The Virtue of Patience

By Bahron Ansori, Journalist of MINA

There are at least 90 places in the Quran where Allah talks about patience. Before discussing the virtues of patience, we will first discuss the importance of patience. According to Dr. Muhammad Akjim, the importance (urgency) of patience includes the following:

First, patience is the provision, strength and equipment needed by sick people in their suffering, people who are being tested in their trials, a preacher to Allah in his preaching, a woman in her home, a father in his family, a teacher in his school, a student in his studies, a clerk in his office and a dealer in his trade.

Second, patience is half of faith as stated in the hadith. So whoever has a little bit of patience will also have a little faith. The best life lived by happy people is achieved by patience.

Third, patience is the master of morals, principles, doors and pillars. The attitude of ‘iffah or keeping oneself from what is forbidden is patience from lust which is forbidden. Manners are patient from taking revenge when angry. Having an open chest is patient when you are suffering from boredom. Qana’ah is patience with mediocre and little sustenance and so on.

As the words of the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam said,

وما أُعْطِيَ أحَدٌ عَطَاءً خَيْرًا وأَوْسَعَ مِنَ الصَّبْرِ

“No one is given a gift by Allah that is better and wider than patience.” [HR. Al-Bukhari (1469) from Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri]

Fourth, patience is light as in the hadith. Allah illuminates with this light the path of those who are confused and guides patiently to His straight path.

Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said, “Patience is a hot light.” (HR. Muslim). Patience will illuminate our lives, but to achieve it we must struggle and fight against various low and contemptible desires and ambitions of the world.

Fifth, patience is a support for continuous obedience and in practicing worship and istiqamah. There is no obedience that can be carried out with istiqamah unless it must be built with patience.

Sixth, patience is the provision of a Muslim in jihad against his desires to leave sins and mistakes. Patience is the solace of a believer when he is hit by a heavy problem and is hit by a disaster.

If it were not for patience, the person who is upset will drown in his turmoil and the person who is sad will feel more and more tight in his chest with sadness and inner pressure.

Seventh, patience is the way to glory and heights. If anyone in this world wants to succeed in achieving the goals and hopes of the world, then he must have patience. Because it is impossible for someone to be successful in achieving goals without being accompanied by patience.

Before achieving success, they are people who have endured a lot of the bitterness of life’s trials. So it’s only natural that they finally get success in response to their patience during the bitterness of life.

The virtue of Patience

There are many virtues possessed by patient Muslims. According to Shaykh Khalid bin Su’ud al-Bulaihid, he provides details about the virtues of patience as follows.

First, will get a great reward in the hereafter. This is as stated by Allah Ta’ala,

إِنَّمَا يُوَفَّى الصَّابِرُونَ أَجْرَهُمْ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ

“Verily, only those who are patient are sufficient for their reward without limit.” [Qs. Az-Zumar: 10]

Sufyan Ats-Tsauri Rahimahullah said,

إِنَّمَا اْلأَجْرُ عَلَى قَدْرِ الصَّبْرِ

“The reward is only according to the level of patience.”

Second, will get the love of God. There is no true love except Allah’s love for His servants. As mentioned in the word of Allah Ta’ala,

وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الصَّابِرِينَ

“And Allah loves those who are patient.” [Qs. Ali Imran: 146]

Third, heaven for those who are patient with the calamities in the world. ‘Atha’ bin Abi Rabah said, “Abdullah bin ‘Abbas said to me, ‘Would you like me to show you a woman who belongs to the inhabitants of heaven?” I replied, “Yes.”

He said, “This black woman came to the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wasallam and said, “I have epilepsy (epilepsy) and my genitals are exposed (when it relapses), so pray to Allah for my recovery.”

Rasulullah Shallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam said, “If you just be patient, then for you paradise. But if you wish, I pray to Allah to heal you.”

So the woman replied, “Indeed, my private parts are exposed (during a relapse), so pray for me not to be exposed.” Then the Prophet prayed for the woman not to be exposed.” [HR. Bukhari and Muslim]

Fourth, it turns out that Allah is with those who are patient. Verses that are quite famous as the word of Allah Ta’ala,

وَاصْبِرُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الصَّابِرِينَ

“Be patient, verily Allah is with those who are patient.” [Qs. Al-Anfal: 46]

Fifth, the best gift from Allah to believers. This is as in the hadith narrated in Ash-Shahihain,

وما أُعْطِيَ أحَدٌ عَطَاءً خَيْرًا وأَوْسَعَ مِنَ الصَّبْرِ

“No one is given a gift by Allah that is better and wider than patience.” [HR. Bukhari (1469) from Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri]

It is very clear in the hadith above that the best gift from Allah Ta’ala to Muslim servants is patience, not wealth, rank or position.

Sixth, feel the sweetness of faith. Those who are patient in leaving disobedience, then he will taste the sweetness of faith.

Ibn Taimiyah Rahimahullah said, “Thus, leaving the heinous act (adultery) will purify the heart. Likewise with leaving various immorality. Various immoral acts are like a destructive mixture in the body and like bushes in a plantation.”

Seventh, people who are patient get three good news from Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala. About this, Allah Ta’ala says,

وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُوا إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ أُولَٰئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ

“And give glad tidings to those who are patient, (namely) people who when disaster strikes, they say “Innā lillāhi wa innā ilaihi raji’ūn” (indeed we belong to Allah and to Him we return). It is they who receive forgiveness and mercy from their Lord, and they are the ones who are guided.” [Qs. Al-Baqarah: 155-157]

May Allah Ta’ala make it easy for us to practice the character and attitude of patience in an istiqamah manner, amen. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)