Group Presentation – Islamic Personality Types of Patience By Br. Abu Imaan and Sr. Umm Imaan

Contents  Overview  Physical patience by choice  Physical patience without choice  Psychological patience by choice  Psychological patience without choice  Comparison between patience by choice and patience without choice  Examples of patience by choice in Qur’an and Sunnah  Patience of the Prophet Muhammad (SAAS)  Other perspective on patience  Conclusion

Types of Patience (according to Imâm Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah*) Patience Physical By Choice Without Choice Psychological By Choice Without Choice * Uddat as-Sâbireen wa Dhâkirat ash-Shâkireen

Physical Patience By Choice Definition: You deliberately put yourself in a situation where you know you will need to endure physical hardship in order to successfully complete that task or in order to come out of that situation having attained the desired result. Example 1: Do a voluntary fast on a long and hot summer day while doing hard labour Example 2: Performing the rituals of Hajj

Physical Patience Without Choice Definition: Patience required in bearing something imposed on you which requires physical hardship and endurance Example 2: Patiently bearing a painful illness Example 1: Patiently bearing the assault of weather

Psychological Patience By Choice Example 1: Preferring prison to disbelief in Allah (SWT). e.g. Ibn Taymiya saying, "The prison is dearer to me than what I am asked to affirm" Definition: Patience required in willingly doing something or bearing a situation which requires psychological endurance Example 2: Working as an emergency relief doctor in disaster and conflict zones

Psychological Patience Without Choice Definition: Patience required in bearing a situation enforced on us which requires psychological endurance Example 1: Patiently bearing illness of your children Example 2: Patiently bearing an enforced separation from one whom you love

Comparison Patience by choice is of a higher status than patience without choice: The patience of Yûsuf(AS) 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 might (Ulul a’azmi minarrusul): Nûh, Ibrâhîm, Mûsâ, ‘Īsâ and the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (SAAS). Allah (SWT) says: فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُوْلُوا الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ وَلَا تَسْتَعْجِل لَّهُمْ “Be patient, as the Messengers of might were patient, and do not hasten it for them.” Al-Ahqaaf, Ayah 35

Patience by choice in the Qur’an Allah (SWT) says: وإِنْ عَاقَبْتُمْ فَعَاقِبُواْ بِمِثْلِ مَا عُوقِبْتُم بِهِ وَلَئِن صَبَرْتُمْ لَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لِّلصَّابِرينَ “If ye punish, then punish with the like of that wherewith ye were afflicted. But if ye endure patiently, verily it is better for the patient ones” An-Nahl, Ayah 126 The Qur’an allows reprisal but with a clear directive that the harm or injury to be caused to the opponent shall in no case be more than the harm or injury he has caused with due emphasis on the exercise of patience.

Patience by choice in the Qur’an (continued) Allah (SWT) says: وَمَن لَّمْ يَسْتَطِعْ مِنكُمْ طَوْلاً أَن يَنكِحَ الْمُحْصَنَاتِ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ فَمِن مِّا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَانُكُم مِّن فَتَيَاتِكُمُ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَاللّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِإِيمَانِكُمْ بَعْضُكُم مِّن بَعْضٍ فَانكِحُوهُنَّ بِإِذْنِ أَهْلِهِنَّ وَآتُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ مُحْصَنَاتٍ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحَاتٍ وَلاَ مُتَّخِذَاتِ أَخْدَانٍ فَإِذَا أُحْصِنَّ فَإِنْ أَتَيْنَ بِفَاحِشَةٍ فَعَلَيْهِنَّ نِصْفُ مَا عَلَى الْمُحْصَنَاتِ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ ذَلِكَ لِمَنْ خَشِيَ الْعَنَتَ مِنْكُمْ وَأَن تَصْبِرُواْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ وَاللّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ “If any one of you do not have the affluence to be able marry free believing women, (let him marry) from among the believing women that your right hand owns. Allah knows best your belief, you are from each other. Marry them with the permission of their people and give them their wages (dowry) honorably being women in marriage and chaste, not taking lovers. If, after marriage they commit adultery, they shall be liable to half the punishment of a married (free) woman. That is for those of you who fear fornication, but it is better for you to be patient. Allah is the Forgiver, the Most Merciful.” Annisa, Ayah 25

Patience by choice in the Sunnah Narrated 'Ata bin Abi Rabah: Ibn 'Abbas said to me, "Shall I show you a woman of the people of Paradise?" I said, "Yes." He said, "This black lady came to the Prophet and said, 'I get attacks of epilepsy and my body becomes uncovered; please invoke Allah for me.' The Prophet said (to her), 'If you wish, be patient and you will have (enter) Paradise; and if you wish, I will invoke Allah to cure you.' She said, 'I will remain patient' and added, 'but I become uncovered, so please invoke Allah for me that I may not become uncovered.' So he invoked Allah for her.“ (Bukhari)

Patience of Prophet Muhammad (SAAS) The Prophet (SAAS) was always very patient in hardship and suffering. Throughout his life, he had to encounter a succession of bitter experiences Demonstrated the best of patience in all of the situations described earlier Outstanding example of patience during the 13 years in Makkah and Taaif. Allah (SWT) says: وَلِرَبِّكَ فَاصْبِرْ "And practice patience for the sake of your Lord." (Al-Mudaththir, Ayah 7) وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُواْ عَلَى مَا كُذِّبُواْ وَأُوذُواْ حَتَّى أَتَاهُمْ نَصْرُنَا وَلاَ مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللّهِ وَلَقدْ جَاءكَ مِن نَّبَإِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ "Rejected were the messengers before you, and they continued to practise patience while they were being rejected and persecuted, until Our help reached them." (Al-An'aam, Ayah 34) وَاصْبِرْ فَإِنَّ اللّهَ لاَ يُضِيعُ أَجْرَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ "And practice patience, certainly Allah does not let the reward of the Muhsineen be lost." (Hud, Ayah 115)

Another Perspective On Patience Patience is required in these 3 areas of life: Patience without choice Patience by choice

Conclusion All 4 types of patience will be rewarded as long as they are for the sake of Allah (SWT). The Prophet (SAAS) said: "A Muslim does not suffer any mental or physical anguish, or any distress, grief, pain or sorrow - even from the prick of a thorn – except that Allah expiates his mistakes and sins." (Bukhari and Muslim) ‘Patience by choice is better than patience without choice’ does not mean we ask for calamities so that we bear them with patience. In most situations, both physical patience and psychological patience are required and they go hand in hand. e.g. a disabled person, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil etc.

Conclusion (continued) Allah (SWT) says: وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوفْ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الأَمَوَالِ وَالأنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُواْ إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ أُولَـئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ Allah (SWT) wants us to pass on the following good news: “And give good news to the patient who, when afflicted with calamity say, "Truly, to Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return”. They are those on whom the Salawat (i.e. the blessing and forgiveness) of their Lord is upon them, and who shall receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones.” Al-Baqara, Ayah 157

رَبَّنَا أَفْرِغْ عَلَيْنَا صَبْرًا وَتَوَفَّنَا مُسْلِمِينَ ‘Lord, pour patience upon us and let us die as Muslims.’ Al-A’raaf, Ayah 126 Jazaakumullahu Khayran Assalaamu Alaykum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakaatuh