Sabr ( Patience )

By Ibn Qayyim
al-Jawziyyah.

An abridgement of his original work
entitled, “Uddat as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat by TaHa Publications

The Definition of Patience

Sabr is an Arabic word which comes from a root meaning
to detain, refrain and stop. There is an expression in Arabic, "so-and-so
was killed sabran," which means that he was captured and detained until he
died. In the spiritual sense, patience means to stop ourselves from
despairing and panicking, to stop our tongues from complaining, and to
stop our hands from striking our faces and tearing our clothes at times of
grief and stress.

What scholars have said about patience

Some scholars have defined patience as a good human
characteristic or a positive psychological attitude, by virtue of which we
refrain from doing that which is not good. Human beings cannot live a
proper, healthy life without patience.

Abu 'Uthman said: "the one who
has patience is the one who has trained himself to handle difficulties."

'Amr ibn 'Uthman al-Makki said: "Patience means to keep close to Allah and to accept
calmly the trials He sends, without complaining or feeling sad."

Al-Khawwas said: "Patience means
to adhere to the rules of the Qur'an and Sunnah."

Another scholar said: "Patience
means to refrain from complaining."

Ali ibn Abi Talib said: "Patience means to seek Allah's help."

Is it better to have patience at a time of difficulty,
or to be in a situation which does not require patience?

Abu Muhammad al-Hariri said: "Patience means not seeing any difference between times
of ease and times of hardship, and being content at all times." I
(Ibn Qayyim) say: This is too difficult, and we are not instructed to be
like this. Allah has created us in such a way that we feel the difference
between times of ease and times of hardship, and all that we can do is
refrain from panicking at times of stress. Patience does not mean feeling
the same at both easy and difficult times. That is beyond us, and is not
part of our nature. Having an easy time is better for us than having a
difficult time. As the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) said in his
well-known du'a: "If You are not angry with me,
then I do not care what happens to me, but still I would rather have Your
blessings and favour." This does not contradict the hadith which
says, "No-one has ever been given a better gift than patience," because
that refers to after a test or trial has befallen a person. But ease is
still better.

Patience and Shakwah (complaint)

Shakwah (complaint) falls into two categories: The
first type means to complain to Allah, and this does not contradict
patience. It is demonstrated by several of the Prophets, for example, when
Ya qub (alaihi wa sallam) said:

"I only complain of my distraction
and anguish to Allah." (Yusuf 12:86).

Earlier, Ya'qub (alaihi wa sallam) had said "sabrun jamil" which means "patience is most
fitting for me." The Qur'an also tells us about Ayyub:

"And (remember) Ayyub (Job), when
he cried to his Lord, 'Truly distress has seized me. (al-Anbiya
21:83).

The epitome of patience, the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi
wa Sallam), prayed to his Lord: " O Allah, I
complain to You of my weakness and helplessness." Musa (alaihi wa
sallam) prayed to Allah, saying: "O Allah, all
praise is due to You, and complaint is made only to You, and You are the
only One from Whom we seek help and in Whom we put our trust, and there is
no power except by Your help." The second type of complaint
involves complaining to people, either directly, through our words, or
indirectly, through the way we look and behave. This is contradictory to
patience.

Opposing forces

Psychologically speaking, every person has two forces
at work within him or her. One is the "driving force", which pushes him
towards some actions, and the other is the "restraining force", which
holds him back from others. Patience essentially harnesses the driving
force to push us towards good things, and the restraining force to hold us
back from actions that may be harmful to ourselves or others. Some people
have strong patience when it comes to doing what is good for them, but
their patience is weak with regard to restraint from harmful actions, so
we may find that a person has enough patience to perform acts of worship
(Salah, Sawm, Hajj), but has no patience in controlling himself and
refraining from following his whims and desires, and in this way he may
commit haram deeds. Conversely, some people may have strong patience in
abstaining from forbidden deeds, but their patience in obeying
commandments and performing 'ibadah is too weak. Some people have no
patience in either case! And, needless to say, the best people are those
who possess both types of patience. So, a man may have plenty of patience
when it comes to standing all night in prayer, and enduring whatever
conditions of heat or cold may be prevalent, but have no patience at all
when it comes to lowering his gaze and refraining from looking at women.
Another may have no problem in controlling his gaze, but he lacks the
patience which would make him enjoin the good and forbid the evil, and he
is so weak and helpless that he cannot strive against the kuffar and
mushrikun. Most people will be lacking in patience in any one case, and a
few lack it in all cases.

Further definition of patience

A scholar said: "To have
patience means that one's common sense and religious motives are stronger
than one's whims and desires." It is natural for people to have an
inclination towards their desires, but common sense and the religious
motive should limit that inclination. The two forces are at war: sometimes
reason and religion win, and sometimes whims and desires prevail. The
battlefield is the heart of man.

Patience has many other names, according to the
situation. If patience consists of restraining sexual desire, it is called
honour, the opposite of which is adultery and promiscuity. If it consists
of controlling one's stomach, it is called self-control, the opposite of
which is greed. If it consists of keeping quiet about that which it is not
fit to disclose, it is called discretion, the opposite of which is
disclosing secrets, lying, slander or libel. If it consists of being
content with what is sufficient for one's needs, it is called
abstemiousness, the opposite of which is covetousness. If it consists of
controlling one's anger, then it is called forbearance, the opposite of
which is impulsiveness and hasty reaction. If it consists of refraining
from haste, then it is called gracefulness and steadiness, the opposite of
which is to be hotheaded. If it consists of refraining from running away,
then it is called courage, the opposite of which is cowardice. If it
consists of refraining from taking revenge, then it is called forgiveness,
the opposite of which is revenge. If it consists of refraining from being
stingy, then it is called generosity, the opposite of which is
miserliness. If it consists of refraining from being lazy and helpless,
then it is called dynamism and initiative. If it consists of refraining
from blaming and accusing other people, then it is called chivalry
{muru'ah literally "manliness").

Different names may be applied to patience in different
situations, but ail are covered by the idea of patience. This shows that
Islam in its totality is based on patience.

Is it possible to obtain the quality of patience?

If a person does not naturally possess the
characteristic of patience, he can attain this characteristic by acting as
if he does possess it, until it eventually becomes second nature. This is
what the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) has told us in the hadith:
"Whoever tries to be patient, then Allah will help
him to be patient." A person can also strive to control his sexual
desire and lower his gaze until these too become second nature. The same
applies to all other desirable characteristics such a steadiness,
generosity and courage.

Different perspectives on patience

Patience may be of two types, either physical or
psychological, and both types may either be by choice, or without choice,
as follows:

1. Physical patience by choice,
such as doing hard labour willingly.

2. Physical patience without
choice, such as patiently bearing illness, beatings and extremes of heat
and cold.

3. Psychological patience by
choice, such as refraining from things which both the Sharî‘ah and common
sense say are wrong.

4. Psychological patience without
choice, such as patiently bearing an enforced separation from one whom you
love.

Different degrees of patience

As mentioned above, patience is of two types, by choice
or without choice. Patience by choice is of a higher status than patience
without choice, as the latter is common to all people, but the former is
not attainable by all. Therefore the patience of Yûsuf in disobeying the
wife of al-‘Azîz, and his patience in bearing the resulting punishment, is
of higher status than his patience in response to his brothers’ actions,
when they threw him in the well, separated him from his father and sold
him as a slave. This superior, voluntary, patience is the patience of the
Prophets, of Ibrâhîm, Mûsâ, Nûh, ‘Īsâ and the Seal of the Prophets,
Muhammad (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam). Their patience was in calling the
people to Allâh and in striving against the enemies of Allâh.

The patience of men and the patience of animals

These four types of patience apply only to human
beings. Animals share only the two types of patience in which there is no
choice, and man is distinguished by having the patience in which there is
choice. However, many people have only the types of patience that animals
have, i.e. patience without choice.

The patience of jinn

Jinn share the quality of patience with humans, as they
are responsible for their actions like humans are. They need patience to
fulfil their responsibilities towards Allâh the same way that we do. One
might ask: are they responsible in the same way that we are, or in a
different way? The answer is that with regard to matters of emotion and
feelings they are responsible just as we are, and share the obligation to
love for the sake of Allâh and hate for Allâh, to believe and have faith,
to take believers for friends and unbelievers for enemies, etc. But as far
as physical matters such as ghusl, wudû‘, washing after relieving oneself
and circumcision are concerned, they are not the same as us. Their duties
in that regard are in accordance with the way they are created.

The patience of the angels

Another question that may arise is: Do angels have
patience? The answer is that angels are not tested with whims and desires
that contradict their reason and knowledge. For them, worshipping and
obeying Allâh are like breathing is for us. Therefore the angels do not
need patience, because patience is needed when one has conflicting
motives, religion and reason opposite to whims and desires. However, the
angels may have some kind of patience which befits them and makes them
persevere in doing what they were created for.

The patience of man

If a man’s patience is stronger than his whims and
desires, then he is like an angel, but if his whims and desires are
stronger than his patience, then he is like a devil. If his desire for
food, drink and sex is stronger than his patience, then he is no better
than an animal.

Qatâdah said: “Allâh created
angels with reason and no desires, animals with desires and no reason, and
man with both reason and desires.” So if a man’s reason is stronger
than his desire he is like an angel, and if his desires are stronger than
his reason, then he is like an animal. A little baby has only the desire
for food when he needs it, and his patience is like the patience of
animals. Until he reaches an age when he can tell what is what, he has no
choice. When he grows a little older and develops a desire to play, then
his patience by choice will develop. He will start to know what patience
means when his sexual desire develops. At the same time, his power of
reasoning is also developing, but between the age when he can tell right
from wrong and the age of puberty, all he can see is his own interests in
this world, and what might make life good or bad. This limited view will
remain until he is guided by Allâh, then he will have the full picture and
begin to think of his interests both in this life and the hereafter. He
will become aware of where different actions may lead, and will prepare
himself for a long struggle with his desires and natural inclinations.

Different degrees of patience

The kinds of patience which relate to resisting whims
and desires can be graded according to how strong and effective they are.
There are three degrees of patience in this respect:

1. The motive of religion is
strongest in controlling and defeating the whims and desires. This level
of control can only be achieved through consistent patience, and those who
reach this level are victorious in this life and in the hereafter. They
are the ones “who say, ‘Our Lord is Allâh’”
(Fussilât 41:30). These are the ones to whom, at the moment of death, the
angels say,

“Fear not!...Nor grieve! But
receive the Glad Tidings of the Garden (of Bliss), that which you
were promised! We are your protectors in this life and the
Hereafter." (Fussilât 41:30-31).

They are the ones who enjoy the companionship of Allâh,
and who strive in the way of Allâh. They are the ones whom Allâh has
guided to the exclusion of others.

2. When whims and desires prevail,
the religious motive is diminished. The doomed person will surrender
totally to Shaytân and his forces, who will lead him wherever they want.
His relationship with them will be either of two possibilities. Either he
will become their follower and a soldier in their army, which is the case
of the weak person, or Shaytân will become a weapon for him, and one of
his soldiers, which is the case of the strong person who rebels against
Allâh. Those people are the ones whose misfortune has overtaken them, as
they preferred this world to the Hereafter. The main reason for their
sorry fate is that they ran out of patience. The major characteristic of
these people is that they lie and cheat, indulge in wishful thinking and
self-admiration, delay doing good deeds, and prefer instant gains in this
world to lasting gains in the Hereafter. These are the people to whom the
Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) referred when he said:

“The helpless man is the one who
follows his whims and desires, and indulges in wishful thinking.”

These unfortunate people are of several types. Some of
them declare war against Allâh and His Messenger, trying to destroy what
the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) brought, pushing people away
from the way of Allâh, and spreading corruption on earth. Some are
interested solely in their worldly interests. Some are two faced
hypocrites who try to ingratiate themselves with everybody and gain
something from every situation. Some are promiscuous, and devote their
entire life to the pursuit of physical pleasure. Some, if they are warned,
say that they would dearly love to repent, find it too difficult and plead
they have no chance. Some say that Allâh does not need their prayers and
fasting, that they will not attain salvation by virtue of their deed, and
that they will rely on the fact that Allâh is Merciful. Some of them claim
that refraining from committing wrong actions is like undermining the
forgiveness of Allâh. Some will say, “What good
could my worship do after all the wrong actions I have committed? What can
help a drowning man if his fingers are above water and the rest of his
body is submerged?” Some say that they will repent when death
approaches...

So many excuses, all because their whims and desires
control their reason, and they use their reason, in turn, to find ways of
fulfilling those desires. Their reason is held prisoner by the Shaytân,
and put to work to serve his evil purposes, just as Muslim
prisoners-of-war may be abused by the kâfirûn and forced to look after
pigs, make wine or carry the cross. The man who suppresses his reason and
puts it under the control of the enemy (Shaytân) is like the one who
seizes a Muslim and hands him over to the kâfirûn to imprison him.

3. There is a war that is raging
between the motives of reason and religion, and the motives of whims and
desires. Sometimes one prevails, sometimes the other gains the upper hand.
The pattern of victories for either side varies. This is the situation in
the case of most believers, who mix good deeds and bad deeds.

People’s ultimate fate in the Hereafter will correspond
to the three situations outlined above. Some people will enter Paradise
and never enter Hell, some will enter Hell and never enter Paradise, and
some will enter Hell for some time before they are admitted to Paradise.

Different strengths of patience

Some people cannot have patience without struggling and
facing many difficulties. Others are able to have patience easily. The
first type is like a man who wrestles with a strong man and cannot beat
him with the utmost effort. The second type is like a man who wrestles
with a weak man and beats him easily. Such is the war between the soldiers
of ar-Rahmân and the soldiers of Shaytân. Whoever defeats the soldiers of
Shaytân can defeat Shaytân himself. ‘Abdullâh ibn Mas‘ûd narrated:

“A man wrestled with one of the
jinn, and beat him, then asked, ‘Why are you so weak and small?’ The
jinn answered, ‘I am very big and strong compared to the rest of the
jinn.’” Someone asked ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ûd, “Was that man, ‘Umar?”
and he replied, “Who else could it have been?”

Some of the Sahâbah said,

“A believer whips the Shaytân
like the way a person whips his camel when he is travelling.”

Ibn Abi’d-Dunyâ narrated from some of the salaf that one
shaytân met with another, and asked him why he was so thin. The other
shaytân replied,

“Because I am a with a man who
mentions the name of Allâh when he eats, so I cannot eat with him,
and he mentions the name of Allâh when he drinks, so I cannot drink
with him. When he enters his home he mentions the name of Allâh, so
I stay outside.” The first shaytân said, “But I am with a man who
does not mention the name of Allâh when he eats, so I eat with him.
He does not mention the name of Allâh when he drinks, so I drink
with him. When he enters his home he does not mention the name of
Allâh, so I enter with him."

So whoever develops the habit of patience is feared by
his enemies, and whoever finds patience difficult is in danger, as his
enemy will readily dare to attack him and do him harm.

When patience is needed

Patience is required in the following areas of life:

1. In worshipping Allâh and
following His commands,
2. In abstaining from
wrong actions,
3. In accepting Allâh’s decree
and ruling (qadâ’ wa qadr). This is the advice given to Luqmân when he
told his son:

“O my son! establish regular
prayer, enjoin what is just and forbid what is wrong; and bear with
patient constancy whatever betide you; for this is firmness (of
purpose) in (the conduct of) affairs.” (Luqmân 31:17)

Enjoining what is just includes doing good oneself, and
forbidding what is wrong includes abstaining from wrong action oneself.

Patience in worshipping Allâh

Patience in worshipping Allâh and carrying out His
instructions means that you perform the prescribed acts of worship
regularly and do so sincerely and with knowledge. Worship that is not
performed regularly is of no value. Even if worship is performed
regularly, there are two dangers. Firstly, we risk losing our sincerity,
if the motive for performing prayers is not to please Allâh and draw
closer to Him.

So to protect our worship we must make sure that we are
sincere. Secondly, we must be sure never to deviate from the way of the
Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam), so we have to ensure that our
worship is done according to the Sunnah.

Patience in abstaining from wrong action

This type of patience can be achieved through the fear
of the punishment which follows the wrong action, or through a feeling of
hayâ’ (shyness or shame) before Allâh for using His blessings in
committing wrong actions. That feeling of hayâ’ before Allâh can be
strengthened through learning more about Allâh and knowing more about His
names and attributes. Hayâ’ is a characteristic of people who are noble
and possess good qualities, so the person who refrains from wrong action
because of hayâ’ is better than the one who abstains because of fear.
Hayâ’ indicates that a person is mindful of Allâh and His might. The
person whose deterrent is the fear of Allâh has his thoughts focused on
the punishment. The fearful person’s main concern is himself and how to
save himself from the punishment, whereas the “shy” person’s main concern
is Allâh and His Glory. Both have attained the status of îmân, but the
“shy” person has attained ihsân, a higher status of îmân, in which he
conducts himself as if he can see Allâh, and so his heart is filled with
hayâ’.

The reason why it is so important for a believer to
abstain from wrong action is because he must protect his îmân, as wrong
action decreases îmân or extinguishes it. The Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi
wa Sallam) said,

“When the adulterer commits
adultery he is not a believer, and when the winebibber drinks
alcohol he is not a believer and when the thief steals he is not a
believer. The believer should abstain from many permitted actions in
case they may lead to that which is forbidden.”

Patience at times of trial and adversity

Patience during difficult times may be achieved by:

1. thinking of the good reward
that lies ahead. The more you believe in the rewards that are waiting for
you, the easier it becomes to have patience. If it were not for the
anticipation of the rewards, no goals or objectives pertaining to this
life or the hereafter would have been achieved. Human nature loves instant
gratification, but reason and maturity make us think of the long term
outcome, which helps to strengthen our patience in enduring whatever faces
us, whether there is no choice or otherwise;

2. expecting and hoping for a time
of ease. This hope in itself offers a measure of immediate relief;

3. thinking of Allâh’s countless
blessings. When we realize that we cannot enumerate the blessings of
Allâh, it becomes easier for us to exercise patience in facing the current
adversity, because the present troubles are like a raindrop compared to
vast ocean of Allâh’s blessings and favours;

4. thinking of previous blessings
of Allâh. This will remind us of Allâh’s care, and strengthen our hopes ad
expectations of a time of ease to come.

Five Categories of Patience

Five Categories of Patience Patience can also be
divided into categories following the five categories of deeds, namely
wâjib (obligatory), mandûb (encouraged), mahdhûr (forbidden), makrûh
(disliked) and mubâh (permissible).

Obligatory (wâjib) patience

1. Patience in abstaining from
forbidden (harâm) things and actions,

2. Patience in carrying out
obligatory deeds,

3. Patience in facing adversity
which is beyond one’s control, such as illness, poverty, etc.

Encouraged (mandûb) patience

1. Patience in abstaining from
disliked (makrûh) things,

2. Patience in performing acts of
worship which are liked and encouraged (mustahabb)

3. Patience in refraining from
taking revenge.

Forbidden (mahdhûr) patience

1. Patience in abstaining from
food and drink until death.

2. Patience in abstaining from
eating harâm meat, carrion and blood, when the alternative is death and
starvation. Tawus and Ahmad ibn Hanbal said, “Whoever has no choice but to eat carrion, harâm meat
and blood, but refuses to eat it and dies as a consequence, will enter
Hell.”

3. Patience in refraining from
begging. There is a dispute as to whether begging from people is forbidden
or permissible. Imam Ahmad said that this kind of patience and abstention
is allowed. He was asked, “What if a person fears
that if he does not do this, he will die?” Imam Ahmad answered,
“No, he will not die. Allâh will send him his due
provision (rizq).”Imam Ahmad did not allow begging: when Allâh
knows the need of a person and his sincerity in abstaining from begging,
Allâh will send him rizq. Other scholars, including some of Imam Ahmad’s
companions and Imam ash-Shafi‘î said, “It is
obligatory on such a person to beg, and if he did not beg, than he would
be a wrongdoer, because by begging he protects himself from
death.”

4. Patience in enduring things
that may lead to death, such as predators, snakes, fire and water.

5. Patience at times of fitnah
when the Muslims are fighting Muslims. Patience in abstaining from
fighting at such a time, when Muslims are killing Muslims, is mubâh
(permissible), indeed it is mustahabb (liked and preferred). When the
Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) was asked about this, he said,
“Be like the better of the two sons of Ādam.”
In other, similar reports he said, “Be like
the slave of Allâh who was killed, and not like the one who has killed,”
and “let him (the killer) carry his own wrong action and your wrong
action.” In another report, he said, “If
the sword is too bright, put your hand on your face.” Allâh has
told us the story of the better of the two sons of Ādam, and how he
surrendered himself and did not fight back, and how Allâh commended him
for that. This is different to the case when Muslims are fighting kâfirûn:
in that situation the Muslim has to defend himself, because the meaning of
Jihad is to defend himself and Islâm.

Disliked (makrûh) patience

1. Patience in abstaining from physical appetites
(food, drink, sex) to the extent of causing damage to one’s health.

2. Patience in doing a makrûh deed.

Permissible (mubâh) patience

Patience in abstaining from mubâh deeds. Patience and Gratitude By Ibn
Qayyim al-Jawziyyah

An abridgement of his original work
entitled, “Uddat as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat ash-Shâkireen” © 1997 TA-HA

Good Patience and Bad Patience

Bad patience means having patience in keeping away from
Allâh and His love and His will, because this prevents a person from
fulfilling his potential of attaining perfection and doing what he was
created for. This is the worst type of patience, and the most difficult,
because there is no type of patience stronger than that of the person who
wilfully keeps away from his Creator, as apart from Him there is no life
at all. No-one is as careless as the person who has no interest in what
Allâh has prepared for His friends (awliyâ’) in the hereafter, that which
no eye has ever seen nor ear has ever heard, and has never been imagined
by any person. Once a man who admired a zâhid (one who does without) for
his zuhd (doing without) and lack of interest in this world said to him,
“I have never seen a man who has as much zuhd
(doing without) as you so.”The zâhid told him, “Your zuhd is much stronger than mine, for my zuhd
concerns the world, and this life is short and unstable, but your zuhd
concerns the hereafter, which is eternal.”

A man asked Shiblî, “What type
of patience is more difficult?” Shiblî said, “Patience through seeking the help of Allâh.”
The man said, "No." Shiblî said,
“Then patience for the sake of Allâh.”The
man said, “No.” Shiblî said, “Patience in seeking the pleasure of Allâh.” The
man said, “No.” So Shiblî asked, “What is it then?” and the man answered, “Patience in keeping away from Allâh.”Shiblî
screamed in such a way that he nearly died.

Good patience consists of two types: patience for the
sake of Allâh and patience by the help of Allâh. Allâh said:

“Now await in patience the command
of your Lord: for verily you are in Our eyes...” (at-Tûr 52:48)

It is impossible to have patience for the sake of Allâh
without patience by the help of Allâh:

“And be patient, for your patience
is but by Allâh...” (an-Nahl 16:127)

This âyah tells us that patience cannot be achieved
without the help of Allâh, which means that in addition to the help of
Allâh we need the companionship of Allâh, as in the hadîth [qudsî]:

“I am his hearing with which
hears, his sight with which he sees, and his hand with which he
strikes.”

The help of Allâh is bestowed upon the believer and the
wrongdoer alike, both of whom receive blessings and rizq. This hadîth
describes something more, the companionship of Allâh, which the believer
will attain when he performs nafl (supererogatory) acts of worship until
Allâh loves him. When he reaches that status, and Allâh is his hearing
with which he hears and his seeing with which he sees, he does not move or
do anything but Allâh is with him. Whoever reaches this level can have
patience for Allâh’s sake and endure severe hardship to please Him. The
person who does not reach this level will not have this degree of
patience; his level of patience will be in accordance with his share of
Allâh’s companionship. The believer who enjoys Allâh’s companionship will
reach levels of patience that are impossible for others. Those who have
patience are the winners in this world and the next, because Allâh is with
them:

“for Allâh is with those who
patiently persevere” (al-Baqarah 2:153).

Emulating the attributes of Allâh

If a person loves an attribute of Allâh, then this will
help him to reach Him. Allâh is as-Sabûr, patient, and there is none that
is more patient and forbearing than Him. It was reported that Allâh
revealed to Dâwûd (alaihi wa sallam), “Have my attributes, as one of My
attributes is that I am sabûr (patient).” Allâh loves His attributes and
characteristics, and He loves to see the effects of His attributes on His
slaves. As He is beautiful, so He loves beauty; as He is all-forgiving, He
loves forgiveness; as He is generous, He loves generosity; as He is
all-knowing, he loves the people of knowledge; as He is strong and
powerful, so a strong believer is more beloved to Him than a weaker one;
as He is sabûr (patient), so He loves those who have patience; as He is
shakûr (grateful), so He loves those who give thanks. As He loves those
who have His characteristics, so He is with them, and this is a special
and unique type of companionship.

No contradiction between patience and complaining to
Allâh

Crying out and complaining to Allâh does not mean that
a person has no patience. In the Qur’ân, we find Ya‘qûb (alaihi wa sallam)
saying, “My course is comely patience (sabrun
jamîl)” (Yûsuf 12:83), but his love and longing for his lost son
Yûsuf made him say: “How great is my grief for
Yûsuf” (Yûsuf 12:83). Sabrun jamîl refers to patience with no
complaint to other people. Complaining to Allâh does not cancel out
patience, as Ya‘qûb said, “I only complain of my
distraction and anguish to Allâh” (Yûsuf 12:86).

Allâh also enjoined sabrun jamîl on the Prophet
(Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) and he obeyed, but he would pray,

“O Allâh, I complain to You of my
weakness and helplessness.”

Taken from Patience and Gratitude
By Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah An abridgement of his original work entitled,
“Uddat as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat ash-Shâkireen” © 1997 TA-HA

Man cannot do without patience

At any given moment, a person is in a situation where
he has to obey a command of Allâh, or he has to stay away from something
which Allâh has prohibited, or he has to accept a decree of Allâh, or he
has to give thanks (show gratitude) for a blessing which he has received
from Allâh. All of these situations demand patience, so up until the time
of death, no-one can do without patience. Whatever happens to us in life
is either in accordance with our wishes and desires, or against them. In
both cases, patience is required.

If a person enjoys good health, security, power, wealth
and fulfillment of his physical desires, he should not assume that this
time of ease will last forever, and he should not let his good fortune
make him arrogant, extravagant or careless in a way that Allâh does not
like. He should not devote all his time, money and energy to the pursuit
of physical pleasure, because too much pleasure results pain. He should
take care to pay what is due to Allâh in the way of zakât and sadaqah,
otherwise Allâh might take away His blessing. He should also abstain from
spending money in a harâm way, and be careful to avoid spending it in a
makrûh way. All of this takes patience, and nobody can exercise patience
at a time of ease except people of very strong faith (as-siddiqûn).

Patience at the time of adversity is easier than at the
time of ease

One of the salaf said

“Believers and unbelievers alike
may have patience at a time of adversity, but only people of strong
faith can have patience at a time of ease.”

Therefore Allâh warned against the fitnah of wealth,
wives and children:

“O you who believe! Let not your
riches or your children divert you from the remembrance of Allâh. If
any act thus, the loss is their own.” (al-Munâfiqûn 63:9)

“O you who believe! Truly, among your wives and your children are
(some that are) enemies to yourselves: so beware of them!”
(at-Taghâbûn 64:14)

The enmity referred to in these âyât is not that which
results from hatred and conflict, but that which results from love and
care, that might prevent parents from religious duties such as hijrah,
jihâd, seeking knowledge and giving sadaqah. At-Tirmidhî narrated from Ibn
‘Abbas that a man asked him (Ibn ‘Abbas) about the ayah quoted above
(at-Taghâbûn 64:14). Ibn ‘Abbas told him that this ayah refers to some men
of Makkah who embraced Islâm, but when they wanted to migrate to join the
Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) in Madînah, their wives and
children prevented them from doing so. Later on, when they eventually
joined the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) and saw that others had
already learned a great deal about Islâm, they wanted to punish their
wives and children. So Allâh revealed this ayah: “O
you who believe! Truly, among your wives and your children are (some that
are) enemies to yourselves: so beware of them!” (at-Taghâbûn
64:14). At-Tirmidhî said that this report is hasan sahîh.

The hadîth, “Children are the
cause of cowardliness and stinginess” reflects how much a man may
be held back in his pursuit of perfection and success by his wife and
children. Once, when the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) was
delivering a khutbah, he saw Hasan and Husayn walking and stumbling, so he
interrupted his speech and went to pick them up, and said: “Indeed, Allâh
has spoken the truth when He said: ‘…among your
wives and your children are (some that are) enemies to
yourselves.’I saw these two little boys stumbling and I did not
have the patience to continue my khutbah, so I stopped and picked them
up.” The Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) did so because of his love
for children, and in this way he set an example for his Ummah to show
mercy and kindness towards children.

The reason why it is so difficult to exercise patience at
a time of ease is because we have a choice regarding how to behave. A
hungry person has better patience when he has no access to food, and when
food becomes available, his patience weakens. Similarly, it is easier to
control one’s sexual desire when no women are around.

Patience in worship

We human beings have a natural aversion to carrying out
acts of worship, like salâh, because of our inherent laziness. If a man is
hardhearted and commits many wrong actions, thinking too much of physical
pleasure and mixing with people who do not remember Allâh, then he can
hardly perform his prayers, and if he does not pray he does so
absent-mindedly and hurriedly.

Every step of the way, man needs patience in carrying out
an act of worship. Before he starts to do it, he must make sure that his
intentions are correct. He should check his sincerity, and seek to avoid
showing off in performing any act of worship. Whilst he is performing any
act of worship, he must try to perfect it, to keep his intentions pure and
his mind focused on the purpose of performing that act of worship, namely
that it is to please Allâh. After completing an act of worship, he must
abstain from doing anything that could corrupt his worship. Allâh has told
us: “O you who believe! Cancel not your charity by
reminders of your generosity or injury” (al-Baqarah 2:264). He
should exercise patience in refraining from admitting and feeling proud of
his performance, as this is more damaging than committing many other, more
visible, wrong actions. Similarly, he should always be discreet and
refrain from telling others about his acts of worship.

Patience in abstaining from committing wrong
actions

The best way to help oneself abstain from wrong action
is to break all bad habits, and forsake all those who encourage one to
commit wrong actions. Habits have a strong hold over man’s behaviour, and
if habit is accompanied by desires, this means that there are two soldiers
of Shaytân fighting the motives of reason and religion, which cannot then
withstand them.

Patience in adversity and in situations beyond man’s
control

Trials such as the death of a beloved one, sickness,
loss of wealth, etc., fall into two types: adversity beyond one’s control,
and adversity caused by the actions of another human being, such as
slander, beating, etc.

In facing situations that are beyond one’s control,
people may have any of the following reactions:

1. feeling helpless and
discontented, panicking and complaining.
2.
responding with patience, either for the sake of Allâh or as a sign
of human strength.
3. accepting and being
contented with the situation. This is actually of a higher status than
patience.
4. accepting the situation with
thanks and gratitude. This is even higher than acceptance, because in this
case a person see the adversity as a blessing and thanks Allâh for putting
him through it.

Problems and adversity that befall a person at the hands
of others may be faced with any of the following reactions:

1. he may choose to forgive and
forget.
2. he may decide not to take revenge.

3. he may accept the decree (qadâ’ wa qadr),
whilst recognizing that the person who harmed him was a wrongdoer, yet the
One Who decreed that this harm should reach him at the hands of the
wrongdoer is not a wrongdoer. The harm caused by people is like heat and
cold: there is no way to prevent it happening and the one who complains
about heat and cold betrays a lack of wisdom. Everything that happens,
happens through the decree (qadâ’ wa qadr), even though there are many
different ways and means for it to happen.
4.
he may treat well the person who mistreated him. This attitude has
many advantages and benefits, which nobody can know in their entirety
except Allâh.

Patience in situations which are started by choice, but
whose consequences get out of hand

For example, love, the start of which may be by choice
but the final consequences of which are beyond a person’s control.
Similarly, one may expose oneself to the causes of illness and pain (for
example, by smoking or taking drugs), after which it is difficult to stop
the consequences, and after taking a large amount of intoxicants it is
difficult to stop drunkenness. Man should exercise patience and abstain in
the first place.

Patience at the time of bereavement

The loss of a loved one is a time when a person may be
overwhelmed with grief, and many customs surrounding bereavement reflect
the depth of the feeling of loss. Wailing, eulogizing (i.e. praising the
deceased excessively) and tearing one’s garments are all customs which
were well known at the time of Jâhiliyyah, and are still common among some
Muslims. Such conduct is not permitted in Islâm, as the believer is
required to face bereavement, like all the other trials of life, with
patience.

It is permitted to cry or weep, softy, before death, at
the time of death, and after the person has died. According to
ash-Shâfi‘î, however, it is makrûh to cry after the person has died, but
permissible before the soul has departed.

The correct opinion is that crying is permitted both
before and after death. The evidence for this is the hadîth narrated by
Jâbir ibn ‘Abdullâh (radhi Allaahu anhu) in which he said: “My father died
at the battle of Uhud, and I began to weep. The people told me to stop,
but the Messenger (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) never asked me to stop.
Then my aunt Fâtimah began to weep too, and the Prophet (Sallallaahu
alaihi wa Sallam) said:

‘It does not matter whether you
cry or not, the angels kept shading him until they ascended with his
soul’ ” (agreed upon).

Ibn ‘Abbâs (radhi Allaahu anhu) reported that when
Ruqayyah (radhi Allaahu anha), the daughter of the Prophet (Sallallaahu
alaihi wa Sallam), died, the women started to cry, and ‘Umar (radhi
Allaahu anhu) began to whip them to make them stop. The Prophet
(Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) told him: “O ‘Umar,
leave them alone and let them cry.” To the women he said: “Go ahead
and cry, but avoid the crying of the shaytân…Whatever comes from the eye
and heart is from Allâh and is a sign of mercy, and whatever comes from
your hand and your tongue is from the shaytân.” (Ahmad)

A number of sound ahâdîth describe the Prophet
(Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) weeping on a number of occasions when
someone he loved had died. When the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam)
visited the tomb of his mother he wept, and caused others to weep. When he
was burying the martyr ‘Uthmân ibn Madh’un (radhi Allaahu anhu) after
Uhud, he kissed him and his tears fell on ‘Uthmân’s face. When he gave the
news of the death of Ja’far (radhi Allaahu anhu) and his companions in the
battle against the Romans at Mu’tah, he spoke with tears streaming down
his face.

Another sound report describes how Abû Bakr (radhi
Allaahu anhu) wept when he kissed the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa
Sallam) after he had died. The ahâdîth that forbid crying should be
interpreted as referring to the kind of crying that is accompanied by
eulogizing and wailing.

Eulogizing and wailing

Eulogizing the dead and wailing in grief are harâm,
according to Ahmad, ash-Shâfi‘î and others. In a hadîth narrated from
‘Abdullâh ibn Mas‘ûd (radhi Allaahu anhu), that the Prophet (Sallallaahu
alaihi wa Sallam) said:

“He is not one of us who strikes
himself on the cheeks, rends his garment and behaves like the people
of Jâhiliyyah” (al-Bukhârî and Muslim).

Abû Mâlik al-Ash‘arî (radhi Allaahu anhu) said: “The
Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) said:

‘There are four habits which my
Ummah has, which are from the Jahiliyyah. My Ummah will never rid
itself of them. They are: seeking pride in noble descent; slandering
one another by casting doubts one one’s lineage; seeking rain
through astrology; and wailing.’ ”

In another hadîth, the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa
Sallam) said that if a woman practices the custom of wailing, and does not
repent before she dies, on the Day of Resurrection she will be raised with
clothes of tar and a shield of scabs. (Muslim)

Abû Mûsâ (radhi Allaahu anhu) said: “The Prophet
(Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) said:

‘The deceased person suffers
because of the wailing of the living. When the wailing woman says,
“What a great loss! I have lost my right arm, the one who clothed
me”, the deceased will be pulled up sharply and asked: “Are you her
right hand? Are you her support? Are you the one who clothed her?” ’
” (Ahmad).

There is no doubt that wailing and eulogizing are harâm.
How could it be otherwise, when they indicate discontent with one’s Lord
and contradict patience? Behaving this way harms oneself too, when one
slaps one’s face, pulls out one’s hair, prays to Allâh to take one’s soul,
wastes possessions by tearing one’s clothes, complains of injustice from
Allâh and praises the deceased with qualities that he did not possess. Any
of these would be sufficient grounds for the total prohibition of wailing
and eulogizing.

Saying a few words

It is permissible to say a few words when crying over a
deceased person, so long as these words are true, and are not accompanied
by wailing or expression of discontent with the decree of Allâh. Such
brief words do not contradict patience, and are not harâm. Anas (radhi
Allaahu anhu) reported that Abû Bakr (radhi Allaahu anhu) entered upon the
Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) after he had passed away, put his
hands on his temples, kissed him between the eyes and said: “O my Prophet,
O my dearest friend, O my beloved.” (Ahmad)

Anas (radhi Allaahu anhu) reported that when the Prophet
(Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) became very ill, he started to lose
conciousness. Fâtimah (radhi Allaahu anha) said, “How great is the
distress of my father!” He said, “There will be no
more distress for your father after today.” When the Prophet
(Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) passed away, she said, “O my father who
answered the call of his Lord, O my father whose destination is Paradise,
O my father, to Jibrîl will tell the news of your death.” After the
Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) had been buried, she said, “O Anas,
how could you bear to bury the Prophet and cover him with dust?”
(al-Bukhârî)

When his son Ibrâhîm died, the Prophet (Sallallaahu
alaihi wa Sallam) said, “We are very sad for your
death, O Ibrâhîm.”This does not indicate discontent with the decree
of Allâh or complaining against Allâh. Such statements are no more than
crying or weeping.

The deceased person suffers because of people’s wailing
over him

A sahîh hadîth narrated from ‘Umar ibn al-Khattâb
(radhi Allaahu anhu) and his son, and al-Mughîrah ibn Shu‘bah indicates
that a deceased person suffers because of people’s wailing over him. There
should be no problem in understanding this hadîth, and it should not be
seen as contradicting the Qur’ân or the basic principles of Sharî‘ah. It
does not mean that a man can be punished because of another’s deeds. The
Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) did not say that the deceased
person will be punished because of his family’s crying over him. What he
said was that the deceased suffers because of that, meaning that it hurts
him. Similarly, a dead person in the grave might suffer when a person in a
neighbouring grave is being punished, just as in the life it hurts him to
see his neighbour being punished. So when the family of a deceased person
cries, wails and eulogizes him, like the people of Jâhiliyyah used to do,
the deceased person will be hurt in his grave because of it. This is the
suffering that is referred to in the hadîth.

Patience and Gratitude. By Ibn
Qayyim al-Jawziyyah. An abridgement of his original work entitled, “Uddat
as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat by TaHa Publications

Patience is half of Imân

Imân is in two halves: half is
patience ( sabr) and half is gratitude ( shukr). Therefore Allâh has mentioned patience and
gratitude alongside one another:

“Verily in this are signs for all
who constantly persevere and give thanks” (Ibrâhîm 14:5; Luqmân
31:31; Sabâ’ 34:19; ash-Shurâ 42:33).

The reasons why one half of îmân
is patience and the other half is gratitude are as follows:

1. îmân is
a term which covers words, deeds and intentions, all of which are based on
one of two things, action or abstinence. Action refers to performing a
deed in accordance with the instructions of Allâh, which is the reality of
gratitude. Abstinence, as in refraining from wrong action, requires
patience. The whole of religion is embodied in these two things: carrying
out that which Allâh has commanded, and refraining from that which Allâh
has prohibited.

2. îmân is
based on two pillars, yaqîn (conviction) and
patience, which are referred to in the following ayah:

“And We appointed, from among them,
leaders, giving guidance under Our command, so long as they
persevered with patience and continued to have faith in Our Signs”
(as-Sajdah 32:34).

It is through faith that we know the reality of Allâh’s
commands and prohibitions, or reward and punishment, and it is through
patience that we carry out His instructions and abstain from that which He
has prohibited. A person can never come to believe in Allâh’s commands and
prohibitions, and in reward and punishment, and it is through patience
that we carry out His instructions and abstain from that which He has
prohibited, and in reward and punishment, except through faith, and that
is truly from Allâh. And we can never carry out Allâh’s instructions and
abstain from that which He has prohibited except through patience.
Therefore patience is half of îmân, and the other
half is gratitude.

3. Man has two powers, the power
of doing and the power of abstaining, which control all his behaviour. So
a person will do what he likes and abstain from what he dislikes. The
whole of religion is doing or abstaining, carrying out the instructions of
Allâh or abstaining from that which He has prohibited, neither of which
can be accomplished without patience.

4. The whole of religion is hope
and fear, and the true believer is the one who is both hopeful and
fearful. Allâh said:

“…They used to call on Us with love
and reverence, and humble themselves before Us” (al-Anbiyâ’ 21:90).

The Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) used to pray:

“O Allâh, I have surrendered my
soul to You, and turned my face to You. My (own) affair I commit to
Allâh and I seek Your protection, in hope of You and in fear of You”
(al-Bukhârî).

So the believer is the one who is both hopeful and
fearful, but hope and fear can only be based on the foundation of
patience: fear should make the believer patient, and his hope should lead
to gratitude.

5.Any action done by man is either
beneficial or harmful to him in this world and the next, or else it is
beneficial to him in the world and harmful to him in the other. The best
course for man is to do that which is beneficial to him in the Hereafter,
and abstain from that which is harmful to him in the Hereafter. This is
the reality of îmân: to do what is good for him,
and that is gratitude; and to abstain from that which harms him, and that
is patience.

6.Man is always is a situation
where he has to carry out an instruction of Allâh, or avoid something
which Allâh has prohibited, or accept something that Allâh has decreed. In
all cases, he has to face the situation with patience and gratitude.
Carrying out Allâh’s instructions is gratitude, and abstaining from
prohibited things and being content with the decree of Allâh constitutes
patience.

7.Man is constantly being pulled
in two opposing directions: should he respond to the lure of this world of
desires and pleasures, or should he answer the call of Allâh and the
hereafter, with the eternal Paradise that Allâh has prepared for His
friend ( walî)? Going against the call of whims and
desires is patience, and responding to the call of Allâh and the Hereafter
is gratitude.

8.Religion is based on two
principles: determination and perseverance (patience), which are referred
to in the du‘â of the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi
wa Sallam):

“O Allâh, I ask You for
perseverance in all my affairs, and I ask You for the determination
to stay on the straight and narrow path.”

9. Religion is based on truth
(haqq) and patience, which is referred to in the
âyah:

“…and they (join together) in the
mutual teaching of truth, and of patience and constancy” (al-‘Asr
103:3).

Man is required to work according to the truth, both by
himself and others, which is the reality of gratitude, but he cannot do
that without patience, therefore patience is half of
îmân. And Allâh knows best.

Patience and Gratitude. By Ibn
Qayyim al-Jawziyyah. An abridgement of his original work entitled, “Uddat
as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat by TaHa Publications

Patience in the Qur’ân

Imâm Ahmad said: “Allâh has mentioned patience in the
Qur’ân in ninety places.” Here, we will list the different contexts in
which patience appears.

1. Instruction. Patience in
enjoined upon believers:

“And be patient for your patience
is but by Allâh…” (an-Nahl 16:127).

“Now await in patience the command of your Lord…” (at-tûr 54:48).

2. That which is opposite to
patience is forbidden:

“…and be in no haste about the
(unbelievers)…” (al-Ahqâf 46:35).

“So lose not heart nor fall in despair…” (Al ‘Imrân 3:139).

“…and be not like the Companion of the Fish (i.e. Yûnus [AS]) –
when he cried out in agony” (al-Qalâm 68:48).

3.Patience is made a condition of
success and prosperity:

“O you who believe! Persevere in
patience and constancy; vie in such perseverance; strengthen each
other; and fear Allâh; that you may prosper” (Al ‘Imrân 3:200).

4. The rewards of those who
exercise patience will be doubled:

“Twice will they be given their
reward, for that they have persevered…” (al-Qasas 28:54).

“…Those who patiently persevere will truly receive a reward
without measure!” (az-Zumar 39:10).

Sulaymân ibn Qâsim said that the reward of every deed is
known, except for the reward of patience, which will be like heavy rain.

5. Patience and îmân are
prerequisites for leadership in religion:

“And We appointed, from among them,
leaders, giving guidance under Our commands, so long as they
persevered with patience and continued to have faith in Our Signs”
(as-Sajdah 32:24).

6.Patience is the way to earn the
companionship of Allâh:

“…and be patient and persevering:
for Allâh is with those who patiently persevere” (al-Anfâl 8:46).

Abû Alî ad-Daqqaq said:

“People who have patience are the
true winners in this world and the next, because they have the
companionship of Allâh.”

7.Allâh will reward those who have
patience with a threefold reward: blessings, mercy and guidance:

“…but give glad tidings to those
who patiently persevere – who say, when afflicted with calamity: ‘To
Allâh we belong, and to Him is our return’ – they are those on whom
(descend) blessings from their Lord, and Mercy and they are the ones
that receive guidance” (al-Baqarah 2:155-7).

When people came to offer their condolences to one of the
salaf, for some calamity that had befallen him, he said:

“Why should I not practice
patience, when Allâh has promised those who have patience three
rewards, each of which is better than this world and everything in
it?”

8.Patience is a means of seeking
Allâh’s help:

“…seek (Allâh’s) help with patient
perseverance and prayer…” (al-Baqarah 2:45).

So whoever has no patience has no help.

9.Patience and taqwâ are
conditions for Allâh’s help and support:

“Yea – if you remain firm, and act
aright, even if the enemy should rush here on you in hot haste, your
Lord would help you with five thousand angels making a terrific
onslaught” (Al ‘Imrân 3:125).

10.Patience and taqwâ are a great
protection against the cunning of enemies:

“…But if you are constant and do
right, not the least harm will their cunning do to you…” (Al ‘Imrân
3:120).

11.The angels will salute the
people of patience in Jannah:

“…and angels shall enter unto them
from every gate (with the salutation of): ‘Peace unto you for that
you persevered in patience! Now how excellent is the final Home!’ ”
(ar-Ra‘d 13:24).

12.Allâh made it permissible to
treat our enemies no worse than they treat us, but He has made it clear
that practising patience is better:

“And if you do catch them out,
catch them out no worse than they catch you out: but if you show
patience, that is indeed the best (course) for those who are
patient” (an-Nahl 16:126).

13.Allâh made patience and right
actions a condition for forgiveness and great reward:

“Not so those who show patience and
constancy, and work righteousness; for them is forgiveness (of wrong
actions) and a great reward!” (Hûd 11:11).

14.Allâh has made patience a
standard of courage and determination in the conduct of one’s affairs:

“But indeed if any show patience
and forgive, that would truly be an exercise of courageous will and
resolution in the conduct of affairs” (ash-Shûra 42:43) “(Luqmân
said:) ‘O my son! …enjoin what is just, and forbid what is wrong:
and bear with patient constancy whate’er betide you, for this is
firmness (of purpose) in (the conduct of) affairs” (Luqmân 31:17).

15.Allâh has promised the
believers His support and victory, and has said that they deserve this
because of their patience:

“…The fair promise of your Lord was
fulfilled for the Children of Israel, because they had patience and
constancy…” (al-A‘raf 7:137).

16.Allâh has made patience a
condition of His love:

“How many of the Prophets fought
(in Allâh’s way), and with them (fought) large bands of godly men?
But they never lost heart if they met with disaster in Allâh’s way,
nor did they weaken (in will) nor give in. And Allâh loves those who
are firm and steadfast (as-sâbirîn)” (Al ‘Imrân 3:146).

17.Allâh has made patience a
condition of receiving many blessings:

“But those who had been granted
(true) knowledge said: ‘Alas for you! The reward of Allâh (in the
Hereafter) is best for those who believe and work righteousness: but
this none shall attain, save those who steadfastly persevere (in
good)” (al-Qasas 28:80).

“And no one will be granted such goodness except those who
exercise patience and self-restraint – none but persons of the
greatest good fortune” (Fussilât 41:35).

18.Allâh has mentioned that only
those who practise patience and gratitude will benefit from the Signs of
Allâh:

“Do you not see that the ships sail
through the Ocean by the grace of Allâh? – that He may show you of
His Signs? Verily in this are Signs for all who constantly persevere
and give thanks” (Luqmân 31:31).

“And among His Signs are the ships,
smooth-running through the ocean, (tall) as mountains. If it be His
Will, He can still the Wind: then they would become motionless on
the back of the (ocean). Verily in this are Signs for everyone who
patiently perseveres and is grateful” (ash-Shûra 42:32-33).

19.Allâh praised Ayyûb (alaihi wa
sallam) for his patience:

“…Truly We found him full of
patience and constancy, how excellent in Our service! Ever did he
turn (to Us)!” (Sâd 38:44).

Allâh described Ayyûb (alaihi wa sallam) as excellent
because of his patience, sot he person who fails to exercise patience when
it is necessary will be regarded as a failure and a sinner.

20.Allâh has given a general
ruling that whoever does not have faith and does not belong to the people
of truth and patience, is in state of loss. This means that the only true
winners are people of patience:

“By (the Token of) Time (through
the Ages), verily Man is in loss, except such as have Faith, and do
right actions, and (join together) in the mutual teaching of the
Truth, and of Patience and Constancy” (al-‘Asr 103:1-3)

Commenting on this sûrah, Imâm ash-Shâfi‘î said:

“If people thought deeply on this
sûrah, it would provide enough guidance, as man cannot attain
perfection without perfecting these two things, his knowledge and
his actions, i.e. his faith and right actions. As he is required to
perfect himself, so he is required to perfect others, which is
joining together in mutual teaching of the truth. The foundation of
all this is patience.”

21.Allâh has mentioned that the
main characteristic of those who attain salvation is patience and
compassion:

“Then will he be of those who
believe and enjoin patience, (constancy, and self-restraint), and
enjoin deeds of kindness and compassion. Such are the companions of
the right had” (al-Balad 90:18).

22.Allâh has mentioned patience
alongside the pillars of Islâm and îmân, as He has mentioned it alongside
sâlah: “Nay, seek (Allâh’s) help with patient
perseverance and prayer…” (al-Baqarah 2:45); alongside right
actions:“Not so those who show patience and
constancy, and do right actions; for them is forgiveness (of wrong
actions) and a great reward” (Hûd 11:11); alongside gratitude
(shukr): “…Verily in this are Signs for everyone
who patiently perseveres and is grateful” (ash-Shûra 42:32-33);
alongside truth: “…and (join together) in the
mutual teaching of truth, and of patience and constancy” (al-‘Asr
103:1-3); alongside compassion: “…those who believe
and enjoin patience, (constancy, and self-restraint), and enjoin deeds of
kindness and compassion…” (al-Balad 90:17); alongside faith: “…so long as they persevered with patience and continued
to have faith in Our Signs” (as-Sajdah 32:24); alongside truth:

“…for true men and women, for
men and women who are patient and constant…” (al-Ahzâb 33:35).

Allâh has made patience the means for attaining His
love, His companionship, His help and support, and His good rewards. This
is sufficient honour and blessings.

Patience and Gratitude. By Ibn Qayyim
al-Jawziyyah. An abridgement of his original work entitled, “Uddat
as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat by TaHa Publications

Ahâdîth about patience

Umm Salamah said: I heard the Prophet (Sallallaahu
alaihi wa Sallam) saying, “

There is no Muslim afflicted with
calamity who says ‘To Allâh we belong and to Him is our return; O
Allâh reward me for this calamity and compensate me with what is
better for me,’ but Allâh will compensate him with what is better
for him.” She said: “When Abû Salamah died, I said: ‘Who among
Muslims is better than Abû Salamah? His household was the first to
migrate to the Messenger of Allâh!’ Anyhow, I said what what the
Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) taught us to say, and Allâh
compensated me with the Messenger of Allâh. The Prophet (Sallallaahu
alaihi wa Sallam) sent Hâtib ibn Abî Balta‘ah to ask for my hand in
marriage on his behalf, but I told him that I had a daughter, and
that I was a very jealous woman. The Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa
Sallam) responded: ‘As far as her daughter is concerned, I shall
pray to Allâh to make her independent, and I shall pray to Allâh to
take away her jealousy.’ So I married the Messenger (Sallallaahu
alaihi wa Sallam).” (Muslim)

Abû Mûsâ al-Ash‘arî said: The Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi
wa Sallam) said:

“When a child of a man dies, Allâh
asks the angels, ‘Did you take the soul of My slave’s child?’ They
reply, ‘Yes.’ He asks them, ‘Did you take away the apple of his
eye?’, and they reply, ‘Yes.’ The He asks: ‘What did My slave say?’
They tell Him: ‘He praised You and said: “To Allâh we belong and to
Him is our return.” ’ Allâh says: ‘Build a house for him in Paradise
and call it Bait al-hamd (the house of praise)’.” (At-Tirmidhî,
Ahmad and Ibn Hibbân)

Anas (radhi Allaahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet
(Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) said: “Allâh said:

‘If I test My slave by depriving
him of his two precious ones (meaning the eyes or eyesight), and he
faces that with patient perseverance, I shall compensate him with
Paradise.’ ” (al-Bukhârî)

From آ’ishah (radhi Allaahu anha) via ‘Urwah and
az-Zuhri:

“The Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi
wa Sallam) said: ‘No affliction befalls a Muslim but Allâh forgives
his wrong actions because of it, even if it be no more than a
thorn’.” (al-Bukhârî and Muslim)

Sa‘d ibn Abî Waqqâs (radhi Allaahu anhu) said:

“I asked the Prophet (Sallallaahu
alaihi wa Sallam) who among the people are most severely tried? He
said, ‘The Prophets, then the right acting people, and so on down
through various categories of people. Man will be tested according
to the strength of his faith. The stronger his faith, the more
severe his trial, and the weaker his faith, the lighter his trial.
The believer will be continually tested until he walks on earth with
all his wrong actions forgiven’.” (al-Bukhârî)

Anas (radhi Allaahu anhu) narrated that a son of Abû
Talhah (radhi Allaahu anhu) fell ill and died one day when Abû Talhah was
away from home. When Abû Talhah’s wife realized that her son had died, she
covered him with a blanket, and left him lying by the wall. Abû Talhah
came home and asked how the boy was, and his wife told him: “He has calmed down and I hope he is resting,”
so Abû Talhah thought that the child was getting better. That night
he slept with his wife, and in the morning he got up and performed ghusl.
When he was about to go out, he wife told him that his son had died. So
Abû Talhah went and prayed with the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa
Sallam), then told him what had happened. The Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi
wa Sallam) responded by saying, “May Allâh bless
this last night of yours.” A man from Ansâr said, “I have seen nine
children of the man who was born as result of that night, and all of them
have read the Qur’ân.” (al-Bukhârî)

Abû Sa’îd al-Khudrî (radhi Allaahu anhu) reported that
the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) said:

“No-one can be given a better an
more abundant gift than patience.” (al-Bukhârî and Muslim)

Patience at the time of sickness

Abû Sa‘îd al-Khudrî (radhi Allaahu anhu) said:

“I entered upon the Prophet
(Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) when he was sick and had a high
temperature. I put my hand on the cover with which he was covering
himself and I could feel the heat of his fever. I said, ‘How strong
is your fever, O Messenger of Allâh!’ He said, ‘We Prophets are like
that: our pain is multiplied so our rewards will be multiplied’.”
(Ahmad)

Jâbir ibn Abdullâh (radhi Allaahu anhu) said that the
Messenger of Allâh (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) enterer upon a woman and
asked her,

“Why are you shivering like that?”
She said, “It is because of fever,” and cursed the fever. The
Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) said, “Do not slander fever,
because it takes away many wrong actions, just as the blacksmith’s
bellows remove dross and impurities from iron.” (Muslim)

Ziyâd ibn Ziyâd, the mawlâ (freed slave) of Ibn ‘Abbâs
(radhi Allaahu anhu), narrated from one of the Sahâbah, who said:

“We entered upon the Prophet
(Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) when he was ill with fever. We
expressed our sorrow for his pain, and said, ‘May our mothers and
fathers be sacrificed for you, O Messenger of Allâh! How severe is
your pain!’ He replied, ‘We Prophets are afflicted many times more
strongly.’ We said, ‘Subhân’allâh!’ He asked, ‘Do you find this
strange? There were some Prophets who were killed by ringworm.’ We
said, ‘Subhân’allâh!’ He asked, ‘Do you find this strange? The most
severely tried of people are the Prophets, then the right acting
people, the those who are less right acting, and so on.’ We said,
‘Subhân’allâh!’ He said, ‘Do you find this strange? They used to
enjoy their times of trials and afflictions as you enjoy your times
of ease.’ ”

Masrûq narrated from ‘آ’ishah (radhi Allaahu anha) who
said:

“I have never seen anyone endure
more severe pain than the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam).
When he fell ill, his pain became so severe, to the extent that he
could not sleep for nineteen nights.”

‘آ’ishah (radhi Allaahu anha) narrated that the Messenger
of Allâh (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) said: “

Truly fever makes wrong actions
fall away from a man like leaves fall from a tree.” And it was
narrated that the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) said: “The
likeness of the believer when he suffers from illness is like iron
when it enters the fire; the dross is removed, and the good elements
stay.”

It was narrated that Abû Ayyûb al-Ansârî (radhi Allaahu
anhu) said:

“The Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi
wa Sallam) visited a sick man of the Ansâr, and when the Prophet
(Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) asked how he was, he said, ‘O
Messenger of Allâh, I have not closed my eyes for seven days.’ The
Prophet (S) told him, ‘Have patience, my brother, for if you do, you
will be rid of your wrong actions as easily as you acquired them.’
The Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) also said: ‘The time of
illness cancels out the time of wrong actions.’ ”

Anas (radhi Allaahu anhu) narrated that the Prophet
(Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) said:

“When a slave of Allâh becomes ill
for three days, he will come out having shed all his wrong actions,
and will become as sinless as the day he was born.” And it was
narrated that the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) said: “The
prayer of the sick person will never be rejected, until he
recovers.”

It was narrated that the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa
Sallam) said:

“By the One in Whose hand is my
soul, there is no qadâ’ that Allâh decrees for the believer but it
is good for him. If Allâh decrees that he will go through a time of
ease, the believer will be grateful, and that is good for him. If
Allâh decrees that he will suffer some affliction, he will be
patient, and that is also good for him. This applies only to the
believers.” (Ahmad)

Patience and Gratitude. By Ibn
Qayyim al-Jawziyyah. An abridgement of his original work entitled, “Uddat
as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat by TaHa Publications

Sahâbah on the virtues of
patience

As-Safar said: “Abû Bakr fell ill, so some people
visited him and asked whether they should call a doctor for him. He
said,‘The Doctor has already seen me.’
They asked, ‘What did he say?’ Abû Bakr
said, ‘He said, “I do what I want”.’ ”
(Meaning, that Allâh is his “Doctor” and can make him sick or
healthy as He wills) (Ahmad). ‘Umar ibn al-Khattâb (radhi Allaahu anhu)
said:

“The best days we ever lived were
by virtue of patience, and if patience were to take the shape of a
man, he would be a noble and generous man.”

‘Alî ibn Abî Tâlib (radhi Allaahu anhu) said:

“The relation of patience to îmân
is like the relation of the head to the body. If the head is chopped
off, the body becomes useless.” Then he raised his voice and said:
“Certainly, the one who has no patience has no îmân, and patience is
like a riding-beast that nevers gets tired.”

‘Umar ibn ‘Abdu’l-‘Azîz said:

“Allâh never bestows a blessing
on His slave then takes it away and compensates him by giving him
patience, but that with which he has been compensated is better than
that which has been taken away from him.”

The story of ‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr

‘Urwah ibn al-Zubayr came to visit the Khalîfah
al-Walîd ibn ‘Abdu’l-Malik. With him was his son Muhammad, who was one of
the most handsome of men. The young man had dressed up for the occasion in
fine clothes, and had his hair in two plaits or braids. When al-Walîd saw
him, he said, “This is how the young people of
Quraysh look!” and by so saying, put the evil eye on him. Before he
left, the young man fell ill. When he was in the stable (preparing for the
journey) he fell down, and the horses trampled him to death. Then ‘Urwah
got gangrene in his leg, and al-Walîd sent doctors to him, who suggested
that the leg should be amputated, otherwise the gangrene would spread to
the rest of the body and kill him. ‘Urwah agreed, and the doctors began to
remove his leg, using a saw. When the saw reached the bone, ‘Urwah
fainted, and when he came around, sweat was pouring down his face, and he
was repeating, “Lâ ilâh ill-Allâh, Allâhu akbar.”
When the operation was over, he picked up his leg and kissed it,
then said, “I swear by the One Who mounted me on
you, I never used to walk to any place of wrong action or to any place
where Allâh would not like me to be.” Then he gave instructions
that the leg should be washed, perfumed, wrapped in a cloth and buried in
the Muslim graveyard. When ‘Urwah left al-Walîd and returned to Madînah,
his family and friends went to meet him at the outskirts of the city and
to offer condolences. The only reply he made was to quote from the Qur’ân:
“…truly we have suffered much fatigue at our
journey” (al-Kahf 18:62). He did not say any more than that. Then
he said, “I will not enter Madînah, for people
there either rejoice over the afflictions of others, or else feel envy for
their blessings.” So he went to stay in a place at al-‘Aqîq. ‘خsâ
ibn Talhah came to visit him there and said, “May
your enemies’ fathers perish!” and asked him, “Show me the affliction for which I have come to
console you.” ‘Urwah uncovered his stump, and ‘خsâ said, “By Allâh, we were not preparing you to wrestle! Allâh
has saved most of you: your sanity, your tongue, your eyesight, your two
hands, and one of your two legs.” ‘Urwah told him, “Nobody has consoled me as you have.” When the
doctors came to perform the amputation, they had asked ‘Urwah whether he
would drink intoxicants to ease the pain. He said, “Allâh is testing me to see the extent of my patience.
How could I go against His commands?”

Beautiful patience (sabr jamîl – Yûsuf 12:83) and panic

Mujâhid said: “Beautiful
patience is patience without any panic.” ‘Amr ibn Qays said: “Beautiful patience means to be content with adversity
and to surrender to the will of Allâh.” Yûnus ibn Yazîd said: I
asked Rabî‘ah ibn ‘Abdu’l-Rahmân: “What is the
ultimate of patience?”He said: “To be
outwardly the same at the time of affliction as one was the day before it
struck.” (This does not mean that a person does not or should not
feel pain or anguish; patience in this instance means that one refrains
from panicking and complaining.) Commenting on the meaning of beautiful
patience, Qiyas ibn al-Hajjâj said:

“The person who is suffering from
some affliction should behave in such a way that nobody is able to
distinguish him from others.”

Patience and Gratitude. By Ibn
Qayyim al-Jawziyyah. An abridgement of his original work entitled, “Uddat
as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat by TaHa Publications

What is the most difficult
type of patience?

The degree of difficulty in abstaining from some things
depends on the strength of one’s motive and one’s ability to do the action
in question. Whoever has no motive to kill, or steal, or drink alcohol, or
whatever, and at the same time in not able to do it, will find it very
easy to exercise patience in abstaining from those things. Whoever has a
strong motive to commit a wrong action and has the means to do so, will
face great difficulty in exercising enough patience to abstain. There it
is very difficult for a ruler to refrain from committing injustice and
oppression (dhulm), and it is difficult for a young man to refrain from
fornication, and it is difficult for a rich man to refrain from pursuing
physical desires and pleasures.

The Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) is reported to
have said: “Allâh will commend a young man who
never behaved in an ignorant way” (Ahmad). In another hadîth, he
referred to those who will be shaded in the shade of Allâh’s throne for
their perfect patience – such as the patience of an absolute ruler in
being just in all situations, regardless of his own feelings, and the
patience of a young man in worshipping and obeying Allâh and suppressing
his own whims and desires, and the patience of the man who gives sadaqah
in keeping his sadaqah secret, and the patience of a man who resists the
temptation of a woman of beauty and high status, and the patience of two
men who meet for the sake of Allâh and part for the sake of Allâh, in
keeping their relationship for the sake of Allâh, and the patience of one
who weeps out of fear of Allâh, in keeping that secret and not telling
others about it. All of these are among the most difficult types of
patience. Therefore the punishment of an old man who commits adultery, a
king who tells lies and a poor man who is arrogant is more severe, because
it is easy for them to keep away from such wrong actions, and does not
require much in the way of patience. Their attitude indicates that they
are willfully rebelling against Allâh.

Patience in abstaining from wrong actions of speech and
sexual wrong actions

Amongst the most difficult types of patience is
patience in refraining from committing wrong actions of speech and sexual
wrong actions. Wrong actions of speech – such as backbiting and slander,
telling lies to create trouble between people, and praising oneself
explicitly or implicitly, and insulting people one does not like and
praising those whom one does like – are all entertaining and enjoyable.
There is a strong motive to commit these wrong actions, and it is so easy
to move one’s tongue and speak, so the patience required to abstain from
them is particularly difficult. Therefore the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi
wa Sallam) told Mu‘âdh, “Control your tongue.” Mu‘âdh asked, “ Are we accountable for what we say?” The Prophet
(Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) answered, “Is there
anything other than the wrong actions of speech that cause people to be
thrown in Hell on their faces?”

Once the wrong actions of speech have become a habit,
patience becomes even more difficult. So you might see a man who stays up
all night praying, fasts all day, and would refrain from touching a pillow
if it were made of silk, yet he gives his tongue free rein in backbiting,
slandering and causing trouble between people.

Patience and Gratitude. By Ibn
Qayyim al-Jawziyyah. An abridgement of his original work entitled, “Uddat
as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat by TaHa Publications

Ways of Strengthening Patience

The Patience of noble people and the
patience of ignoble people

Every person has to exercise patience in order to face
difficulties, whether he does so willingly or unwillingly. The noble
person exercises patience willingly, because he realizes the benefits of
patience, and he knows that he will be rewarded for his patience and will
be criticized if he panics. He is aware that if he does not have patience,
panicking and impatience will not help him to regain missed opportunities,
and will not take away things he dislikes. Whatever is decreed and is
qada’ wa qadr cannot be prevented from happening, and whatever is decreed
not to happen cannot be made to happen. So an attitude of impatience and
panic actually causes harm.

A wise man said: “A
man with wisdom as soon as adversity appears does that which a foolish man
does after a month (i.e. he resorts to patience).”

The ignoble man exercises patience only when
he realizes he has no choice. After wasting a lot of time and energy and
panicking and struggling, he realizes that his impatience will not help
him. Then he exercises patience in the same way that a person who has been
tied up to be whipped exercises patience.

The noble person practices patience in
obeying Allâh, whilst the ignoble person exercises patience in obeying the
Shaytân. So ignoble people have the greatest patience in following their
own whims and desires, and have the least patience in spending in the way
of Shaytân and no patience when it comes to spending even a few pennies in
the way of Allâh. They will endure many difficulties in order to follow
their own whims and desires, but cannot bear even the least difficulties
in order to please their Lord. They will endure slander for the sake of
committing wrong actions, but cannot exercise patience in putting up with
slander for the sake of Allâh. Such people will avoid enjoining the good
and forbidding the evil for fear of what people will say about them for
doing so, but they will expose their honour to slander and bear it most
patiently for the sake of following their own whims and desires.
Similarly, they are not prepared to practise patience in devoting
themselves to Allâh, but when it comes to devoting themselves to Shaytân
and their own whims and desires, they will exercise remarkable patience.
Such people will never be noble in the sight of Allâh, and on the Day of
Resurrection they will not be raised with the people of nobility and
decency.

Ways of strengthening patience

As patience is fard (obligatory), Allâh has provided us
with ways and means of obtaining and strengthening the quality of
patience, for He has never instructed us to do something without providing
us with help and support to do it, and ways and means of achieving it. He
has never created a disease without creating a cure for it, and He has
guaranteed cure when medicine is used. Even so, patience is difficult, but
it is not impossible to attain. Patience consists of two elements:
knowledge and action, and from these two elements are derived the remedies
for all spiritual and physical troubles. Knowledge and action, combined,
are always essential.

Knowledge

The element of knowledge is necessary in order to
realize the benefits of following the commands of Allâh and the sense of
happiness and fulfillment that one may attain by following them; and to
understand what it is in the forbidden things that causes harm,
imperfection and evil. When a person realizes that, and adds strong
willpower, the desire for spiritual achievement and the wish to live as a
complete human being (as opposed to as animal-like existence), then it
will become easy for him to attain the quality of patience. The bitterness
of patience will become sweet and the pain of patience will become joy.

Action

As we has already seen, patience is a constant battle
between the motives of reason and religion on the one had, and the motive
of whims and desires on the other. If a person wants reason and religion
to overcome whims and desires, then he has to strengthen the former and
weaken the latter, just like promoting good health and reducing the risk
of illness.

For example, a person who has a strong
desire to commit adultery can take steps to combat it. He may have such a
strong sexual urge that he cannot stop committing adultery; or he may not
commit the act itself, but us unable to stop looking at women; or he may
be able to stop looking at women but he cannot stop thinking of sex, to
the extent that all his thoughts are devoted to this subject, and he never
gives any thought to things which could benefit him in this life and in
the hereafter. If he is really serious about finding a cure for this
disease, then he has to follow these steps:

1. He can find out
what types of food increase sexual desire, then he can reduce his intake
of them, or avoid them altogether. If this does not work, then he can
fast, as fasting reduces sexual desire, especially if the food eaten when
he breaks his fast is moderate.

2. He should lower
his gaze and avoid looking at women, as looking at women may provoke
sexual desire. The Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) warned us, “Looking (at women) is one of the arrows of the
Shaytân.” Shaytân aims his arrows from reaching its target unless
one lowers one’s gaze. But if a person keeps looking, he is exposing his
heart to these arrows, any one of which may be fatal.

3. He should enjoy
permissible sex (i.e. within marriage), because any desire that Allâh
created in us has a permissible outlet. This is the best cure, as the
Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) has indicated.

4. He should think of
the harm and damage that may befall him in this world as a consequence of
his fulfilling his sexual desire in a prohibited way. Even if there were
no Paradise or Hell, the harm that could be caused in this world by such
an action should be enough to stop him from doing it. The damage caused by
such actions is so great that it can barely be quantified, but sexual
desire makes some people blind.

5. He should think of
the ugliness of the person who is tempting him to commit adultery with
her, especially if she is known to have other partners. He should feel too
proud to drink from the same place as dogs and wolves!

Strengthening the motive of reason and
religion

In the battle between reason/religion and
whims/desires, we have the following “weapons” at our disposal: 1. We should remember the glory and greatness of Allâh,
and feel that He is too great to be sinned against as He is all-seeing and
all-hearing. Whoever thinks of the greatness of Allâh will never be at
ease in committing wrong actions.

2. If we claim to
love Allâh, then we should not disobey Him, because of that love. A person
should be obedient to the One he claims to love. Those who refrain from
committing wrong action out of their love for Allâh are of the highest
status in His sight, as are those who worship Him out of love for Him.
There is great difference between the one who obeys Allâh and abstains
from wrong action out of love, and the one who does so out of fear of
punishment.

3. We should think of
the blessings and favours of Allâh, as a decent and noble person would
never act against the one who has been treating him kindly. Only base and
ignoble people do such a thing. If we think of the blessings and favours
of Allâh, we will realize that we should not respond by doing against His
commands and committing wrong action.

4. We should think of
the wrath and punishment of Allâh, as He will be angry with the person who
persists in committing wrong action. Nothing can stand in the way of the
consequences of His anger, least of all this weak slave of His.

5. We should think of
what the person who commits wrong action has to lose, in this world and
the next. It should be sufficient to think of the loss of îmân (faith), of
which the smallest amount is worth much more than everything in this
world. How can anyone be willing to lose his îmân in return for some brief
moment of pleasure the consequences of which might last forever? In a
sahîh hadîth, the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) said: “No adulterer is a believer at the time of when he is
committing adultery.” Commenting on this hadîth, one of the Sahâbah
said: “His îmân will be dragged out of him until
it goes over his head like a cloud. If he repents, then his îmân will
return to him.”

6. We should relish
the idea of defeating the Shaytân and being victorious over him, because
of overcoming him, and our whims and desires, is a thing of joy and
carries a great reward. It is like taking medicine and being rewarded with
restoration to good health.

7. We should bear in
mind the reward and compensation which Allâh has promised to those who
control their whims and desires, and abstain from that which is harâm.

8. We should think of
the special companionship of Allâh, as He has told us: “Allâh is with those who patiently persevere”
(al-Baqarah 2:153) “For Allâh is with those
who restrain themselves and those who do good” (an-Nahl 16:128)
“For verily Allâh is with those who do right.”
(al-‘Ankabût 29:69)

9. We should be ever
mindful of death, which could come upon us at any time, suddenly and
without warning.

10. We should stop
thinking of falsehood and bad ideas. Even if bad thoughts cross our minds,
we should not let them stay, otherwise they may become hopes and wishes
which we may act upon, and harm ourselves and others in the process.

11.We should
gradually strengthen our religious motive in fighting whims and desires.
Once we have tasted the joy of defeating those whims and desires, then our
determination and willpower will grow stronger.

12. We should direct
our thoughts towards contemplation of the signs of Allâh which He has
encouraged us to think about, whether they are in the Qur’ân or in the
universe around us. If such thoughts are constantly in our hearts and
minds, this will help us to shun the whisperings of the Shaytân. There is
no greater loser than the one who, instead of thinking of Allâh, His Book,
His Prophet and his Sahâbah, dwells on Shaytân and the ideas of Shaytân.

13. We should
remember how short is our stay on this earth. No-one would want to feel
that all he has achieved in this life is the worst kind of deeds, except a
person who has no spiritual ambition, whose heart is dead and who is
careless. Such a person will ultimately regret his deeds when he realizes
that, far from benefiting him, they will lead to punishment. Even the
person who has many good deeds to his credit will feel that sense of
regret when he realizes that he could have done even more.

14.We should know
that Allâh has created us to live an eternal life with no death, a life of
pride and ease with no humiliation, a life of security with no fear, a
life of richness with no poverty, a life of joy with no pain, a life of
perfection with no flaws. Allâh is testing us in this world with a life
that will end with death, a life of pride which is accompanied by
humiliation and degradation, a life that is tainted by fear, where joy and
ease are mixed with sorrow and pain. So many people are mistakenly seeking
an easy life of power and pleasure in this world, but most of them never
manage to achieve it, and those who do, enjoy it only for a brief time
before it vanishes. The Prophets called people to an eternal life of
plenty, and whoever answers their call will have the best life in this
world, better than the life of kings and their followers, for zuhd in this
life is true richness. This is something which the Shaytân greatly envies
the believers.

Merely knowing the facts that we have
outlined above is not enough. We have to strive and do our utmost to
achieve our aim and attain perfection. The best way to do so is to put a
stop to the habits that are controlling our lives, as these are the main
obstacles which prevent us from succeeding. We should avoid places of
fitnah and temptation, as the Prophet (Sallallaahu alaihi wa Sallam) told
us, “Whoever hears of the Dajjâl should keep away
from him.” The best way to protect ourselves from wrong is to keep
away from anything that could lead to it. One of the favourite tricks of
the Shaytân, which deceives everyone except those who are clever enough to
see it, is to show a person some goodness in a wrong thing, and call him
to go towards what is good; when the person gets close to it, he falls
into the trap.

Patience and Gratitude.
By Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah. An abridgement of his original work entitled,
“Uddat as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat by TaHa Publications

Patience and loving Allâh

Patience is one of the most important qualities
demanded of those who claim to love Allâh, as the degree of patience
determines those who are sincere in their claim and those who are not. The
degree of patience needed to endure hardship and difficulties in order to
please the Beloved proves the sincerity of one’s love. Many claim to love
Allâh, but when Allâh tests them with hardship, they forget the true
essence of love. No-one can adhere to the love of Allâh except those who
are patient and persevering (as-sâbirûn). If it were not for the test of
hardship and sincerity, there would be no proof of the sincerity of a
person’s love of Allâh. The one whose love of Allâh is greater, has a
greater degree of patience.

Therefore, Allâh has attributed the quality of patience
to His close friends (awliyâ) and most beloved. He said about His beloved
slave Ayyûb (alaihi wa sallam):

“…Truly We found him full of
patience and constancy. How excellent in Our service! Ever did he
turn (to Us)!” (Sâd 38:44)

Allâh instructed the most beloved to Him of everything He
created to have patience in accepting His decree and told him that
patience comes only by the help of Allâh. He praised those who have
patience and promised them the best of rewards: the rewards of others are
defined and limited, but the reward of as-sâbirûn
is without measure. Patience is vital at all levels of Islâm, îmân and ihsân, as well as being a
major element in îmân (faith) and tawakkul (putting one’s trust in Allâh).

Patience for the sake of Allâh, by the help of Allâh and
in accepting the decree of Allâh

1. Patience for the sake of
Allâh, hoping for His rewards and fearing His punishment.

2. Patience by the help of Allâh,
as man realizes that he has no patience himself, and has no power to
acquire patience. Rather, he knows: “there is no power and no strength
except by (the help of) Allâh.”

3. Patience in accepting the
decree of Allâh, as man realizes that Allâh is the only one Who is
controlling the affairs of the universe, so he will patiently accept the
ruling and decree of Allâh, regardless of what it may mean for him in the
way of ease or hardship.

Patience for the sake of Allâh is of a higher degree than
patience by the help of Allâh, as patience for the sake of Allâh is
related to His being ilâh (god, object of worship),
whilst patience by His help is related to His being rabb (lord, cherisher
and sustainer). Whatever is connected to His being
ilâh, such as patience for His sake, is worship, and as such is
greater than whatever is connected to His being
rabb, such as seeking His help in having patience. Worship is the
ultimate goal, whereas seeking help is a means to an end. The goal is
sought for its own sake, but means are sought for the sake of other
things. Patience by His help is common to believers and unbelievers, good
and bad, alike, while patience for His sake is the way of Messengers,
Prophets and true believers. Patience for His sake is patience in matters
that please Allâh, while patience by His help may apply to matters that
please Him or displease Him.

Different degrees of patience

1.Patience both for the sake of
Allâh and by the help of Allâh. A person will have patience by help of
Allâh for the sake of Allâh, realizing that he has no power of his own
whatsoever. This is the highest degree of patience.

2.Patience for the sake of Allâh
but not by the help of Allâh. Such people may want to have patience for
the sake of Allâh, but they are not actively seeking His help, and their
trust and reliance ( tawakkul) is weak. Such people
will have a good ending, but they are weak and cannot achieve most of what
they want to achieve. This is the situation of a sincere but weak
believer.

3.Patience by the help of Allâh.
Such a person seeks Allâh’s help and puts his trust in Him, admitting that
he has no power or strength whatsoever, but his patience is not for the
sake of Allâh, as his patience is not for reasons of faith. This will
achieve his aims, but his ending may be worst. An example of such people
are the leaders of the kuffâr and the followers of
the Shaytân, as their patience is by the help of Allâh, but is not for the
sake of Allâh.

4.No kind of patience whatsoever.
This is the lowest degree, and a person of this type deserves all sorts of
failures.

Those who have patience for the sake of Allâh and by the
help of Allâh are those who are strong and achieve much. Those who have
patience for the sake of Allâh, but not for the sake of Allâh, are
capable, but evil. Those who have neither patience for the sake of Allâh
not by the help of Allâh, are good people, but weak and helpless. Those
who have patience by the help of Allâh, but not for the sake of Allâh, are
capable, but evil. Those who have neither patience for the sake of Allâh
nor by the help of Allâh are doomed to failure.

Patience and Gratitude. By
Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah. An abridgement of his original work entitled,
“Uddat as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat by TaHa Publications