is soft in observing his religions then he is tried according to his religion. Then, the trial does not remove from the slave till he walks over earth having no sin on him." [11]

A Muslim should observe patience as soon as he hears about a calamity to say "Inna Lillahi wa Inna Ilayhi Raji`un" [We belong to Allah to Him we shall return], and to recall the death of the Prophet (peace be upon him). Ad-Darimy reported in his Sunan from the Hadith of Ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "When one of you is hit by a calamity, he should recall my death, for it is one of the greatest calamities." [12]

Al Bukhari and Muslim reported in their books of authentic Hadiths from the Hadith of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: "The Prophet (peace be upon him) passed by a woman who was weeping beside a grave. He told her to fear Allah and be patient. She said to him: Go away, for you have not been afflicted with a calamity like mine. And she did not recognize him. Then she was informed that he was the Prophet (peace be upon him). So she went to the house of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and there she did not find any guard. Then she said to him: I did not recognize you. He said: Verily, the patience is at the first stroke of a calamity." [13]

Imam Muslim reported in his Sahih from the Hadith of Um Salamah (may Allah be pleased with her) who said: "If any Muslim who suffers some calamity says: What Allah has commanded him: We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return; O Allah, reward me for my affliction and give me something better than it in exchange for it," Allah will give him something better than it in exchange. When Abu Salamah died she said: What Muslim is better than Abu Salamah whose family was the first to emigrate to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him). I then said the words, and Allah gave me God's Messenger (peace be upon him) in exchange. She said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) sent Hatib b. Abu Balta'a to deliver me the message of marriage with him. I said to him: I have a daughter (as my dependant) and I am of jealous temperament. He (the Prophet) said: So far as her daughter is concerned, we would supplicate Allah, that He may free her (of her responsibility) and I would also supplicate Allah to do away with (her) jealous (temperament)."[14]

However, it is not permissible for a Muslim to ask Allah for patience before the fall of trials, but ask Allah for good health. Imam Ahmad reported in his Musnad from the Hadith of Mu`adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) heared a man saying: O Allah, I ask You patience, thereupon he said: You have asked for trials, but ask Allah for good health.[15] Praise be to Allah, the lord of the worlds, and peace be upon Prophet Muhammad, his family, and all his Companions.

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[1] Tafsir Ibn Kathir, (1/196).

[2] Basa'ir Dhawy At-Tamiyz (3/376).

[3] Part from a Hadith in Sahih Al Bukhari No. (6470) and Sahih Muslim No. (1053).

[4] Part from a Hadith reported by Imam Muslim in his Sahih No. (223).

[5] Ad-Dur Al Manthur (1/163).

[6] Basa'ir Dhawy At-Tamiyz (3/376).

[7] Madarij As-Salikin (2/163).

[8] Mu`jam At-Tabarany Al Kabir (17/117) No. (289) and Sheikh Al Albany graded it as authentic in As-Silsilah As-Sahihah No. (494).

[9] Musnad (Hadith compilation of) Imam Ahmad (15/34) No. (9073) the verifiers of Hadith said: it is an authentic Hadith.

[10] Al Jami` Li Ahkam Al Qur'an of Al Qurtuby (21/469).

[11] Sunan At-Tirmidhy No. (2398) and At-Tirmidhy said: A good and authentic Hadith.

[12] Sunan Ad-Darimy (1/53) and Sheikh Al Albany graded it as authentic in Sahih Al Jami` As-Saghir No. (347).

[13] Sahih Al Bukhari No. (1283) and Sahih Muslim No. (926).

[14] Sahih Muslim No. (918).

[15] Musnad (Hadith compilation of) Imam Ahmad (36/ 348) No. (22017), the verifiers of Hadith said: Its chain of narration is good.