Praise be to Allaah.
(In the month of patience, ‘Ramadan’, let us learn about patience from Qur’an and Ahadeeth.)
Allaah has made patience like a horse that never gets tired, an army that can never be defeated and a strong fortress that can never be breached. Patience and victory are twin brothers, for victory comes with patience, relief comes with distress and ease comes with hardship. Patience is of more help to the one who has it than many men, as it helps without any need for equipment or numbers and its relationship to victory is like that of the head to the body.
In the Qur’aan, Allaah has guaranteed those who are patient that He will give them reward without measure.
He tells them that He is with them by guiding and supporting them and granting them a clear victory. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Surely, Allaah is with those who are As‑Saabiroon (the patient)”
[al-Anfaal 6:46]
Allaah has made leadership in terms of religion conditional upon patience and certain faith, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And We made from among them (Children of Israel), leaders, giving guidance under Our Command, when they were patient and used to believe with certainty in Our Ayaat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.)”
[al-Sajdah 32:34]
Allaah tells us that patience is better for those who are patient, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“But if you endure patiently, verily, it is better for As‑Saabiroon (the patient)”
[al-Nahl 16:126]
Allaah tells us if we are patient and pious, the plot of the enemy cannot do any harm, even if he is powerful, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“But if you remain patient and become Al-Muttaqoon (the pious), not the least harm will their cunning do to you. Surely, Allaah surrounds all that they do”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:120]
Allaah tells us that the patience and piety of his Prophet Yoosuf brought him to a position of power and strength, as He says (interpretation of the meaning):
“Verily, he who fears Allaah with obedience to Him (by abstaining from sins and evil deeds, and by performing righteous good deeds), and is patient, then surely, Allaah makes not the reward of the Muhsinoon (good‑doers) to be lost”
[Yoosuf 12:90]
Allaah tells us that He loves those who are patient, and that is the greatest encouragement. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And Allaah loves As-Saabiroon (the patient)”
[Aal ‘Imraan 3:146]
Allaah has given glad tidings of three things to those who are patient, each of which is better than that for which the people of this world envy one another. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
155. “And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As‑ Saabiroon (the patient).
156. Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: ‘Truly, to Allaah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return.’
157. They are those on whom are the Salawaat (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided ones.”
[al-Baqarah 2:155-157]
Allaah tells us that repelling evil with that which is better makes the evildoer become like a close friend. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The good deed and the evil deed cannot be equal. Repel (the evil) with one which is better (i.e. Allaah orders the faithful believers to be patient at the time of anger, and to excuse those who treat them badly) then verily he, between whom and you there was enmity, (will become) as though he was a close friend.”
[Fussilat 41:34]
Patience is the foundation of the believer’s faith which has no other foundation. The one who has no patience has no faith, and if he has any, then it is only a little faith and it is very weak, and such a person worships Allaah as it were upon the edge (i.e. in doubt): if good befalls him, he is content therewith; but if a trial befalls him he turns back on his face (i.e. reverts to disbelief after embracing Islam). He loses both this world and the Hereafter (cf. al-Hajj 22:11). All he gets from them is a losing deal. The best life is attained by the blessed through patience, and they rise to the highest degrees through their gratitude. So they fly on the wings of patience and gratitude to gardens of delight (i.e., Paradise). That is the bounty of Allaah that He bestows upon whomsoever He will, and Allaah is the Owner of Great Bounty.
End quote from ‘Uddat al-Saabireen by Ibn al-Qayyim, p. 3-5.
With regard to the ahaadeeth which speak of the virtue of patience, they include the following:
Al-Bukhaari (1496) and Muslim (1053) narrated that Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri (RadiyAllaahu Anhu) said: The Messenger of Allaah (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:
“…whoever is patient Allaah will bestow patience upon him, and no one is ever given anything better and more generous than patience.”
And Muslim (918) narrated that Umm Salamah (RadiyAllaahu Anha) said: I heard the Messenger of Allaah (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) say:
“There is no Muslim who is stricken with a calamity and says what Allaah has enjoined – ‘Verily to Allaah we belong and unto Him is our return. O Allaah, reward me for my affliction and compensate me with something better’ – but Allaah will compensate him with something better.”
And Muslim (2999) narrated that Suhayb (RadiyAllaahu Anhu) said: The Messenger of Allaah (SallAllahu Alayhi Wa Sallam) said:
“How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for his affairs are all good, and this applies to no one but the believer. If something good happens to him, he is thankful for it and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience and that is good for him.”
For more ahaadeeth about the virtue of patience and exhortation to be patient, please see al-Targheeb wa’l-Tarheeb by al-Mundhiri (4/274-302).
‘Umar ibn ‘Abd al-‘Azeez (RadiyAllaahu Anhu) said: ‘Allaah has not bestowed any blessing upon His slaves then taken it away and replaced it with patience, but what He has compensated them with is better than what He has taken away.’
And Allaah knows best.