How should we comprehend Patience? What is it and what it is not? In which situations should we show patience?
Submitted by on Tue, 24/08/2010 - 17:09
Dear Brother / Sister,
The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said, “Patience is at the first stroke of a calamity.” (Bukhari, (Jana'iz) emphasizes the importance of patience that a person should have when faced with a calamity at the first time. To be patient does not mean to bear condemnation or consent to the contempt and sluggishness or enduring and being silent against the unjust violence attacks that overshadow the dignity of man.
It is because showing patience to the things which are not legitimate is not permissible. A person should feel sorry inwardly and struggle against them. It is weakness and laziness of a person to endure the evil things that he/she can overcome with his/her own free will and power or being indifference in the face of his/her possible needs. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) prayed as follows “O My Allah! I seek refuge with you from incapacity and laziness”. (Bukhari, Jihad, 25)
There are some hardships that are beyond the strength and power of man. It is the characteristics of a believer not to worry and complain but to show patience, when such troubles happen. Thus, Allah orders his servants gracious patience (sabr jameel) (Yusuf, 12/18).
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said; “Gracious Patience (sabr jameel) is patience without complaint.” Actually, it is in vain and an unnecessary act to show patience when one can do something and to show impatience when one cannot.
Questions on Islam
- Are there any supplications (duas) to be patient? Will you give information about the virtue of patience?
- What would you advise me to do in order to show patience in the face of illnesses and misfortunes?
- How did Hz. Yaqub manage to show so much patience? How did he manage to continue praying though Yusuf was eaten by a wolf?
- Do we have the right to hurt people? How should we react against the insults and bad deeds that we are exposed to?
- Will you give information about the relieved and distressed state of the heart? The distressed state lasts for a long time for me; I cannot enjoy life. I cannot put up with this state. What should I do?
- How can it fit a prophet (Hz. Yaqub) to cry for forty years because of being separated from his son (Hz. Yusuf)? Would it not have been better if he had shown patience?
- It is stated that belief has two parts; half of it is thanking (Allah) and the other half is patience. Will you explain it? What is meant by patience and thanking here?
- What should we do if we cannot leave a place where people talk about others behind their backs and we have to listen to them?
- What is the wisdom behind feeling pain when we cut or hit ourselves or when we have a headache? Why did God give us this feeling of pain?
- Gleams: Flowers from the Seeds of Reality. A short ‘Mathnawi’ and collection on the subject of belief for the Risale-i Nur students.
