Today we will discuss the manner of patience, which is one of the most important and basic manners in our religion. Many times I am asked by one of the youth, complaining that he is suffering from falling into a certain sin, and he asks for advice on what to do. I simply respond by telling him to be patient. He thinks that this is just theoretical talk, not something practical that he can accomplish. But the truth is that patience is one of the foundations of the universe! For example, the baby in the mother’s womb takes 9 months to grow. Plants and trees grow slowly. The sun rises and sets slowly. This is one of the laws of Allah (SWT) in the universe. That is why it is very important in our religion.
That is why everything needs patience, such as success in school or work, overcoming sins or overcoming a calamity that has struck you. The scholars said that having patience perfects your life and religion. Can you imagine bravery without patience? Building a nation, a whole economy, bridges and canals, can of this be done without patience? Being kind to your parents, even when they ask you for something you dislike, doesn’t it need patience? Everything in our lives requires patience.
Also, problems that occur in our lives can be attributed to the lack of patience. The one who commits fornication did not have patience to wait until marriage. The one who becomes a drug user did not have patience to overcome the problems or the emptiness in their lives. Therefore, perfecting your religion and your life is related to patience.
The scholars have said that your soul is like the vehicle that is taking you to the afterlife, either to heaven or to hell, and what has control over this vehicle is your patience. If you do not have this patience, your soul will take you wherever it wishes and it will be out of your control.
Patience in the holy Qur’an:
Patience was mentioned in the holy Qur’an in more than 90 places! No other manner has been mentioned in the holy Qur’an as much as patience. One example is the following ayah that can be translated as, “O ye who believe! Seek help with patient Perseverance and Prayer: for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.” (TMQ, 2:153). Do you want Allah (SWT) to be with you? Then have patience.
Allah (SWT) also says what can be translated as, “Be sure We shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere.” (TMQ, 2: 155). Allah (SWT) is giving glad tidings to those who are patient. In another ayah, Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Those who patiently persevere will truly receive a reward without measure!” (TMQ, 39:10). Imagine receiving rewards from Allah (SWT) without any measure, without any limitation. This is only for those who patiently persevere. Also, Allah (SWT) loves those who are patient, “And Allah loves those who are firm and steadfast.” (TMQ, 3:146).
In another ayah, Allah (SWT) mentions the sons of
Allah (SWT) in many verses implores the believers and even Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) to exercise patience, in what can be translated as, “Therefore patiently persevere, as did (all) Messengers of inflexible purpose; and be in no haste about the (Unbelievers).” (TMQ, 46: 35). And to the believers Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “O ye who believe! Persevere in patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each other; and fear Allah; that ye may prosper.” (TMQ, 3:200).
There is no victory without patience. Allah (SWT) mentions in the holy Qur’an, after mentioning the story of Talut and Jalut (Saul and Goliath) and the battle between them, what can be translated as, “But those who were convinced that they must meet Allah, said, “How oft, by Allah's will, hath a small force vanquished a big one? Allah is with those who steadfastly persevere. When they advanced to meet Jalut and his forces, they prayed, "Our Lord! Pour out constancy on us and make our steps firm: help us against those that reject faith. By Allah's will they routed them” (TMQ, 2:249-251). As you can see, with patience the smaller group was able to defeat the bigger group, by Allah’s will.
Patience in the Hadith:
Also, there are many sayings of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) on the topic of patience. Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said, “Patience is light...” (Authentic Hadith, Narrated by Al-Albany, 1100). It is like saying that the disasters that strike us in our life are like darkness, and patience is the light that helps us to overcome this darkness. The Prophet also said, “No slave of Allah has been given a gift better or bigger than patience.” (Authentic Hadith, Narrated by Bukhari, 1469). Not the nice car or house you own, or the excellent job you have. The biggest and best gift that you can possibly get is that of having patience.
Another beautiful saying of the Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is, “The matter of the believer is amazing. All of his matters in his life are good, and this is only applicable to the believer. If a calamity befalls him, he is patient, and this is a good thing for him. If he receives a bounty, he thanks Allah, and this is a good thing for him.” (Authentic Hadith, Narrated by Muslim, 2999). No one is like the believer. In all matters in his life he wins. If it’s a calamity and he is patient, he has won, and if it is a bounty and he thanks Allah, again he has won!
One of the glorious names of Allah (SWT) is “As-Saboor”, the Patient. In fact, the Arabic word “saboor” is the strongest term that can be used for patience, as it means the one who always in all circumstances has the virtue of patience. But of course, Allah (SWT) patience is not like the patience of human beings. It is something that befits His majesty and greatness, which we do not know.
Patience is half of the Iman:
The scholars have said that patience is half of Iman (believing in Allah). This is because believing in Allah is two things: Doing good deeds and avoiding bad deeds. Our life consists of either a bounty coming to us or a calamity striking us. Therefore, half of believing in Allah is to be patient when a calamity strikes you. The other half of believing in Allah is to thank Allah when a bounty comes to you. Allah (SWT) has even mentioned these two virtues in one verse that can be translated as, “Verily in this there are Signs for such as are firmly patient and constant, grateful and appreciative.” (TMQ, 14: 5).
Beautiful Patience:
So what type of patience does Allah (SWT) want us to have? It is beautiful patience. Allah (SWT) says what can be translated as, “Therefore do thou hold patience, a patience of beautiful (contentment).” (TMQ, 70:5). What is beautiful patience? It is patience without feeling bored, tired, worried and without objecting. It is patience with contentment, not just on your tongue but even in your heart. It is true that the heart will ache, and the eyes may tear, after all we are human. But the heart is not in a state of rejection or giving up, but in a state of patience. Beautiful patience is also positive patience. For example, someone who wants to be patient to get married, but he does not work hard to secure a home and enough money to get married. This is not beautiful patience. Beautiful patience is to be patient and spend your maximum energy. To be positive, not to be negative and just sit and home and say I am being patient.
Types of Patience:
What are the types of patience? Patience has three types:
1) Patience in abstaining from disobeying Allah.
2) Patience in persevering on obeying Allah.
3) Patience during calamities and disasters.
Whoever has all three types of patience has true, full patience. Some people may be patience during calamities, but when it comes to disobeying Allah, they have no patience and they fall easily. We need to have all three types of patience to complete half of our Iman.
Examples of patience during calamities and disasters:
1) The death of a relative, family member or a friend.
2) Illness and disease.
3) Harm coming to us from others.
4) Poverty.
The women once told Prophet Mohammad, “The men have the advantage of your company over us, so make a day just for us.” The Prophet said, “Yes.” So the Prophet (PBUH) came to them on the agreed day and advised them and talked to them. (From among what he told them was, “Any woman among you who has three of her children die before her, this will be a barrier for her from the hell-fire.” So one woman said, “What about two children?” The Prophet said, “Yes, and two children as well.” (Authentic Hadith, Narrated by Bukhari, 101).
The Prophet (PBUH) said, “If the child of a person dies, Allah says to the angels: ‘Have you taken the soul of the son of my slave?’ The angels say, ‘Yes, our Lord.’ Allah tells them, ‘Have you taken the fruit of his heart?’ The angels reply, ‘Yes, our Lord.’ Allah says, ‘What did my slave say?’ The angels reply, ‘He praised you, and said we all belong to Allah, and to Him we return.’ So our Lord, the most powerful, and most majestic says, ‘Build a house for my slave in heaven, and name it the house of praise.’” (Narrated by Al-Albany, 1408).
The Prophet (PBUH) said that Allah (SWT) has promised the believers who have lost someone dear to them that their reward will be heaven. Your patience over the death of someone close to you will get you into heaven! The children who have died before their parents will come on the Day of Judgment, and will be told to enter paradise. They will say, “No our Lord, not until we take our parents.” Allah (SWT) will reply, “Take the hands of your mothers and fathers and enter paradise.”
About illness, once Ibn-Abbas said to another companion, “Would you like me to show you a woman from the people of paradise?” The companion said, “Yes!” So Ibn-Abbas pointed out a woman and said, “This black woman there. She came to the Prophet (PBUH) and said, ‘I have epilepsy, and because of it I become exposed, so pray for Allah to cure me.’ The Prophet replied, ‘If you wish, I can pray for you, and if you wish, you can be patient and you will be rewarded with paradise.’ So the woman said, ‘No, I will be patient.’ But then she looked at the Prophet and said, ‘But messenger of Allah, I become exposed! Pray to Allah that I do not become exposed.’ The Prophet prayed for her and she never became exposed again.” (Authentic Hadith, Sahih Bukhari, 5652).
We all know that calamities and disasters wipe out our bad sins, and there are many sayings of the Prophet (PBUH) about this issue. When the Prophet (PBUH) used to visit a sick person, he used to tell him, “It will purify you, God willing.” This is because the sickness will purify their sins.
The Prophet (PBUH) said, “Whenever a believer is struck by any tiredness, illness, worry, sadness, harm, misery, even a thorn that stings him, it will wipe away some of his sins.” (Authentic Hadith, Narrated by Bukhari, 5641).
Why does Allah (SWT) strike us with calamities?
1) To wipe our sins out.
2) To raise our degrees in heaven.
3) To differentiate between people based on their actions.
4) So we are not struck with arrogance if all our life is happy and easy.
5) To give us a chance to go back to Allah and to ask for his mercy.
6) To help us earn more towards paradise, where there are no calamities.
7) To remind us to thank Allah for the bounties of Allah.
8) To show us His mercy, after a calamity.
How can we increase our patience?
1) Know that this life is short.
2) Knowing that you belong to Allah, and to Him you shall return.
3) Knowing the rewards of heaven.
4) Being sure that Allah will lift the calamity, as Allah (SWT) said, “With hardship comes ease.”
Omar Ibn Al-Khattab (RA) used to say that four things make calamities easier on him:
1) Knowing that it could have been worse.
2) The fact that it has not struck him in his religion.
3) That Allah (SWT) will reward him with paradise in return.
4) He remembers the calamity of losing Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), so everything else fades away, in comparison.
Finally, I just want to mention one last point. What is the worst type of patience that could face us? It is to have more patience for our worldly affairs than we have patience to obey Allah and avoid doing evil deeds. For example, many of us easily spend money for something haram (forbidden) that we enjoy. In return, they have no patience to spend a little bit of money as sadaqah (money for the poor). Some of us have patience to wait for hours or days in a line for a job, or even a musical concert, yet they don’t have patience to spend 10 or 15 minutes to pray to Allah (SWT).
I wonder after hearing all this, will we be able to implement this in our lives. Will we continue to exhibit patience in all our affairs for the rest of our lives? I ask Allah (SWT) to grant us all the virtue of patience.
Translated by the www.daralislamlive.com team.
that their hearts should be humble for the remembrance of Allah and what has come down of the truth?
[57:16]
No comments:
Post a Comment