Its Obligation and Definition Patience

Allah created us to worship him and he put us here on earth to be tested as to our belief in him. As Allah says in the interpretation of the meaning: “You shall certainly be tried and tested in your wealth and properties and in your personal selves, and you shall certainly hear much that will grieve you from those who received the Scripture before you (Jews and Christians) and from those who ascribe partners to Allah; but if you persevere patiently, and become Al-Muttaqun (the pious) then verily, that will be a determining factor in all affairs and that is from the great matters which you must hold on with all your efforts [Quran 3:186] So thus we will be tested with all that is dear to us, and Allah tells us that the needed quality to help us to get through the tests and trials of life is patience. Herein we will discuss the obligation of attaining this characteristic followed by the true definition of it

Firstly - Patience, or patient perseverance, is obligatory, according to the consensus of the scholars, and it is half of faith (îmân) ● The relationship of patience to îmân is like the relation of the head to the body, and the one who has no patience has no îmân. ● Proof of the obligation of patience is given through the command of Allâh for the Believers in the following âyah: “O you who believe! seek help with patient perseverance (sabr) and prayer...” [Quran 2 :153] Patience has also been made a condition for a person’s entering Paradise and being saved from the Hellfire; on the Day of Judgement Allâh will say: “I have rewarded them this day for their patience and constancy (patience): they are indeed the ones that have achieved Bliss...” [Quran 23:111)

Allah further lets it be known that unless one is patient he can never be righteous nor loved by Allah: “...(it is righteousness...) to be firm and patient, in pain or suffering and adversity, and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the God-fearing.” (al-Baqarah 2:177) And: “...Allâh loves those who are firm and steadfast.” (Āl ‘Imrân 3:146) Allâh also tells us that He is with those who have patience; and this is a special “companionship” which means that He is protecting and supporting them, which is different than simply having knowledge of what they do. Allâh says: “...And be patient and persevering: for Allah is with those who patiently persevere.” (al-Anfâl 8:47)

From the sunnah, the Prophet said: “There is no gift better than patience.” Umar ibn al-Khattab (RA) said: “The best days of our lives were ours by virtue of patience.” So thus as Muslims not only are we obligated to attain patience in life, but also doing so will make us better people and bring us closer to Allah.

So how does one develop or attain Patience?

In order to develop Patience, one must first understand what it is 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. Abû ‘Uthmân said: “the one who has patience is the one who trained himself to handle difficulties.” Amr ibn ‘Uthmân al-Makkî said: “Patience means to keep close to Allâh and to accept calmly the trials He sends, without complaining or feeling sad.” Khawwas said: “Patience means to adhere to the rules of the Qur’ân and Sunnah.” Alî ibn Abî Tâlib said: “Patience means to seek Allâh’s help.”

Abû Muhammad al-Harirî said “Patience means not seeing any difference between times of ease and times of hardship, and being content at all times.” Ibn Qayyim dissagrees with this and best describes patience as follows: “Allâh 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 said in his well known du‘â: “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 your favour.” This does not contradict the hadîth 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.

To truly understand the meaning of patience we must learn the difference between it and complaint Complaint is the opposite of patience and falls in two categories: The first category involves complaining to Allâh, and this does not contradict patience. This type was demonstrated by several of the Prophets, for example, when Ya’qûb (AS) said: “I only complain of my distraction and anguish to Allâh.” (Yûsuf 12:86) Also Prophet Job: “And (remember) Ayyûb (Job), when he cried to his Lord, ‘Truly distress has seized me...’ ” (Al Anbiya 21:83) Also the prophet Muhammad displayed this type of patience: “O Allâh, I complain to You of my weakness and helplessness.”

The second type of complaint involves complaining to people ● This type of complaint contradicts patience And is done either directly through our words, or indirectly, through the way we look and behave. As Muslims we must avoid this type of complaint. When faced with the trials of life we need to learn to take our problems to Allah instead of complaining and whinning to others who can not help us. If we take our complaint to someone who can help us then this is acceptable. But too often we turn to people and use them for venting when they are not in a position to help us at all. This is the complaint that contradicts patience

The way to keep ourselves from falling into the sinful category of complaint by complaining to other who can not help us is by: ● Teaching ourselves to refrain or restrain 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. One of the scholars said: “To have patience means that one’s common sense and religious motives are stronger than one’s whims and desires.” So we have to exercise restraint when it is needed and strengthen our religious motives and make them superior over our 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

Recognizing the difference between Patience and complaint thus becomes the first step in developing Patience ● The next step is simple – pretend that you are patient until it eventually becomes second nature. This is what the Prophet has told us in the hadith: “Whoever tries to be patient, then Allâh will help him to be patient.” Also by surrounding yourself around people who are patient this too will help you to attain this characteristic Finally, making duaa asking Allah to give you this quality also becomes a way to the means